Fitting DCC with sound to Bachmann N scale steamers? (New Haven, Maine Central)

[Searsport]

Hi, folks,

Can DCC with sound be fitted into the Bachmann USRA tender which comes with the New Haven Light Mountain? (Bachmann N 81663).  I have seen old threads which say the tender is too small, but DCC equipment is also getting smaller??

And is this tender the same as the Bachmann USRA medium coal tender? (Bachmann N 89754 USRA Medium Coal Tender Maine Central), and which Maine Central loco did Bachmann intend this tender to run with??

And can DCC with sound be fitted into the Bachmann C&O Vanderbilt New Haven tender (Bachmann N 89454), and could this credibly run with the Light Mountain?  If not, what New Haven loco did Bachmann intend this tender for??

Grateful for any help!
Bill.

[skipgear]

Bill,
Yes sound will fit....no it won't be easy. Either a Digitrax or Tsunami decoder will fit in the medium (Standard USRA) tender but it takes some creativity to make it all work together.

The Vanderbilt, that is a different story. I plan to tackle one eventually but it is not looking promising right now. I believe you will be limited to a Digitrax decoder in that on due to size.

[n-scale chesapeake & ohio]

be carefull when looking at the "dcc ready" steamers some require soldering to put a decoder in them while others have the 8-pin plug in them

[axle17921]

for smaller tenders the ESU loksound decoder is best, it is a hair shorter than the tsunami and far superior sound to digitrax.