2-6-6-2 spectrum

[argilla01]

hey, greetings from Belgium EU to fellow train modellers in the USA,

recently bought a spectrum 2-6-6-2 DC without sound. Sound board exists in tender 8 pins. In order to make it full DCC sound and smoke I need a sound decoder. I think that Spectrum works together with Tsunami or Soundtraxx .( ??)

1) Is there a replacment decoder lets say a ESU decoder withe USA sounds ?must be 8 pins
2) If not is the system Tsunami compatible with the EU protocol Roco DCC MM3
3) I tested the train with my protocol ( no decoder) and only the head light runs not the train itself. Normally a DCC ready loco runs in the standard DC mode without the sound . This train does nothing.

I hope someone can help Thx.

[richg]

hey, greetings from Belgium EU to fellow train modellers in the USA,

recently bought a spectrum 2-6-6-2 DC without sound. Sound board exists in tender 8 pins. In order to make it full DCC sound and smoke I need a sound decoder. I think that Spectrum works together with Tsunami or Soundtraxx .( ??)

1) Is there a replacment decoder lets say a ESU decoder withe USA sounds ?must be 8 pins
2) If not is the system Tsunami compatible with the EU protocol Roco DCC MM3
3) I tested the train with my protocol ( no decoder) and only the head light runs not the train itself. Normally a DCC ready loco runs in the standard DC mode without the sound . This train does nothing.

I hope someone can help Thx.

Welcome.
Below is a link to the SoundTraxx site with a decoder selector. The 2-6-6-2 decoder and speaker part numbers are shown.

http://www.soundtraxx.com/

Cut back the shrink around the decoder a little. Remove the plug and plug in a 9 pin, JST to 8 pin NMRA connector.

Below is a good site. Look in Curriculum, SoundTraxx for instructions on how to do this. Bruce has a lot of good DCC info if you take your time and look around.

http://www.mrdccu.com/

I do not use smoke and will not comment on it, other than, it is not realistic and it is messy.

No idea why yours is not running.

Rich

[richg]

Forgot to mention. Check the ESU website. They show USA sounds. ESU decoders come with different connectors.  I have some with 6 pin and 8 pin.Depends on which one you order.

Rich

[MilwaukeeRoadfan261]

I know ESU has sounds for a few American steam locomotives the one I would recommend for the 2-6-6-2 would be the Union Pacific Big Boy or the Y6b 2-8-8-2.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

You don't say whether this loco is new or used' if it is used the Dc function may. have been turned off.

[Tom M.]

Most aftermarket smoke units draw more mA's than a decoder function output can provide in continuous use.  Generally, function outputs are rated at 100 to 120 mAs.  While some decoder brands say their function output can support up to 200 mA or more, I see them fail eventually when used directly with smoke generator units.  A better approach is to install a micro relay switch between the decoder and the smoke unit.  ESU makes a good small/compact one.  Using a switch allows you to feed full track power to the smoke unit while using a decoder's low mA function to control the on/off function of the switch.  I've done this dozens of times for my DCC installation clients who request installation of smoke units.  One last caution about smoke units, you need to use an insulated type to prevent it from melting the plastic boiler shell and smoke stack.  Seuthe makes insulated types.  Even their uninsulated ones come with an insulating ring you can use to insulate the unit from the smoke stack.

Regards,

Tom

[argilla01]

Ths for the welcome words.

New loco.tested and only headlight runs. The train didn't move a inch nor forwards nor backwards. Soundcard already present in tender exept de decoder and speaker.

[richg]

Ths for the welcome words.

New loco.tested and only headlight runs. The train didn't move a inch nor forwards nor backwards. Soundcard already present in tender exept de decoder and speaker.

Your description is a little confusing.
Below is a link to the loco with sound. It is labeled as DCC on board though. There will be two PC boards. One will be the board with an eight pin connector. The other PC board will be a sound/motion decoder that plugs into the PC board with the eight pin connector.

If no speaker, it would probably have a shrink wrapped decoder plugged into the main board or just a six pin adapter so the loco can run only on DC.
The DC option as was mentioned might be turned off.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/84801.pdf

Does the tender you have look anything like the one in the link?
This loco also comes with the Vanderbilt tender which will have a different PC board setup.

Rich

[richg]

Ths for the welcome words.

New loco.tested and only headlight runs. The train didn't move a inch nor forwards nor backwards. Soundcard already present in tender exept de decoder and speaker.

The more I think about this is you have a DCC onboard since there is no speaker. The loco would not come with sound card and no speaker.
Describe all that you see in the tender.
Many Bachmann DCC on board come with a shrink wrapped decoder that plugs into a PC board with some other components on it.

Rich

[wjstix]

One thing in selecting the decoder is you do not want to use an 'articulated' sound. The 2-6-6-2 is a double-expansion engine, so you would only hear four "chuffs" per revolution like any other steam engine. Steam would first go to the smaller rear cylinders, then the exhaust steam would be used by the large front cylinders, and then be exhausted up the stack created a "chuff" sound.

On single-expansion or simple articulateds, each of the four cylinders gets steam directly from the boiler and exhausts directly thru the stack. The front and rear cylinders can get out of phase creating a "chuff-chuff.....chuff-chuff.....chuff-chuff" sound that you wouldn't find on the 2-6-6-2.