Bachmann DCC Item# 61102... HO GP38-2 diesel loco...

[Brian1975]

I bought this Loco @ my local Hobbyshop its a Bachmann DCC Equiped HO UP GP-38-2 Engine #2024.. "My plans for the loco is Yard switching" I am new to Model Railroading I just build my home Layout 16ft long   x    6 ft wide 2 track mainline & a 4 Track Staging/Yard.... I am running DCC : NCE Power Cab DCC system on my layout.. My question is when I bought this loco I thought it was ready to go with sound but to my findings its not the case & have to get a sound chip "or as there being called decoders".... I already have 4 DCC equipped locos with sound & 2 NS locos 1 BNSF loco & a Steam loco with smoke & spent a fairly good amount of money to equip the loco's... Is ther any way to pop off the loco's shell & install a decoader myself & if it is a plug in style I wont have to do any soldering or wireing I am trying to avoid paying the Train guy & the hooby shop to install the sound chip... & I would like to learn how to do it myself as well... Any tips would help
Thanks   Brian1975

[Doneldon]

Brian-

Bachmann doesn't sell its GP38-2 with DCC and sound; the locos are sold DCC only. That means you must add a sound decoder. (It's not just a chip.) You can add a sound only decoder to the DCC you have now or replace the existing DCC decoder with one which has both sound and motion control. You can most definitely do the installation yourself. Check the documentation which came with your loco to see how you can get inside to do the work. Good luck!

                                                                                                                                                                        -- D

[utdave]

heres a site you might like   for installing decoders for all makes .
http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/HO_Search/search.html

[richg]

I just looked at two diagrams for this loco. One seems to be DC and one, DCC on board so I assume you have the DC only.
The diagram page does not show an 8 pin NMRA connector on one. Pull the shell on yours and see if there is an 8 pin connector that might have two, three pin things plugged into the connector. That would be a DC adapter which you can remove and plug in an 8 pin decoder. That would probably be the easiest.
Bachmann has a variety of ways to sell their locos.

NCE also sells a non sound decoder with lights, specifically designed to fit in many Bachmann diesels. The NCE site shows the decoder with complete manual.

If you want sound, forget plug and play. Below is a link to SoundTraxx with what they suggest.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/choose/step3.php?t=ho&s=Bachmann

A light board type decoder and an oval speaker. You would have to connect the wires to the decoder.
Be advised, Bachmann does not use the NMRA colors for wires. You have to follow the instructions on the decoder pkg. The TCS page does give you a little info on what you might find in the Bachmann diesels.
No idea on who you bought the loco from but probably better to ask here first before buying. The box and diagram sheet inside should have told you what you where buying.

Rich

[Brian1975]

Thank You Guy's for the timely reply's... On the instruction sheet I got with loco it state's the loco is equipped with a 28-speed step decoder & programmed to button 3 on NMRA compliant systems " I have no clue what that stement mean's " & it appears the only options I have @ the moment are headlight dimming & brighting FWD / REV / & on & off of headlight itself nothing about sound... The loco does run nicley with my NCE power cab plus controller... Thers a big Hobbytown USA in my area & the only reason I went there is thay do have alot of stock for HO trains rolling stock / locos / secenry.... I asked the guy if thay had GP-38's because I did want that sytle of loco for switching job's on my layout.. & asked him I wanted DCC & the Bachmann box the loco was in had DCC ONBOARD.. I then asked the guy if it had sound to make the diesel sounds & everything He looked @ box & replyed YUP it's go everything.... SO I bought loco figuring its all good to go.. I am still new to DCC & learning alot.... I do plan on poping off the shell & seeing what I have to do to get the sound decoder installed & think this will be a good learning loco for me to start on.... I will keep you guys posted on progress & thanks again for you time & glad I joined & will start to ask questions on hear before I BUY

[richg]

The decoder is a EZ Command one. Look at the documents right here in the Bachmann site. Many come here and fail to look around at what is in the Bachmann site. A lot of questions can be answered by looking around.
The EZ Command  document will mention nothing about sound. With DCC, it is better to not make assumptions.

Rich

[Doneldon]

Brian-

As I stated before, your loco has DCC on board but no sound. You must add sound. I believe that the responders who have advised you differently failed to read your OP carefully.

By custom, all new DCC locomotives are delivered with the number three as their address. New (uninstalled, unreprogrammed) decoders are also shipped this way. This is so the new owners can access the decoders with their systems and reset them to whatever suits their fancy. In the case of the EZ Command DCC system, this means that a new loco will respond to the three key on the controller. You can still change the decoder access to any other unused button on the controller, just as you can reprogram the decoder to any address you want with other DCC systems. There is nothing magical about the number three; it's just a way to let new owners conveniently address their new decoder without having to do some kind of investigation into the address.

                                                                                                                   -- D

[bapguy]

You can use a Tsunami board style # 828048. The hard part is finding room for a speaker and the keep a live cap.Looking at the diagram, the cap might fit in the loco's cab moutned to the roof. The frame below the motor looks like it has an opening. Possibly room for a small speaker. If you add sound, replace the LEDs with warm white ones. You'll also need to add a resister to each LED. Usually around 640 to 1K ohm 1/4W size. LED's have a + and - lead. The resister can be wired to either one. The instructions for the decoder tells how to do this. Joe