Exploded View 4-8-2 J2 discrepancy

[Warflight]

Has anyone run across this? Where the exploded view is not what's inside?

I just opened up a George Washington tender ( it's a 4-8-2 J2 steam locomotive and Vanderbilt tender) to see how hard it will be to install DCC sound, and the diagram shows the board screwed to the bottom of the tender, while it's actually attacked to the underside of the coal load (making it VERY hard to get to the plug) and the coal load itself is glued. Now, normally, I'd say this was the result of someone mucking about with it, but, it was a sealed set.

Is this common? (also, the tender has no holes for a speaker... it's pretty air tight once screwed together.... if anyone has any references on how to fix that, I'm all ears... well... text forum, so... all eyes?)

[Warflight]

Never mind... it seems there are TWO versions of this tender... one with the board on bottom, and one with the board on top.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/89841~42.pdf

Well, that's a bit confusing.

All that said... any suggestions on sound for it? I'm a few months off from actually PUTTING sound in, but... I would like to do sound eventually. (though, I'm nervous, as I keep seeing stories online of people frying their George Washingtons by installing the recommended sound decoder, which is an NCE DSR-14)

[Hunt]

. . .
though, I'm nervous, as I keep seeing stories online of people frying their George Washingtons by installing the recommended sound decoder, which is an NCE DSR-14

NCE does not make a DSR-14 decoder. NCE does have a D14SR decoder mobile decoder, no sound.

I suspected  what you read it was the decoder fried not the locomotive, This can happen from improper decoder install and failure to follow testing procedure.

[Warflight]

Yeah... I just copied and pasted the decoder numbers from the posting about the engine supposedly frying, but you're probably right. It probably was just the decoder.

So, you mention testing procedure... when installing a non-sound decoder, is there special equipment needed/ So far, from what I've been able to glean, is you test the engine on the tracks, make sure there are no issues with it, then you unplug the dummy, and plug the DCC decoder in... is that correct?

I have a decoder coming in the mail on Monday that I plan to install into my Connie, but I still don't have a DCC controller yet (that's a "Next Month" purchase) and figured it wouldn't be a problem. You probably have more experience than me on this (well, hell... if you've installed even ONE, you have more experience than me on this)

[Hunt]

An aside ---

Suggested reading - multiple times.

Click Here Tsunami2 and Econami Digital Sound Decoder Installation Guide

Test motor stall current, page 6 – Recommend against using the "firmly press down on the locomotive" method. Use -- Remove the locomotive shell and hold motor shaft. Only hold the flywheel if the motor shaft not easily accessible.  For HO use 14 volts.


Click Here Testing NMRA-Compatible 8-Pin Connector


You will recognizes lots of the above info is also applicable to non-sound decoder install.

[Warflight]

FANTASTIC! You have given me some great research to do!