ACS-64

[Rick Abramson]

I recently purchased the Amtrak ACS-64. It is a beautiful model. My layout is DC; the model is supposed to be DC/DCC compatible. The engine runs awful on DC. I have no interest in sounds, etc. Is it possible to hardwire the motor directly to the trucks and avoid all those electronics I don't need?

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

If you can get a DCC Ready board out of the parts store I'd recommend doing that. I had same experiance with the B&O EM1 ran full speed or no speed. I removed the DCC onboard/sound ready board and placed a DCC ready board in its place. Ran soo much better on DC.

[Rick Abramson]

Emily:

Thank you for your response and suggestion. I will certainly give it a try.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

I'm not sure about the ACS but the EM1 the board was labeled telling which wire is which. the DCC Ready board was also the same way.

[Rick Abramson]

According to Bachmann, the ACS-64 is as-is. It cannot be modified. What a disappointment!

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

According to Bachmann, the ACS-64 is as-is. It cannot be modified. What a disappointment!

Everything is modifiable with the right knowledge. If you have to run wires from the contacts to the motor and headlights (Which i do no recommend since the lights are LED and not adding risistors to the wires leading to the lights will blow them) or like I did with the EM1 just use exsisting wires and mount a DCC Ready board.

Something wrong with it. Don't touch it voids warranty. Send it in to service . Should run like a Swiss watch DCC, DC what ever. 21st century motor control either dc, dcc is as good as it gets ,or should be if working correctly. No techs here just sales reps to smooth things over.

Adam

No I'm pretty sure its running just fine. The EM1 ran like a rocket right out of the box on DC. It was all or nothing. DCC & Sound & DCC & Sound Ready take up much more power then just plain DCC Onboard and I would really not run DCC and Sound on DC.

One thing to add, if the headlights are on the board you remove you will loose the lights but in the era I model it wasn't regulation to have them on during the day.

[3rail]

FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT: Your decoder will work best in DC (analog) mode when using a high quality, electronically regulated power pack, preferably one that supplies smooth, filtered DC power. Older rheostat style power packs and pulse power packs will result in erratic and unreliable operation. If your power pack provides a Pulse power switch, leave it in the 'Off' position.

Since there are no function buttons when using a DC power pack, many of the sounds operate automatically in analog mode.

This DCC locomotive has a higher starting voltage than a non-DCC locomotive. To operate in analog mode, determine the point on the throttle where the locomotive lights and sounds come on and remain steady, but the locomotive doesn't move. This will be the Zero point for this locomotive.

At the Zero point, you will first hear the sound of the pantograph being raised, and the power inverter starting to work. Other random sounds may also turn on such as the air compressor, blower motors, and cooling fans. Very slowly increase the throttle. The horn will blast twice if going forward or three times if going in reverse, the traction motor noise will ramp up, and the bell will turn on. If you continue to increase the throttle the bell will turn off. At this point, only the traction motors and other random sounds mentioned above will play. If you suddenly change the throttle voltage and then back, a grade crossing horn sequence will play. Finally, when you slowly decrease the throttle and bring the locomotive to a stop ( at the Zero point), a single horn blast stop signal will play.

Remember, this locomotive is equipped with TCS Keep Alive®, so the sounds will continue to play for a few seconds after the power is turned off.

If you do not want sound, you can disconnect one lead to the speaker.

I hope it is helpful.

3rail

[rich1998]

I recently purchased the Amtrak ACS-64. It is a beautiful model. My layout is DC; the model is supposed to be DC/DCC compatible. The engine runs awful on DC. I have no interest in sounds, etc. Is it possible to hardwire the motor directly to the trucks and avoid all those electronics I don't need?

With little or no knowledge of DCC electrical, I would not attempt it.
With dual mode decoders, the microprocessor on the decoder sees only DC and needs about five volts DC just to wake up for sound and lights and maybe about seven volts for the loco to move. Regular DC locos start moving at a lower voltage. Been there, done that, plus I have seen others seeing the same results. Not a big deal for those who do not like DCC.
MRC has a black box that goes between your DC power pack with buttons for sounds if you prefer.

Rich

[Rick Abramson]

Thank you all for your input, much appreciated! I wish Bachmann would be like other model rr suppliers and give the consumer a choice of DC or DCC. I have over 600 engines that are DC. I'm not about to change my power supply for one engine. Once again, I spoke with a Bachmann tech who told me there is no way to convert the engine to straight DC.

[Len]

Once again, I spoke with a Bachmann tech who told me there is no way to convert the engine to straight DC.

I'll be nice, and just say cow patties!

You'll find the exploded diagram of the ACS-64 here: http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/ACS-64PartsList.pdf

The trucks look similar to other Bachmann locos. Note the wheel wiper locations and the motor power connections.

Open your ACS-64 and trace where the wires from the truck pickups on both ends go to on the PC boards. They'll probably be held in place by small black clips. Remove the clips and seperate the wires from the PC board. If there are wires from the motor to a PC board, trace them and seperate from the board. Also seperate and lighting wires from the PC boards. Remove the PC boards.

Depending on how long from wires from the trucks are, you may have to add extensions. Cover joints with heat shrink tubing if you do. Basically, you just connect the truck wires from one side of the loco to one motor terminal, and the wires from the other side to the remaining motor terminal. You've now got a straight DC loco. The only "tricky" part is the lighting.

If the lights are LED's, you'll need to add a dropping resistor to keep them from burning out. Depending on how bright you want them to be, a 1/4 watt resistor of 470 to 1,000 Ohms will work fine. The alternative is to add a directional lighting board, available from several sources, that has resistors for LED's built in.

Len

[Rick Abramson]

Hi Len:

Thank you so much for your help with this. I had a feeling that if I hard wired the motor directly to the trucks as you indicated, it would work. I did, and it runs great!! I do have diodes and 470 and 560 ohm resistors for the LEDs. After I get this phase done, I'll let you know how the lights are.

Thanks again,
Rick

[Rick Abramson]

Len:

Got the headlights to work perfectly; forward and reverse. Now I'm working on the ditch lights.

Rick

[Len]

Glad to help. And glad to hear you're getting the loco to operate the way you want it to.

Len

[Rick Abramson]

Len:
The ditch lights are proving to be a real challenge to get wired. Apparently, the red LED mounted between the 2 white ones might be bused with the white ones. They won't blink on DC which is OK. Hopefully, the ditch lights will be operating soon. Most important part is that the engine runs A+ on straight DC. I did like your Col. Potter terminology; "cow patties." And you were 100% correct!

Rick

[Trainman203]

600 ENGINES???!!! 😱😱 MAN.  I thought I was out of control with 60 plus.