Adding sound, smoke, etc.

[HO mistress]

Hello the forum,
What would I need to do to add sound, smoke, etc to my Bachmann #00692 Pacific Flyer Union Pacific Freight Starter Train Set ho.
Thank you for your help.

[Tenwheeler01]

I have yet to install DCC decoder in a Bachmann HO 0-6-0 (N scale yes).  Sound decoder not impossible but it may be difficult. 

As for smoke.   Most HO models do not add smoke units to there locomotives. And if they locomotive come with a smoke unit they turn it off or disable it.  This is more of an O scale thing.   

The Bachmann smoke units are more for kids.  And smoke kind of like incense burning and the locomotive has be moving at a good pace for it to work on DC power.  And most of the time you can not even see the smoke. Now there is another Locomotive manufacture that using DCC controlled fan drive smoke units that puff in time with the chuff sound in HO. but they are around 2 to 4 times the price of a Bachmann locomotive. And still most the HO models turn off or remove these unit also.

Now is O scale sound and smoke are a standard. Even the basic O scale train set will have a puffing smoke unit and sound.  And the sad thing is Bachmann owns William's and use to have an excellent line of O scale steam locomotives and they stopped making them!


Going back to adding smoke and sound to a HO 0-6-0,  The catalog show the individual 0-6-0 with 3 version smoke units, Smoke units and DCC, and DCC sound. But not both Sound and smoke. And some trains sets have locomotive with smoke unit some not.  There is a replacement smoke unit for the 0-6-0 on the Bachmann parts site.  But I am not sure how involved it would be to install one.

Also note that 0-6-0 price range it may be more cost effective to just purchase a locomotive with sound factor installed. 

I hope this helps answer your question.   

[trainman203]

All agreed.  Especially about the smoke unit. They are for kids really like the previous poster said unless the kid really wants it. I talked about this in length also in your other post asking about the C&EI Mikado.

[HO mistress]

Thank you to both trainman203 and Tenwheeler01 for the valuable information. Experienced hobbyists such as you two are invaluable to a novice such as me.
I shall look for a locomotive with sound or maybe a set with sound.
Thank you both so much.

[jward]

The Pacific FLyer has the USRA o-6-o. I have this set, along with several other examples of this locomotive. Every one of them has a smole unit already installed. I know this because I pull them out when I convert mine to DCC. The cavity where the smoke unit sits is more than enough room for a Z scale decoder. I do this to keep all wiring on the locomotive itself, to keep from running wires between the locomotive and tender.


To install sound would entail putting a speaker in the tender, and if you're going to do that you may as well put the sound decoder in there as well. Now you have to run wires between the locomotive and tender, at least 6 of them: 2 each for headlight, motor, and electrical pickup from the wheels. The smoke unit would have to be pulled anyway since it is in direct contact with the two halves of the locomotive frame, and will possibly short out the locomotive on DCC. If you want to keep it then it needs to be wired to one of the function leads on the decoder, which means a seventh wire between locomotive and tender. All of these wires would need to be routed in such a way as to not interfere with the slot and pin connection between locomotive and tender. Unlike most other locomotives which use a drawbar connection with pivot points on both locomotive and tender, this connection slides in the sloton the locomotive. That's why I avoid any electrical connection between locomotive and tender on this particular locomotive.

To be honest, you may be better off getting a similar sized locomotive, like the Alco 2-6-0, which already has both DCC and sound already installed. But that one, as with most DCC steam, does not come with a smoke unit.

[HO mistress]

Thank you for the information jward.
The more I learn about this the more I realize it's better to buy a locomotive or set with sound installed.
Thanks again.

[jward]

Thank you for the information jward.
The more I learn about this the more I realize it's better to buy a locomotive or set with sound installed.
Thanks again.

That is my conclusion as well. I have no problem adding a non sound decoder to most of these locomotives, but for sound I'd rather buy one with it already installed. That, and if you have a layout with alot of locomotives like I do, a little sound goes a long way. It can get quite noisy otherwise, especially if most of them are sitting around idling.