DCC for Baldwin and Consolidation

[Dugo]

I have 2 engines I would like to upgrade to DCC, with sound if
possible.  One is (82301) 4-6-0 Bachmann Baldwin Spectrum and the other
a 2-8-0 Consolidation (41-532-02).  The Consolidation has nothing inside and the Baldwin has a board in the tender, not sure what it is, marked
H823X, PC803.  Would like to hear from anyone who has had luck converting either or both of these engines.

Thanks

[richG]

I upgraded a DCC ready 4-6-0 using a Micro-Tsunami decoder and an oval speaker. The photos are in the messages. Search the HO forum. The PC board is for lighting and plug in point (8 pin NMRA socket) for a decoder. The speaker and decoder did not allow enough room so I took out the PC board and hard wired everything. I have the speaker facing up in the coal load. I have the 52 inch driver ten wheeler with the small Baldwin tender.
A couple people drilled holes in the tender frame for a 1 inch round speaker. A round speaker is a little thinner than the oval speaker I used. It might fit under the PC board. Possibility, this would allow you to keep the PC board and plug in the decoder. If you go this route, make sure the decoder has a 8 pin NMRA plug on it. Some decoders do not come with a plug.
I bought my decoders and speakers form Litchfield Station.
Some ingenuity will be required but it is a good exercise in engineering.

Important, when unplugging the tender, use a jewelers screwdriver to care fully remove the connectors.
Do not yank on the wires.

Others may comment on the 2-8-0.

Rich

[Dugo]

Thanks for the good info Rich.  According to the box this 4-6-0 has
52 inch drivers and yes, the tender is small.  I will look at the
Tsunami Micro for it as I would like to have the sound.

Thanks again for the reply.....  I think the Consolidation might be a
little more difficult ... seems like I remember each half of the engine frame is
a conductor insulated from each other.  Been away from it for a while so
need to get re-educated.

Happy New Year.

[richG]

Here is a link to what I posted. Don't forget, the tender front and rear trucks both use red wire connected to the PC board. One truck is for the right rail and the other truck is for the left rail. It is easy to confuse them if you remove the PC board. I use small shrink tube from Litchfield for insulating the wire connections.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,5661.0.html

Make sure you keep a multimeter handy for continuity checks.

The PC board on mine has quite a lot of resistance for the LED as the LED was quite dim, only about 3.8ma of current. You will need a 1k resistor if no PC board which gives about 10ma current which is ideal. Some people use 680 ohms which allows 15 ma of current I think. LEDs have a max of 20 MA usually.
Here is what the lighting parts on the PC board in my tender are like.


Pin 6 & 7 are on the NMRA socket.

Rich

[richG]

Removed links that were no good.

Rich

[Dugo]

Thanks for the diagram Rich.

The two links generate an error so I guess they were dropped.

[richG]

Soory. I did check the links last night from the Bachmann forums and they worked then. Do not know what happened.
I have the links as PDF files and I can send them to you if you like.

Rich