Adding Sound to C&S Mogul

[PadreCraig]

I kept reading that adding DCC Sound to a2Bachmann 2-6-0 C&S #22 Mogul is nearly impossible - don't believe it.  I'm a newbie to DCC, but after reading the Soundtraxx Instruction Manual it looked easy enough.  So as they say,"fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

I bought a Soundtraxx Tsunami light steam decoder and a Soundtraxx 27mm dia. high bass 8 ohms speaker, along with a Miniatronics 2-pin and  a 4-pin connector.

I started off hoping to mount the speaker in the tender pointing up, but because of the curved backside of the part molding, I decided it was easier to mount it face down.  Drilled some holes in the floor of the tender, then using an adhesive mounting ring, I installed the speaker.  Easy job.

I then moved on to the locomotive.  After a lot of exploring, I finally figured out how to remove the boiler assembly from the frame.  It's as simple as prying the rear cross member back to release the tab holding the boiler/cab assembly to the frame, and then pulling the boiler up and off. 

The pickup wires (red & black) are connected to a small pcb (printed circuit board) that in turn connects to the motor.  Pull off the two clips holding the pickup wires to the pcb.  Solder the 2-pin male connector leads to the pickup wires - noting the polarity.  Then using the 4-pin connector, I used the two outside leads for the motor connection, and the two inner leads for the headlight.  The motor connection was done using the same manner as the pickup wires were originally connected to the motor - using the two plastic slip-on connectors.  The headlight leads were then soldered to the inner two leads from the 4-pin male connector.

On to the tender.  I mounted the Sound Decoder to the inside of the tender shell with double sided tape;  connected the two purple leads to the speaker; the red and black decoder leads to the 2-pin female connector - again noting the polarity; then the two outer leads of the 4-pin female connector to the orange and gray decoder leads; and finally the blue and white leads to the two inner leads on the 4-pin female connector.

I routed the 4-pin and two-pin leads in a opening cut into the cab-end of the tender shell; and then put the shell back onto the tender.  I then took everything to my layout; plugged in the connectors from the engine to the tender; and miracles-of-miracles the locomotive runs great and the sound is pretty amazing.  Not bad for a newbie!  And all it took was about three hours.

So next time someone says how it's nearly impossible to add DCC or Sound to a Bachmann 2-6-0 Mogul don't believe 'em.  It's really a pretty straight forward project.  Of course I'm not done yet.  I still need to route the connector leads through the boiler/cab assembly and reassemble the boiler/cab back onto the frame.

Peace - Craig+

[mabloodhound]

Nice explanation Craig, thanks.

[NMWTRR]

PadreCraig

Yes I added a Digitrax to my 2 6 0 and find having sound to be fantastic. I was able to keep it all contained to the engine even the speaker.

Here is my post showing some pictures.

http://s902.photobucket.com/albums/ac226/nmwtrr/2%206%200%20DCC%20conversion/

Normally I work in HO and found it actually a lot easier to do this conversion.

[joedaddy]

PadreCraig,

I'm getting ready to do this same project with virtually the same parts as you except for the adhesive speaker mount.  I'd be interested in seeing how you end up routing the wires back to the tender.

Thanks,
Joe

[railtwister]

The main problem I see with putting sound in the 2-6-0, is the limited amount of rail pickup you will have, which is limited to the drivers only. Making all of the tender wheels also pickup the rail power will greatly improve the loco's reliability, especially through turnouts. This is the part that is not so easy, since the 2-6-0's tender is not designed to provide pickup, and you will have to devise wipers yourself to do the job. Hopefully, before too much longer, Bachmann will upgrade the 2-6-0 to have DCC & sound from the factory, just as they have done/promised (we're all still anxiously waiting!) with the Porters.

Regards,
Bill

[Tomcat]

She runs without extra wipers, best if you try to get the wheels blank. I have fabricated a simple pickup for the tender which is that easy: A piece of brass wire against the wheels from the back. Works.
I used a ESU sound decoder in the tender, so to the front thre are just the wires to the motor and pickups.

Here´s the C&S result with a Beartrap and a extended C&S coal load...


http://www.flickr.com/photos/35618074@N07/5457833857/


Cheers, Tom

[NMWTRR]

Tomcat,

Very awesome C&S 2 6 0!

Fantastic paint job and the trestle it's sitting on looks incredible.

Thanks for sharing.

[Tomcat]

Hey folks, thank you so much!!!

The Trestle, by the way is made by pre-manufactured trestle bends, the rest came from me...
Cheers, Tom

[railtwister]

Tom,

The loco looks very good, and so does the rest of the layout that's showing in the photo. The bear trap stack and plow really make the locomotive stand out.  Some very nice work indeed!

Regards,
Bill

[Tomcat]

Hey Bill, thank you so much!!!
I´m glad you like my work.

Cheers, Tom