Spectrum tender idea

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I am rebuilding a standard like USRA 0-6-0 into one used by the Maine Central. I purchased a Spectrum short USRA tender to improve thectrical pick-up over the standard tender. I was a little disapointed the drwbars are not compatable. It would be great if Bachmann offered a drawbar to adapt the Spectrum tenders to fit with the standard line locos.

[Franz T]

The draw bar can be modified to work. See Mark's notes and the photo near the bottom of the review..

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/bach262.html

[Bob S]

... and here's a dumb question.   The "DCC Ready" version of the short USRA tender has a circuit board in it.  Is this a decoder?  If so, what functionality does it provide.  If no, then what the heck is it??

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Franz T]

The circuit board allows you to wire in a decoder. much like the circuit boards on "DCC ready" diesels......

[Bob S]

Explain to this peabrain engineer how this thing "allows me to wire in a decoder"?  This does not seem like the circuit board in any "DCC-ready" diesel I have ever seen.   If this is not a decoder, then it seems that it would just be in the way if I wanted to install a decoder.








Thanks in advance,

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Franz T]

If you look at the lower right corner of the circuit board (going by the orientation  of your pictures), you will notice two jumpers.  After you remove these jumpers, you will notice a number of neat little holes which are appropriately numbered and lend themselves very nicely to soldering the appropriate decoder wires to the circuit board, much like the circuit boards found. for example, in the Spectrum SD-45. This is not a plug-and-play installation but requires moderate soldering skills.
For neat little pictures showing where all the wires go, see the Atlas Forum:

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=50376

[Bob S]

Thanks for the reference to the A-Board, it was instructive.  I think I agree with that poster's conclusion that this board isn't very helpful.   Soldering I can handle ... but that circuit board takes up too much internal volume, unless the decoder board itself is half the size the existing board and can be levitated aft of it.   The pin connections leave zero vertical clearance under the coal bunker.

Is the array of pin connections for a "standard" connection from a locomotive, or is this a Bachmann-proprietary connection.  If the latter, which Bachmann locomotives will successfully mate to this board?

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Franz T]

I believe that this is a connection unique to Bachmann. I certainly does not look like the one on my Walthers/LikeLike 0-8-0. Probably for use with B'mann's DCC equipped steamers; but I am sure it could be made to work with other locos .You might want to contact the Parts Dept to find out id they sell the connector/harness assembly separately; which I am fairly sure they probably do. If my memory serves me correctly, there was a discussion on this board a few months ago about finding the connector from an outside source. Maybe the Bachmann can let us know....

Ahh! Here we go:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,13203.0.html

[r0bert]

this is a sound decoder in a J tender, but the process is the same.

[Bob S]

Unfortunately, there is insufficient internal volume in the short USRA tender to do anything like that.  I may explore some really tiny decoders after Christmas ... but I have other projects ahead of this one on the priority list.

Resp'y,
Bob S.