Dear Mr Bach-Man

Any word on the release date for the Boston and Maine RS-3?

Thanks,

RD

The test set up is good advice.  The Athearn motor is vintage and will draw a lot of power from the system.  A new motor will also require flywheels and a drive mechanism and a lot of time.  This old unit has had details added and is the head end of a Northern Pacific passenger train.  I would like to introduce it to my DCC system.  Soooo

I pulled the shell from a new Bachmann FT-A and identified only two modifications required.  The coupler opening on the front end will need very minor modification and the chassis will need additional support to hold the shell at a prototypical height and alignment.  E-bay lists the loco at a lowest price of $38.95.  The old chassis and new shell will make a good dummy unit with the motor and drive assy removed.

Thanks for the feedback.
RD

I wired a Bachmann 1 Amp decoder into an Athearn F7 (Vintage Blue Box) and found that the decoder reaches temps that are way too hot to allow to remain in this configuration.   A bit of research finds that the old Athearn may draw more than 1 Amp and the decoder is rated only 1 Amp.  Am I right in assuming then that this decoder is not suitable to interface with the older Athearn engine?  I am thinking that swapping the shells for a Bachmann DCC on board would be less work!

Any suggestion to guidance is appreciated.

RD

I noticed all the other road names are available.

Thanks,

RD

Thanks John,  Your solution is interesting.  I have 12 Bachmann DCC switches and 10 Bachmann locomotives.  I have the Dynamis with Pro Box and locomotive programming is flawless.  I have modified the CV for momentum effect and again they respond perfectly.  All my DCC switches are dead.  I have previously blown away my entire roster and still the switches do not respond.  You solution may be unique to your situation.  Bachmann is not returning my calls.

One of my turnouts had a condition that caused frequent derailments.  The points were not held firmly in place against the rail nor were they held to the track section below the points.  The bracket was loose enough that the points would rock slightly and loose enough that the vibration from a passing train moved the points out from the track.  The trick is to stablize the points without binding them.  Sufficient tension needs to be maintained to keep the points in place under use.  When placing a turnout for the final build, a critical evaluation of its serviceability needs to be made, especially if it will occupy a remote or a high traffic location.

John,
I called Bachmann on Monday and spoke to one of their service techs.  I must admit that the level of concern and feedback was very good... they always are.  He acknoledged that there have been a number of issues related to Dynamis and a sustained programming of DCC switches reported.  They are trouble shooting and will get back to me.

Finally someone else...   I have the same problem.  I was contacted by the technical team from Bachmann, but have not had a chance to call them back since I am at the office when Bachmann is in the office and they usually ask a question I can't answer away from the layout.  It happened earlier and Bachmann replaced the switches.  I added more and then one day they all stopped again and will not reprogram.  I have tried them each individually and and nothing happens.  I added the pro-box, for other reasons, and one message from Bachmann said that using the Pro-Box might help.  I didn't.   When I try to read the CV on anything I get a reading that does not make sense.  I have read everything I can lay my hands on about programming CV.  My locomotives respond correctly to variables but I can not read them.   I am beginning to thing that there is something wrong with the Command Station.  Accessories seem to be such a simple function and I agree that it is a very frustrating situation.  When it did work, moving freight around the layout was a lot of fun.....  I owe Bachmann a call and I will post here how that goes.  Please do the same.  Rich

Now I know.  I could not really make that out using the exploded diagram.  Thanks, RD

Does anyone know why this extra circuit card is provided?  Thanks

ACY is right...   any candidate for conversion should perform well in DC... Easy low voltage start and smooth running.  Even then old motors may not be compatible.  There are web sites with conversion stories worth reading.

This conversion was just a Bachmann DC FT B and it went well.  I was more worried about my soldering technique rather than where the wires go.  I chose to avoid using the chassis and instead isolated the power from the wheels to the motor.  Runs so well that I had to program the CVs to slow the initial accelration to match my store bought DCC FT A.  I needed to speed match them in a consist for the maiden run of the El Capitan Super Chief.

I actually have two DCC project pending:

First is a Maine Central switcher that has an 8 pin plug that was supposed to be simple enough.  HOWEVER upon reading the locos conversion directions I need to change out the headlight which I believe has too high a current draw.  Need to research that more!

My big challenge will be the old Proto 2000 BL-2.  I have test run it and replaced the axel gears ( Imagine! Cracked from day one when I bought it in 1991).  I will need another bare wire decoder and a plan for the lighting change that will be required.  More investigation. 

It works!
I read as much as I could on the topic.  It was a very straight forward upgrade.  The decoder tells you which terminal to solder to which color wire.

I bought some thin wire that I thought would be fine, and even then the wires in the locomotive and coming from the decoder are very fine and the wire I bought thicker, so I should have bought the finer wire gauge.  Thinner wirewould have made the clearances within the chassis easier to work.

Thanks Lt Dan

Now I have a 20 year old proto 2000 BL2 that need to come into the future.

I bought an FT-B loco at a super price that would complete my SF Super Chief prototype.  Missed the fact that it was a DC version and teaming that with my DCC FT-A was not going to work.  I also have a decoder I got a while back... so 1+1= a challenge.  My first DCC conversion.

Step 1:  Open up the FT-B and see what the connections look like.  The loco shell came off easy.

Step 2:  Observed the black (-) wires, one coming from each truck, soldered to the top of the motor.  Clearly the appropriate decoder wires will come between that connection.  Easy enough.  The schematic shows the (+) connections down by the trucks, so the trucks needed to be separated from the chassis.  Done.  The drive shafts dropped away easily and I hope getting them back in someday will be as easy.

Step 3:  No (+) wires... Ahh the (+) in the schematic are really spring clips connecting the power pick up to the metal chassis.  The metal chassis is the heavy metal block that occupies 90% of the body cavity and gives heft to the model.  I have read enough to know that in some conversions when the chassis is part of the connection it has to be isolated,  Hmmmm how will I wire the decoder to this?  Clearly the spring clips have to go and a new lead from both trucks needs to be wired to insert the decoder into this portion of the circuit.  Quickly approaching the limit of my knowledge.

Knowledgeable people can pitch in at any time....

Check with the Bachmann.  I have a number of Bachmann deisel locos and they run well in either mode.