4-8-2 bachmann problem

[wickman]

Plugging in the decoder is not all you need to do. You need to clip (disable) the capacitor. I believe Tony's website has an illustration or the Bachmann forum, ask the Bachmann should be helpful. I have two of this model and they are great pullers and runners.

Don

Thanks Don

So this is a normal find on these engines . Where is the capacitor that needs to be cut away on yours?

 

[Anonymous]

Plugging in the decoder is not all you need to do. You need to clip (disable) the capacitor. I believe Tony's website has an illustration or the Bachmann forum, ask the Bachmann should be helpful. I have two of this model and they are great pullers and runners.

Don

[wickman]

Bachmann Spectrum DCC Ready steam engines pick up power from the tender as well as one set of locomotive wheels, so you will get no continuity if the tender is not connected.  Plugging a decoder into the socket in the tender should be all you need to do to convert this engine to DCC.

Thanks for reply

Yes exactley which you said although unfortunately I am getting continuity between the wheels ( connection ) on the engine with tender disconnected and this is the same case on 2 seperate brand new 4-8-2 bachamnn steamers. If I do plug a decoder into the dcc socket and connect the tender the program track reads and writes to the decoder with the address I assign but I get no forward or reverse . If I put the plug into the socket I do get movement under 00 address.

[cacole]

Bachmann Spectrum DCC Ready steam engines pick up power from the tender as well as one set of locomotive wheels, so you will get no continuity if the tender is not connected.  Plugging a decoder into the socket in the tender should be all you need to do to convert this engine to DCC.

[wickman]

Hi Folks
I'm back with yet another enquirey. I have a 4-8-2 HO bachman I was going to put a lenz decoder in . It came dcc ready with the plug. When I went to check for none continuity between the rail left and right wheels there was contact showing , which I understand is bad. It of course worked fine for dcc with the plug under address 00, I get forward and reverse no problem. My other steam engines do not have continunity between the left and right wheels. The lite board seems ok the left and right wheels have no continuity. I'm testing the engine for continuity with the tender disconnected.
I also noticed under the engine there is a rail contact point where 2 wires connect to a brass plate, and the inside of the wheels have brass brushes.
Is this all normal for this 4-8-2 bachmann heavy ?If there is a problem how would I get the boiler off to get to the wiring?