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Decoder install in Bachmann HO Shay- tips wanted

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  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Decoder install in Bachmann HO Shay- tips wanted
Posted by gandydancer19 on Friday, October 17, 2008 2:49 PM

I am getting ready to install a LokSound 3.5 decoder in the HO Bachmann 3 truck shay.

Any tips or anomalies anyone knows of for this installation would be a help.

TIA.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 1,517 posts
Posted by trainnut1250 on Saturday, October 18, 2008 1:49 AM

Gandy,

 

Haven't done the Loksound but did install the Soundtraxx LC series in a three truck spectrum shay.  The best tip I can give is to watch out for the ladder on the tank as you remove the tank from the frame.  It it can get caught and broken if you are not careful.  The LC install included drilling a couple of holes but was a fairly easy sound install.

 

guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Saturday, October 18, 2008 10:50 AM

I have installed two SoundTraxx LC sound decoders into Bachmann 3-truck Shays that were made specifically for this engine.  The decoder went into the rear tender and the speaker mounted in the forward tender because there is not enough room in either tender for both a decoder and the speaker.  Holes had to be drilled to pass the speaker wires between the two tenders, but other than that it was a "plug-n-play" installation with the LC decoder. 

The biggest drawback to sound in these engines is that you cannot put a large enough speaker into one to get adequate volume.  I don't recall exactly what size speaker can be used, but don't think it was larger than 3/4 inch.

The LokSound decoder may produce better results, but you're still going to be limited on speaker size.

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Sunday, October 19, 2008 6:25 PM

Thanks.  Just what I was looking for.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

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