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Installing DCC in Bachmann 4-4-0

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  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Idaho
  • 36 posts
Posted by SP Trains on Friday, September 17, 2010 5:16 PM

Rich my conversion only has 1 pickup per truck on the tender and one side on the loco as Bachmann had which seems to barly be enough to run it. And my experience with sound is limited. But I have noticed problems with sound drawing more current. Anyway I would be interested to see a picture of what u did to manage pickup from all tender wheels.

 

Flyer, the bachmanns i have come accross the Loco only picks up from 1 track, from the drive wheels that is supplied back to the tender. the pilot wheels supply only to the light.

  • Member since
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  • From: Gateway City
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Posted by yankee flyer on Friday, September 17, 2010 3:45 PM

Hey Guys

I haven't gotten around to disassembling the loco yet but I have had the tender apart and compared the size of the decoders to the space available. In my opinion sound would not fit, so I bought a micro (motor only) decoder and that will fit in the tender. Now my plan is to get a sounder decoder and install this in an old style coach if i can find one.
Three questions, does anyone know if
1=is there a way to put power pick ups on the coach?
2= The light seems to take its power straight off the track with pick ups on the pilot, so can it work this way on DCC? Or would a continuous DCC shorten the bulb life?
3= There is only one wire going from the tender to the engine, the draw bar and drive shaft are plastic. For track pick up if you don't have two wires what good will one do?  

Thanks

Lee

  • Member since
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  • From: Western, MA
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Posted by richg1998 on Friday, September 17, 2010 12:44 PM

SP Trains

I have done this conversion. Runs great as long as the track has just been cleaned and the wheels are clean and no insulated switches, but still lasts about 15 minutes before wheels are dirty again. My solution was to modify a box car with pickups and have a plug to the tender. But I would be concerned still that you won't have enough power to run any sound.

Why do you think you will not have enough power? I see no problem with that boxcar idea. The DCC system will still deliver the same amount power to the track and the decoder will still use the same amount of power.

I have ALL wheels picking up on my tender drive locos and tenders.

Both sides of the tender trucks pickup and both of the loco drivers pickup. All pickups tied together in the tender at the decoder red and black wires.

I have never has  locos pickup enough dirt in 15 minutes time to cause any pickup issues.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Idaho
  • 36 posts
Posted by SP Trains on Friday, September 17, 2010 11:57 AM

I have done this conversion. Runs great as long as the track has just been cleaned and the wheels are clean and no insulated switches, but still lasts about 15 minutes before wheels are dirty again. My solution was to modify a box car with pickups and have a plug to the tender. But I would be concerned still that you won't have enough power to run any sound.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by Hamltnblue on Monday, September 13, 2010 9:10 PM

i had that problem when using the firefox browser.  When IE 8 came out I switched back and no more problems.

Springfield PA

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
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Posted by richg1998 on Monday, September 13, 2010 10:30 AM

rrinker

 

 richg1998:

 

Even though you found the sheet, below is a link you might need in the future for diagrams.

http://www.hoseeker.net/lit.html

Rich

 

 

Made link clickable.                               --Randy

 

Thanks Randy

With the new Format, I tried to make a link clickable using the previous method for this but it did not work anymore so I gave up trying.

I will look into this again when time permits.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Sunday, September 12, 2010 10:03 PM

richg1998

Even though you found the sheet, below is a link you might need in the future for diagrams.

http://www.hoseeker.net/lit.html

Rich

Made link clickable.                               --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Sunday, September 12, 2010 8:57 PM

Even though you found the sheet, below is a link you might need in the future for diagrams.

http://www.hoseeker.net/lit.html

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Gateway City
  • 1,593 posts
Posted by yankee flyer on Sunday, September 12, 2010 6:53 PM

Sorry Guys, I found the diagram. One sheet of paper stuck to the back of another one.

Have fun.

Lee

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Gateway City
  • 1,593 posts
Installing DCC in Bachmann 4-4-0
Posted by yankee flyer on Sunday, September 12, 2010 1:52 PM

Hi all

Well, I bought my 4-4-0 and took a look inside the tender, decoder is no problem but speaker I'm not so sure about.
I did find that there is only one wire going to the head light which means it is using the frame as second wire, The motor is setting on plastic and has two wires to it. It also appears to only have pickups on the tender. The boiler is a problem, I can't figure out how to get it apart. I've Emailed Bachmann for an exploded view and wireing but I may never hear from them.
Any help would be appreciated.

Lee

IMG_0279.jpg picture by Yankeeflyer
IMG_0278.jpg

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