Hello all:
I wondering if someone could tell me if possible to exchange the "original" decoder of Bachmann DDA40X, with other brand decoder, If so, what features has to have the replacement decoder?, (amp, stall current, etc)
Saludos from UP fan and modeler
Esteban Tonatiuh
Any HO rated decoder should be able to carry the amps needed for the engine. Is the engine you have one of the Spectrum line engines or one of the cheaper DCCinstalled engines?
I would check NCE or Digitrax for drop in decoders, if you want sound I am not sure of the amount of space inside the engine for the speaker but Digitrax, Tsunami and others should have something that may fit. Hell if you can fit sound inside Thomas or a Bachmann GE 44 ton engine I imagine that a behemoth like the DD engines can fit sound.
Massey
A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."
OH and if you have one of the dual motor models you may just want to use 2 decoders, one per motor. If you do they will both work as one so long as they are both the same model of decoder and have the same loads on them.
Massey:
I have the most recent release of DDA40X it has decoder already, one decoder, two motors, If is possible to replace with one Digitrax (example) the original Bachmann Decoder?
Thanks and Saludos
more than likely it will be possible but I cannot access the Digitrax website from my work computers to research this. I have in the past called Digitrax and asked them which decoders will work for odd engines and they are very helpful.
TCS has a replacement for the Bachmann DCC On Board diesel decoders.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Bachmann/EMD_DD40AX/EMD_DD40AX.html
These are tricky since there are 2 motors, I've done an old one and a new one. Together these motors pull more amps than most decoders can handle. I checked them at almost 1 amp each. The new one like you have is best done using the existing light/motor control board and simply unplugging the bachman and going back in with a new decoder. Since I put in a Soundtraxx, I had to do a little machining to get enough room and keep the OEM light board. I also put 2 speakers in the fuel tank below. Since I put in oversized speakers, I had to cut a little on the speakers and frame there as well. But the sound is fantastic.
Richard