Space in an old shay for a decoder

[C&O Fan]

 

I think this is an old Hallmark

Not sure

Paid 50$ for it 30 years ago

It does run ok on DC

Would love to convert it to DCC and add a sound decoder

 

 

But Where ?????

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Just no space

 

There a small space on either side of the flywheel but looks too small to me

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It really has very little space

Any ideas ????

[RR_Mel]

I can’t tell much from your pictures but I squeezed a Digitrax decoder in a MDC Shay.

 

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-11-2011-my-mdc-shays.html

 

The DC70 motor can draw over an amp at stall but it’s very hard to stall a geared locomotive, especially towing a half dozen shorty logging cars.  It draws less than .700 ma at full speed with 6 to 8 shortys up my 3½% grades.

 

My Blog post is 4 years old and the decoder is still hanging in there.

 

 

Mel

 

 

Modeling the SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

[C&O Fan]

RR_Mel

I can’t tell much from your pictures but I squeezed a Digitrax decoder in a MDC Shay.

 

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-11-2011-my-mdc-shays.html

 

The DC70 motor can draw over an amp at stall but it’s very hard to stall a geared locomotive, especially towing a half dozen shorty logging cars.  It draws less than .700 ma at full speed with 6 to 8 shortys up my 3½% grades.

 

My Blog post is 4 years old and the decoder is still hanging in there.

 

 

Mel

 

 

Modeling the SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

 

The pictures were helpful But i Have 2 problems

1 Its a 2 truck shay so no 3rd truck space

2 The bunker where you put your Decoder is taken up by the flywheel on my loco

 

I've been thinking of adding a fire car to house the decoder

They were often towed along with the log buggies

I could tie it to the loco

I just need to find some plans for one

 

or i could remove the flywheel

and use that space

I'm betting the old can motor doesn't draw alot of amps

Here's another photo

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[rrinker]

 Test it, but that motor should be pretty loc current. If you remove the flywheel, a Loksound Micro should fit in there easily, and also has superb motor control and BEMF so the flywheel won;t even be missed. Might have to put the speaker in the cab roof. Or remove some boiler weight and put the decoder there. Or decoder up in the cab and speaker in the bunker.

                           --Randy

[C&O Fan]

Pretty sure i can mount a sugar cube under the boiler firing down