Bachmann Spectrum HO Steam Engine 2-8-0

[Anonymous]

I just bought a Bachmann Spectrum HO Steam Engine 2-8-0 for my son. Does anyone know where i can do some research about chips, speakers, controllers, etc. that would work well with this engine.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jayjo4st

[tomwatkins]

Check out Loy's Toys web site. He's a Digitrax and Soundtraxx dealer and very good to do business with. His site has lots of good info. Also check out the Digitrax and Soundtraxx sites individually. I've got 2 of the Spectrum 2-8-0's up and running with Soundtraxx decoders and Loy's speakers. They run and sound great.
Enjoy,
Tom Watkins

[nfmisso]

Tony, will also take care or you.

http://www.dcctrains.com/index.html

[Anonymous]

I got the same question about sound for the same model... only that I don't want to convert to DCC.

[Anonymous]

If you look at the soundtraxx website you will see that they are bringing out a new range of decoders called the Tsusami (tidal wave) range. They are like the broadway limited decoders in that they give you sound on DC track as well as DCC.

keep an eye out for them. I don't see them being any cheaper than the current soundtraxx offerings though.

neil

[cacole]

You can't have sound without DCC in this locomotive. SoundTraxx makes a "Plug and Play" decoder that fits into the tender. Practically any decoder that has a standard NMRA medium DCC plug will fit into this locomotive's tender, but you might have to remove some weights if you have an older, large decoder. A 1" diameter speaker for the sound fits under the coal load, and you need to drill tiny holes in the coal load for the sound to escape. If you are interested in a sound decoder, check either www.loystoys.com or www.ttx-dcc.com for a SoundTraxx system. I haven't seen the dimensions of the new SoundTraxx Tsunami decoder, but if it is anything like the one used by Broadway Limited it will not fit inside a Bachmann tender.

[Anonymous]

Broadway Limited (as noted above) has sound that operates on DC as well as DCC. And if you drill your holes for the speaker in the bottom of the tender, they will not be visible.

However, probably the easiest way to do it is to use DCC. Just to avoid sticker shock... be aware that the DCC soudn decoder for the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 costs as much if not more than the loco itself!

Andrew

[Anonymous]

dang! I think I'll better get me a BLI loco instead.