Would like to convert the Bachmann Industries USRA 0-6-0, Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis #152, Standard DC with smoke and light to DCC with sound. What would be the best decoder to use?
Looking at the parts breakdown if this is the one-
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/50601.pdf
I'm not sure it can be converted. You would have to insulate the motor so you could isolate the motor brushes. If you can do that you might look at the new Soundtraxx Economi to mount in the tender and then run wires between the it and the loco. You still should have room i the tender or cab for a sugar cube speaker.
SB
First off
Second,
Is this the locomotive you have?
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-50616
Next
Bachmann has a DCC smoke version, so theoretically it should be possible to install a decoder. Sound will require more space, but you have that entire tender. This locomotive will have to be hard wired, it is not DCC ready. This means that it does not have a quick install plug, so soldering and re-routing wires will be required.
Here is a link to the parts diagram from the Bachmann website:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/50440_HO_USRA_0-6-0_w_Short_Tender.pdf
The decoder type will be determined by the stall current draw (amperage) of the motor.
This is going to be a tough one.
Metal wheels for the tender with home made pickups. At least six wires between the loco and tender. Two for light, two for motor, two for pickups from loco drivers.
Even if you can squeeze everything into the loco, you still need pickups from the tender wheels to reduce the possibility of interruptions.
Then there is a need for room for a stay alive module, sometimes called keep alive or current keeper.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/mainnorth/alive.htm
If you want the smoke to be controlled by the decoder, look at the below link.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/Tech_note%2014.pdf
Piece of cake other wise. Your mileage may vary.
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.
If you install a keep-alive, you will not require tender pick-ups.
Dante
TexasRailroader!
Welcome to the forums!!
If you put everything in the tender I think you will require 8 wires between it and the locomotive - 2 each for power from the wheels, motor, headlight and smoke unit. Fitting that number of wires into place and positioning them so that they won't interfere with tender/locomotive movement will be a bit of a challenge.
If you could find space in the locomotive for the decoder, perhaps mounted vertically in the back of the cab, then you would only need 4 wires between the tender and the locomotive - 2 for the speaker(s) and 2 for the keep alive. I agree that tender pickup is not necessary with the keep alive. Unfortunately that will leave the decoder in plain view.
The Soundtraxx Econami ECO100 has the correct sounds, or at least nearly so, and it will accept a keep alive. I'm not sure which of the light steam or medium steam sound files would be correct, but I suspect it would be the medium. Normally I would be pushing a Loksound Select Micro but they don't have the proper sound files as far as I can determine.
I'm not sure how many decoder installations you have done but this one with the split frame requires particular attention to potential shorts, not that other decoder installations don't. Specifically, you will have to be very careful not to pinch wires between the shell and the frame castings. I have done a Bachmann Hogwarts Express with a similar split frame design and it took a bit of work to avoid pinched wires. You might have to remove a bit of material from the castings or the shell to make enough space. I would also suggest using heat shrink tubing on the motor leads where they are close to the castings.
Anyhow, the installation is quite doable - just take your time.
Dave
EDIT:
One other suggestion I will add is if you have lots of space in the tender then go for the biggest speakers you can fit. The suggested 'sugar cube' speakers work great but they are not as good in the deep bass sounds as a larger speaker designed to generate bass sounds will be.
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
The USRA 0-6-0 Switcher is light steam.