I have a series of 2-8-0’s that I am converting to Bachmann’s medium oil Vanderbilt Tender. Has anyone put a sound decoder into that tender? Which one did you use. What size speaker? Did you put the speaker into the water tank or the oil bunker? Where did you drill the holes for the sound to get out? Eventually I plan on using the medium Vanderbilt tender with some Bachmann 4-6-0’s but that will be a more complicated matter as the are not wired the same, despite using the same connectors to the engine. - Nevin
Measure the inside diameter of the tender and go with the that figure. With a vandy tender, you really need to mount the speaker on it’s side.
David B
I am also looking to convert some 2-8-0’s to vandy tenders, Where would be the best place for drilling the holes for the speaker? I would have assumed on the bottom of the tender and use an oval speaker with a baffle.
Below is a link to how Bachmann does the sound. Probalby a 16mm x 25mm or 16mm x 35mm speaker. You might be able to guesstimate the size from the PDF.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H842X-IS001.PDF
I have done this to a Bachmann oil tender from an old UP 0-6-0 using a 14mm x 25mm speaker and a SoundTraxx LC steam decoder.I forgot to take pictrues of the install.
The loco has a Digitrax DZ125 in it for better control than the LC decoder. Only two wires needed between the tender and loco which I tried to make it look like steam line and oil line.
Since this kind of DCC install is not plug and play, it will take some thought and planning on your part.
Rich
That PDF with exploded view of the medium tender seems to show a possible space under the weight for a small speaker is that correct? I know the regular coal tender has a designed space for the speaker.
Yes, it looks like they just put a small oval speaker on the bottom. But I’d almost guarantee you’d get better sound by sealing up the rear 2/3 of the tender and putting a round speaker the diameter of the water tank in there, sealed around the edges. Drill holes under the coal load to let the sound out. That will get you a relatively large speaker, with a large enclosure. Should get great bass out of that.
–Randy
In a Vanderbilt tender? [%-)]
John
When the oil runs out there is a backup supply of coal. Quite ingenious I would say.[:-^]
Rich
The only one I have with the med vandy has a coal load instead of a oil bunker, but for the coal version I mounted a 20mm speaker with enclosure at an angle right at the front of the round tank section facing the coal bunker at the same angle as the coal slope. Having a coal load, I could drill vent holes in it, but while the oib bunker gives you more room for the speaker, the sound vents will be a challenge.
Hmm-- not sure I have ever seen a Vanderbilt tender with a coal load. I guess there’s a first time for everything! [:D]
Plenty of Vanderbilt tenders were used for coal burners. Here’s a couple:
A former C&O vanderbilt now in MOW service - still with coal in the bunker!
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/steamtown/shs2h.htm
GTW U-1-c 4-8-4 with a Vanderbilt tender, 18 tons of coal capacity.
–Randy
Yes, plenty of Vanderbilt tenders where for coal but the OP clearly said Oil Tender in the body of the message. We could not resist.
I myself am guilty of reading the Subject and not paying attention to the body of the message. That comes with age and experience.
Rich
I managed to shoehorn a Loksound 3.5 and a 23mm round speaker into one. I also found that the original circuit board in the Vanderbilt tender was incompatible with the connections and electronics of the locomotive, so I replaced them with the board inside the original coal tender that came with the locomotive, and connected the decoder’s 8-pin plug to it. Hard wiring would mean more space.
Brian
Where did you drill holes for the sound? I assume for the medium vandy (which is the shortest) it was through the coal load. Drilling holes in the bottom of tender floor of the short vandy would not work well as the holes would be seen. The diagram posted on this is the Hicken tender which is far larger that the short vandy and the holes for the sound are pre-drilled. At least on the two that I bought.
I used the short oil-fired Vanderbilt tender, and drilled a few discrete holes in the front end, facing into the cab space. As said, it’s a tight fit, but it works very well.
Brian
One of the primary speakers I want to utilize for my 3 different vandy tender experiments is this Railmaster bass-reflex speaker (DLG8) shown here next to the chassis.
My understanding is this speaker is a really good supply of bass sound. It has 2 other features that really attracted me:
- It is already ‘enclosed’ unto itself, so I don’t have to be concerned about ‘back speaker sound interference’.
- It fits VERY nicely between the edges of the plastic shell (width), so I am able to mount it onto the chassis in a permanent fashion, and still remove the shell for easy access.
I have an ESU Loksound Select Micro sound decoder with 13mm 8 ohm speaker in the coal bunker in my 2-6-6-2. I drilled out probably 18-20 holes in the coal for the sound to come out. I love it.
Mine is N scale.