Does anyone know if it is possible to install decoders in these beautiful locos? Is it alot of work for a novice decoder installer? I love these locos, but none are DCC equipped or DCC-ready.
Hey Smitty
Its really quite easy, first off , it is equipped with the NMRA 8 pin plug on the board that is located in the tender. Next you remove the 2 rear trucks from the loco, so you can access the screw holding the tender cover in place. Once the tender cover is off, you will see a small pc board with a 8 pin jumper plugged into it. Remove the plug, and then simply plug your decoder inti it. Reassembly and thats it. It was my 1st decoder install and took me about 30 minutes. I will try to post a link showing instructions.
edit: sorry I meant 8 Pin plug , not 9
Thanks. I didn’t think they were DCC ready. Are all the bachman spectrum shays equipped with the NMRA plug?
Smitty
http://www.gatewaynmra.org/dcc/engines/bach-shay.htm
Yes they all have the NMRA medium 8 pin plug.
If you want sound you’ll need to use the mini-tsunami for light logging that was just released. It’s a straight forward install with people putting .75" speakers into the fuel tender section (the section ahead of the water tender)
If I remember correctly all HO scale 3 truck shays from Bachmann are DCC ready as they came out only 3 years ago.
If you are interested in the Micro-Tsunami here are some links. I buy my Micors from Litchfield Station. Free shipping.
http://litchfieldstation.com/xcart/home.php?cat=116
Don’t forget the eight pin connector for the Micro.
Join the Yahoo SoundTraxx group. There is a lot of info in the files and photos section concerning the Micro.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/soundtraxx/
If you ever go for NCE DCC here is another Yahoo group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NCE-DCC/
Try not to limit yourself to this one group. This group is ok but there is much more info available to modelers on the 'Net.
Good luck.
Rich
When Bachmann originally released their Spectrum 3-truck Shay, SoundTraxx made a special sound decoder for them, and they do have the NMRA 8-pin decoder socket in the tender. Check the SoundTraxx web site to see if these decoders are still available. I don’t know about the Climax.
Here are links to the Micro-Tsunami and the standard Tsunami. This is a lot easier than having to search all over. They have the light logging version.
http://litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=999002769&cat=116&page=1
I get my online order within two days from Litchfield.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/products/dcc/microtsunamidecoders.htm
You will have to solder a male 8 pin connector to the wires.
Good luck.
Rich
Smitty,
When I put a Digitrax decoder in my HO Bachmann 3 Truck Shay, I found the following comment somewhere, probably in this forum:
“Bachmann locomotives have an LC noise suppression filter (for European RF Radio/TV interference requirements). Its job is to suppress motor noise (in this case, pulse). If you are using this locomotive on DCC, be sure to remove the filter as this can effect your PWM motor control as well as create issues with Back EMF capable decoders.”
I cut one of the wires to the capacitor and it works fine.
I had to add a little crazy glue to a gear in the middle truck to stop it from disconnecting and losing traction.
Don
Smitty,
I have installed decoders in three of the Bachmann shays. Two were regular and one was a sound decoder. There are a variety of decoders made by different companies that will fit in the shay. The tender is a small space, so make sure you check the decoder sizes to get one that will fit.
Soundtraxx made an early version of its LC decoder series that was designed to fit in this shay. I installed one of these units and was very happy with the results. It did require some disassembly of the model and I had to drill a couple of holes. The install also necessitated building a speaker box in the fuel bunker from parts supplied with the LC. My initial take on the install was that the sound system wasn’t loud enough. I have since changed my thinking and I think the level is just about right.
Bachmann also released a very small run off these shays with a sound decoder factory installed. I see them Ebay every once in a while. The micro tsunami would be an excellent choice for this loco, provided that it will fit in the tender. I will undoubtedly be installing a couple of these when time and funds permit.
Guy
The Climax is a very easy conversion, just open up the water/fuel tank (remove the top), remove the dummy plug and plug in a decoder. It’s designed for the “combined” type of decoder, where the pins are part of the decoder (as opposed to having a separate harness). I suppose it would be possible to install sound but it would be hard to fit in a decoder and a speaker - unlike the three-truck Shay, the Climax is only a two-truck engine so doesn’t have that extra tank the Shay has.
If you’re looking for a no sound decoder the Digitrax DZ123 fits nicely in the Shay tender.