I have searched the internet but found nothing on how to convert Bachmann’s Hogwarts Express to DCC. Is there anyone here that has any ideas on how to do it?
Google Bachmann Hogwarts DCC. I got a few hits, no good pictures but text descriptions of the install. It’s not easy, the loco is a split frame design witht he motor not insulated from the frame. Looks like the easiest thing to do is put the decoder int he tender and use a small 4 pin connector so you cna take them apart - there is no room inside the loco shell without cutting away a chunk of the frame.
–Randy
You did not search very hard.
Thia question has been posted a couple years ago in the Bachmann forums. Check the forums.
Big challenge. I just Googled, bachmann hogwarts decoder install
Isolate the motor contacts from the frame.
Follow the instructions that come with the decoder.
TCS makes small decoders. “Maybe” fit the decoder in the cab roof.
I think you will have to add metal wheels and pickups to the tender, plus six wires between the loco and tender if you want reliable connections. These loco sets where toy class.
Rich
It does pick up on all wheels on the loco, mine runs fine, even on the crappy steel rail Bachmann track the set came with. So it should be ok. There’s enough room in the tender to use a TCS KA series decoder with keep alive. Power draw is low. For a train set level loco, it does run fairly smoothly. That set was my “get back intot he hobby” the last time I restarted - Walmart had a ton of them leftover and on clearance for like $30 and hey, I liked the books, I liked the movie, and I like trains. Once I had that I started digging all my other stuff out to run on the oval.
–Randy
below is the loco diagram.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_HARRY_POTTER_SET_ENGINE.pdf
Only the loco drivers pickup.
I have done a Bachmann HO 0-6-0 Plymouth just to see if it would work. It does but poor driver pickup. I used a Digitrax DZ125 about the size of a dime.
Hate to discourage you but really a waste of time and money.
Rich
ok thanks for the reply. I may either try to add the decoder or maybe just locate the Marklin version.
MSTrainMan74:
Installing DCC (and sound if you wish) in Bachmann Hogwarts Express is not difficult.
You have to insulate the motor leads as others have said. Not a big deal.
There is lots of room in the tender for the decoder and speaker. Electrical pick-up should be added to the tender wheels but that can be done with some phosphor bronze .010" wire and some circuit board. I drilled about 80 - #68 (or so) holes through the coal load and mounted the speaker face up and I used the tender body as the speaker enclosure IIRC. The holes are very hard to see. If you were going without sound you could fit the decoder into the roof of the cab, but it will be visible and it will hide some of the fine backhead detail.
I even added headlights using 1.2mm 1.5 volt bulbs.
The biggest problem I have is that the lead truck picks turnout points and derails. I have checked the wheel gauge and that is not the problem. I was using Peco turnouts on temporary track which might have had a lot to do with it. I’ll re-address that once I have some reliable trackwork on my as yet to be layout.
Although these locos came with a toy train set I don’t think they are bad quality. The paint job is quite good and there is a reasonable amount of detailing. They will not be the heaviest locos on the roster but the weight is fair.
If you want more detailed information about motor wiring etc I would be happy to pop mine apart so I can tell you exactly what is involved.
Dave
Something to remember, if you have the necessary DCC electrical and mechanical experience, it will be easy.
If not, it will be a challenge.
I believe you will need metal wheels on the tender as well as pickups. DCC hiccups with the slightest power interruption. The microprocessor in the decoder resets with every interruption.
If you do sound, a LokSound decoder might have the whistle, UK locos, you hear in the Potter movies.
Don’t forget. Six wires between the loco and tender. Standard for DCC steamers.
Rich
Rich:
Just so you know, the tender wheels are metal, at least on the one I have anyhow. You still have to fabricate pick-ups of course.
I agree with you that this is not the simplest DCC conversion. I guess I made it sound a bit simpler than it is but none of the necessary steps are particularly difficult. There are just a few more than usual.
My approach is to encourage people to explore the hobby and perhaps test their limits a bit. It really is the only way to develop your skills. It doesn’t sound like the OP is reluctant to give it a go so that is why I said things the way I did.
I also agree that Loksound is the best bet, not only because of their overall quality and performance, but precisely because they offer the best whistle options, as you suggested. I did mine several years ago and IIRC I used a Soundtrax LC 100. That was long before I discovered Loksound, and before they brought out the Select decoder. That’s also why I offered to take mine apart because I can’t remember the details and I was too dumb at the time to be bothered keeping notes. I’m willing to take the time to do a ‘how to’ post if he wants to see every detail.
Dave
I find Dave’s post above, to be the type of encouragement that is a great use of these Model Railroader Forums! He understands the O.P. question and has tried to use unbiased information to help. Where there is a will, there is a way!
The O.P. has 9 posts and joined the MR Forums group in October of 2013. His experience is not given in this thread and is not important to his question. He has asked a legitimate question on a conversion of an existing locomotive to DCC operation. I find comments such as: “You did not search very hard” to be
Below is an idea I have used for pickups. Works quite well.
http://www.55n3.org/cars/tender_wipers/
As I said before, I did the Bachmann 0-6-0 with pancake motor using a DZ125 decoder, just to see if I could. Lots of work needed to improve pickups.
Rich
I do think the pickup on the Hall is better than the 0-6-0, it’s Bachmann’s newer design, split frame but no more pancake motor. I’m surprised you had time to work on the pickups, the lifespan of the pancake motor is often measured in minutes. A shame Bowser no longer makes their power chassis for the Bachmann 2-8-0. I could use a few of those as the model is a proper Reding prototype but they all have the pancake motor. Remotoring those is a bit much. But like I said, my Hogwarts Hall was a good runner. Have to dig it out and see how it still works, it’s been boxed up for 9-10 years now. Certainly over Snap Track turnouts, or #4’s, or just abou any size Peco Insulfrog, the pickup wheelbase should be long enough to span the dead spot. For larger turnouts with a bigger dead spot (Atlas #6 or #8, etc) - yeah, going to need help. But - there is room for a decoder with keep alive, which should make it work fine over less than ideal track.
–Randy
I did it to see if it would work. the pancake motor draws about 700 ma. pickups were the biggest issue but it was only an experiment. Loco does not get too much use. The pulse power decoders send to the motor make the motor run quite nicely.
The newer motors are better.
Jonathan in the Bachmann forums has quite a stable of the 0-6-0 with tender running quite nicely but they have the newer can type motor.
Rich
Rich:
The tender on Hogwarts is a British design with three axles so it doesn’t have the type of trucks that the Kadee springs can be adapted to. There is also a lot of molded on detail on the bottom of the tender which would make installing wipers there a real pain. However, thanks to the way Bachmann designed the floor of the tender, installing pick-ups from the top of the floor is easy. In order to clear the rather large tender wheels there is a slot in the floor above each wheel. The floor is also plastic so the wipers can be mounted to it without having to worry about insulating them like you would have to do if the floor was metal. Here is how I did the pick-ups. You are looking at the inside (top) floor of the tender:
I used .015" phosphor bronze wire from Tichy and 0-80 x 1/8" screws with brass washers. Getting the wires into place was fussy. If I was doing it over I would use longer screws. I put a bit of CA on each of the screws just as insurance because if you tighten them too much the wires get bent out of shape. One thing that is important is that there has to be a lot of weight added to the tender. The wheel wipers act like suspension springs causing the tender body to bounce because there is a lot of play in the axles.
Again, not the most simple procedure, but a real good way to learn.
Dave