Then why mention it in a thread about getting his engine to work on DC?
It’s not exactly rocket science to see if he wants to make a program track and put JMRI on a computer, or put him in touch with an individual or club that could assist him on the ‘hamburger plan’.
My tentative advice would be for him to install a reasonable keep-alive on the decoder. Then the ‘first’ time he cranks up the voltage, the decoder will take its~5-6V to ‘wake up’, but if he gives it the time for the keepalive to charge, he should then be able to turn back to ‘zero’ and then start incrementing voltage, which the decoder now reads accurately as it’s essentially externally-powered now.
Of course for this to work he’ll probably have to tweak a potload of arcane settings, which is more reason still for him to consider achieving the capability to program using JMRI even if he has no plan or desire to operate the locomotive with digital commands.
Rewiring is not going to work. I believe the OP wants the sound despite its limited features on DC. As soon as you take the motor control away from the decoder the sound will not work correctly. But more likely the sound will not work at all just like nothing is working now.
Removing the decoder would be great if sound was not involved. I have removed 50 or more of those pesky little things…
I don’t know if Bachmann sound has a ‘DC-compatible controller’ like the QSI (remember them?) Quantum Engineer. It would take an outside ‘code-injection’ unit like that to blow (let alone quill) the whistle, or blow a horn or start/stop the bell) through a Bachmann locomotive’s internal speaker.
He has not said if this locomotive has the Sound Value decoder. My decidedly third-hand understanding of those things is that the sound is pre-coded in RAM and would have to be operated by DCC-compatible code, passed through while the motor controller has switched to DC compatibility… but receipt of DCC modulation by the decoder would get it to reset to DCC mode…
Frankly, I agree that if he wants sound that he can control he ought to ‘bite the bullet’ and adopt DCC for operation… and as soon as possible, perhaps swap to a decider with better sound and better DC compatibility…
I have run both a BLI GG1 and a BLI Q2 ‘with sound’ and played a variety of their available sounds using straight DC with the Quantum Engineer. That was 20 years or so ago.
The very first line of his original post identifies the model as sound equipped.
On DC you get the chuff, and often random air pumps, and with some brands privative control of bells and whistles thru very rapid cycle operation of the reverse switch.
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This is the model he says he has:
He does not need a programming track or to adjust any CVs, or anything else DCC related. He said that the individual he purchased the unit from sent him a video showing the unit running on DC.
He does not have a DCC system., so therefore could not have made any programing errors.
I doubt very much if the engine magically and mystically programmed itself in transit.
He says all his other engines will run properly with the DC controller he has.
He also says the seller said that he was running the engine with a very cheap trainset quality power pack.
So someone needs to tell me what all the above “stuff” has to do with the price of peas in Patagonia.
Every indication and his later comments indicated it was a stock sound and value decoder from Bachmann and that the model had not been modified in any way.
The power pack used by the seller was identified as the classic Bachmann DC pack for fairly recent times. If it is similar to one I have that came with an On30 train set, it is a reasonably clean output. My Bachmann pack ran a sound equipped BLI N&W Class A with DCC and sound without any issues.
The specific issue was the suggestion that he should set CV29 to resolve his problem. He would not need to buy into DCC throttles and boosters if all he wanted to do was reset that CV… but he would need or want to use some DCC-specific gear to do so.
He would also not be wasting much money on a ‘programming track’ he could also use for DC testing and maintenance…
It is my understanding that CV29 has settings that turn the automatic dual mode function of the decoder on or off.
This will not fix the problem here. In fact, in the off setting the locomotive will not respond to a DC signal at all. With it on, the decoder is still susceptible to DC signals that the decoder cannot define as DC, or that confuse the decoder, cause constant resetting or simply “stall” it.
It is unlikely that this setting got magically changed in shipment, and the seller provided video of the locomotive operating on the basic Bachmann DC pack.
But as I have explained several times, the output of the Bachmann pack is likely much better than the OP’s 1960/70’s MRC pack.
The fact that the OP has other brands of DCC locos and those decoders work adequately with his pack only means those decoders have better dual mode identification circuits.
That is what I thought was the case. But surely someone would not suggest setting CV29 to allow clean DC operation if it in fact precluded DC operation at all… would they?
Just to clear any misunderstanding - my only other DCC train (a Spectrum 4-6-2) is DCC ready but does not have a decoder installed. All my other trains are straight DC excepting for the dual mode 2-8-2 that has been the topic of discussion. It’s apparent that I simply need to upgrade my powerpack. That’s my plan. Let’s all move on and enjoy our evening. I appreciate all the input.
It works! I found a new-in-box MRC Tech 4 200 for a great price and purchased it. Wired it to my test track this morning and the Dual mode train runs. Slightly glitchy - discovered that it needs to sit for a few seconds after stopping and flipping the direction switch before it will move in the new direction. If I try to move right away after stopping and flipping the switch it just sits. I think I may want to disconnect the DCC sound anyway. I found it to be rather annoying LOL. It wasn’t the reason for the purchase anyway. It’s difficult to find PRR 2-8-0 or 2-8-2 engines that are more or less prototypical/well detailed, not run into the ground and also reasonably priced. I noticed that the motor is quiet at low speed but has a whine at travel speed. The sound doesn’t slowly increase in pitch or intensity, it just starts at a certain speed. Difficult to tell if it’s the motor itself or related to the sound unit. I was able to find 3 other MRC power supplies new in box and have them on order. The DC power supplies are becoming hard to find, so I figured it best to gear up now and also prepare for a larger layout. MRC Tech 4 260, which will pair with the 200. Also a Trainpower 6200 (later “black case” model) and a Controlmaster 20. I read that the latter does especially well with dual mode trains at low speeds when the “nudge” switch is employed. Thanks again to all who provided practical advice with this.
That seems to be the general consensus though some reportedly had issues with the handset. The one I’m getting is the silver unit with the “loud” fan but… it’s brand new and was only $95. The more recent 100 VA examples I saw were $150 and well used with some oxidation and dust on the connection panel.