Space in an old shay for a decoder

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I think this is an old Hallmark

Not sure

Paid 50$ for it 30 years ago

It does run ok on DC

Would love to convert it to DCC and add a sound decoder

But Where ???

Just no space

There a small space on either side of the flywheel but looks too small to me

It really has very little space

Any ideas ???

2

I can’t tell much from your pictures but I squeezed a Digitrax decoder in a MDC Shay.

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-11-2011-my-mdc-shays.html

The DC70 motor can draw over an amp at stall but it’s very hard to stall a geared locomotive, especially towing a half dozen shorty logging cars. It draws less than .700 ma at full speed with 6 to 8 shortys up my 3½% grades.

My Blog post is 4 years old and the decoder is still hanging in there.

Mel

Modeling the SP in HO scale since 1951

3

[quote user=“RR_Mel”]

I can’t tell much from your pictures but I squeezed a Digitrax decoder in a MDC Shay.

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-11-2011-my-mdc-shays.html

The DC70 motor can draw over an amp at stall but it’s very hard to stall a geared locomotive, especially towing a half dozen shorty logging cars. It draws less than .700 ma at full speed with 6 to 8 shortys up my 3½% grades.

My Blog post is 4 years old and the decoder is still hanging in there.

Mel

Modeling the SP in HO scale since 1951

4

Test it, but that motor should be pretty loc current. If you remove the flywheel, a Loksound Micro should fit in there easily, and also has superb motor control and BEMF so the flywheel won;t even be missed. Might have to put the speaker in the cab roof. Or remove some boiler weight and put the decoder there. Or decoder up in the cab and speaker in the bunker.

–Randy

5

Pretty sure i can mount a sugar cube under the boiler firing down