Spectrum 4-6-0 question...

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I just purchased a Bachmann Spectrum 4-6-0, and I was hoping to be able to put adecoder w/ sound in it, but the tender is very small and I was wondering if anyone out there has already done this with their “ten wheeler” ? At present I have a basic
Digitrax decoder installed, and I am getting a pretty good “hum” out of the unit… every one on the forums who have thte 4-6-0 said it was a very quiet operating unit.

Any advice… Thanks.

2

The SoundTraxx Web site does not list a sound system that will fit the Bachmann 4-6-0, so there probably is none, since their systems are smaller than any others that I know of. You might consider changing the tender to a larger one for which they do have a sound decoder. Bachmann sells tenders separately, and there is a SoundTraxx system made to fit in the Mountain locomotive’s tender.

3

Cacole…
Thanks for the info… I will check out the replacement tender situation.
Bob / IronGoat

4

There are three tenders which come with different varients of the Ten Wheeler:

  • USRA 10,000 gallon
  • high sided coal tender of about 8,000 gallons (I think based on a CNW prototype[?] )
  • a tiny coal tender of about 4,000 gallons

I would guess there is no problem with the USRA tender as Soundtraxx sell a Plug’n’Play decoder for the 2-8-0 which also has this tender, the 8,000 gallon tender looks a bit shorter but is at least as tall so with a little perseverence you could get one in there I guess. The problem comes with the tiny coal tender, which came with the version of the engine I also have.

Dimension wise it looks fairly similar in size to the 80-ton shay tender (maybe a bit longer) and Soundtraxx have produced a sound module for that (DSD-B3TSLC). I don’t know if anyone has one of these decoders - I don’t ; I know its from their “Low Cost” range but is the sound generic or are there distinctive “Shay” sounds programmed into it? If not, could that be a starting point?

I haven’t had any major hum problems operating my Ten-wheeler on DC, as a DC loco on DCC (when DC engines tend to “sing” anyway) or with a basic Digitrax decoder installed.

5

IG;

The humming with a decoder in place is most likely due to the capacitor(s) and/or resistor(s) on the Bachmann board for EMI suppression. They seem to set up a resonator with the DCC decoder install, just cut a lead, or remove them if you prefer.