Spectrum "Baldwin" 4-6-0 63" Driver Decoder Installation

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

Hi.

After 15 years “off the air”, I’ve finally come back to my model trains[:)]. Of course, things have evolved quite some in the decade and a half, mainly with DCC.

I’ve just bought a Bachmann Spectrum 4-6-0, which is supposed to be DCC ready, with the intent to install a decoder myself. I have no problems with electronics so the new technologies are coming pretty quickly but I am quite confused as I cannot figure out if should install the decoder in the tender which has a small PCB (that I will probably have to remove) or in the loco itself. Before starting to take the loco apart, I prefer to ask my dumb questions!!

Thanks for any help

2

Remove the tender shell, unplug the DC adapter fron the NMRA socket, plug in a decoder that has the eight pin plug. A Digitrax DZ125 decoder would work fine as it has BackEMF. You will have to solder the seven wires to a eight pin NMRA plug.

Rich

3

Thanks Rich, I’ll follow your instructions.

…and if anyone else has ideas and advice, shoot!

Paul

4

Of course it has to be said that there are directions and instructions that came with your loco…with pictures even! No actual reading required.

David B

5

Below is a link to an install. You can download the PDF document to your PC. Follow the instructions.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Bachmann/Spectrum%204-6-0/TCS%20Decoder%20Install,%20Bachmann%204-6-0.html#page_top

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Bachmann/Spectrum%20Baldwin%202-8-0/Bachmman_Spectrum_baldwin_2-8-0.html

Rich

6

For me that was a big problem. I finally gave up and hard wired the darn thing. [banghead]

Lee

7

Well, I wasn’t expecting all this information so quickly. Thanks to you all.[:D]

(…and for David B: no, I didn’t have any explaination, even in pictures, with the loco…)

Paul