LARGE SCALE DCC SOUND-EQUIPPED THOMAS & FRIENDS LOCOS ARE HERE!

Started by InsideTrack, December 13, 2016, 03:03:21 PM

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InsideTrack

These DCC Sound-Equipped locomotives feature a sound system with whistle, chuff, and steam hiss plus moving eyes and international-style hook and loop couplers. Bring the sounds of Sodor to life with DCC Sound-Equipped Thomas & Friends™ engines and the separate-sale Large Scale sound module.
More good news for Large Scale modelers: Winston is now ready to roll too!

Item No. 91421 THOMAS the TANK ENGINE with DCC SOUND http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=879_756_777_779&products_id=6471

Item No. 91422 PERCY the SMALL ENGINE with DCC SOUND http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=879_756_777_779&products_id=6472

Item No. 44958 THOMAS & FRIENDS™ DCC SOUND MODULE http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=879_756_777_779&products_id=6473

Item No. 91406 WINSTON http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=255_426_429&products_id=6021

BobZ

I would like to upgrade my grandson's non-DCC versions of the entire fleet of Thomas & Friends locos using Bachmann's 44913 Decoder and later add the 44958 sound board. Do they have a schematic available for the new engines?

Captain Crutch

Quote from: BobZ on December 16, 2016, 05:40:00 PM
I would like to upgrade my grandson's non-DCC versions of the entire fleet of Thomas & Friends locos using Bachmann's 44913 Decoder and later add the 44958 sound board. Do they have a schematic available for the new engines?
Unfortunately there's no official way to decode them. However I know that with the Bachmann DCC ez track decoder you can run 1 non DCC train. If you want them to be DCC however you can search online tutorials. I'm sure one has been done for Thomas. Hope this helps.
Formerly HLC Railroad, but now I'm back and better than ever!

sean1994rail

Hope they do a DCC Sound module for diesel characters such as Devious Diesel, Mavis, Salty, Iron 'Arry and Iron Bert.

UPTODAY

Large scale Winston looks funny without a driver .Bachmann please make a driver for Winston!
UPTODAY
UPTODAY


JD417

It doesn't. He has to lay down, as the Sir Topham Hatt Figure doesn't have joints, and there's not enough room down into Winston's interior for him to stand up in.

Plow_Bender

Alright, time to educate you guys about production when it comes to large scale models.

To start off, Winston was made solely for the fact that he's a smaller model.  That's the only reason.  It's probably the same reason Bachmann announced their Speeder #96251 and Eggliners #96280.  Granted I quite like their speeder, but that's not the point of this post.  The point is that Winston (being a smaller model), was less costly than an actual locomotive such as Edward, Rosie, Diesel, etc.

If you haven't noticed (unlike the locomotives in the range), Winston is the only motive power model that doesn't have moving eyes.  This is clearly because the model is too small.  When Bachmann designed Winston, they struggled enough just to put a motor in the model.  This is why Winston's interior is the way it is.  I know for a fact that all the large scale Thomas models use the same motor, and most likely the same can be said for Winston.  Keep in mind that I'm saying "MOTOR" and not the whole gearbox.

I don't understand why you're all complaining about Winston, while many other's are as just as disappointed that Bachmann didn't announce an actual locomotive for 2016.  Besides, we all know you're just going to go out and get the model regardless how it is.  Oh, and if fitting a Bachmann Sir Topham Hatt figure in the model is really what you want, here's my advice.  Get yourself a hacksaw, cut his legs off, and then he'll be able to sit up in Winston.  Problem solved...

-Rusty
"If you can't beat them, hire someone to do it..."

UPTODAY

Rusty,I bet you have a great layout,how about some pics????

UPTODAY
UPTODAY

Plow_Bender

Quote from: UPTODAY on January 09, 2017, 05:53:18 PM
Rusty,I bet you have a great layout,how about some pics????

UPTODAY

I will carry this over to another thread Mr. UPTODAY.  I really don't want to clutter up this one with photos not related to the topic at hand.

-Rusty
"If you can't beat them, hire someone to do it..."

Captain Crutch

Has anyone installed the sound module into Toby, James, or Emily yet, it says the sounds are installed on the chip. Also, how do you change the preloaded sounds? It says it's automatically set to Thomas but that others are available.
Formerly HLC Railroad, but now I'm back and better than ever!

Titanic5972

You will be able to change the sounds by adjusting certain CV values. Is there an instruction sheet included with the decoder? This should list CV values and say which to adjust for which character you want.

Captain Crutch

Formerly HLC Railroad, but now I'm back and better than ever!

ACD134

Quote from: Titanic5972 on March 11, 2017, 12:28:45 PM
You will be able to change the sounds by adjusting certain CV values. Is there an instruction sheet included with the decoder? This should list CV values and say which to adjust for which character you want.

CV 115 is character selection.  0 is for Thomas (Factory Default), 1 is for Percy, 2 is for Edward, 3 is for James, 4 is for Henry, 5 is for Gordon, 6 is for Toby, 7 is for Spencer and 8 is for Emily.

The functions offered are F1 Bell (Toby Only), F2 Long Whistle (except Toby), F3 Short Whistle (Except Toby),  F4 Blowdown.  F8 Mute.

F0 can be used for lights if you fit them (I have).


Even if you do not have a DCC layout the sound card will work as it will automatically sound the Whistle on start up and the blow the whistle at regular intervals whilst running along with a synchronised chuff when running and automatically sounds the blowdown on stopping.

Have just fitted a card in Thomas and have still to fit out Percy and James. If others are interested I'll post some photographs later showing the conversion.
You do need to provide your own 8 Ohm, 3 Watt Loudspeaker.

Chaz

Pictures would be welcome, but is there a chance you could please show us a video showing each of the different functions?  I've seen videos of Thomas and Percy with DCC and sound but I would be interested to hear James as well as well as the other functions for the other characters (if that's doable on your end).  I'm surprised no one else has done so already.

Looking back at this years announcements, kind of a shame that Diesel won't have DCC/sound available in that module yet all these other characters who won't be made in large scale do.  Maybe worth suggesting for next year? 
Modeler of HO/OO, OO9 and N scale.  Hoping for N scale Henry, Edward and Duck.