DCC Chuggington

[calleyFan]

Hello,
This is probably not the question that the average user can just answer, but maybe a staff member at Bachmann could tell me?
How easy would it be to convert the Bachmann Chuggers to DCC? Is there enough void space in the engine to fit a decoder?

Thanks

[Doneldon]

cally-

You can fit a decoder into just about any locomotive, especially since there are now many excellent decoders sized for N-scale but with a full amp of power which is adequate for most HO power. Things can get sticky if you also want to add sound. That's because a decoder and its speaker take up much more space than a decoder alone. Steam engines with tenders usually have enough room but tank steamers and many powered diesels can be very tight, perhaps requiring some surgery to the frame or weights. Whatever you decide to do, good luck with it.
                                                                                                                                             -- D

[richg]

A better question is, how difficult to install a decoder?
How much electrical and mechanical experience do you have?
Have you any soldering experience?
Do your locos have light bulbs or LED's for lighting?
A standard non sound requires using all seven wires on the decoder. That is a loco with front and rear lights.
A real basic install which I have done, requires four wires. Two for pickups and two for the motor.
Go to the Digitrax and TCS sites and look at the N scale decoder specs.
Get a cheap plastic dial caliper from Micro Mark and measure the insides of the loco. I did that over twenty years ago when I could only afford a plastic caliper.
Do some research. Many locos are nowhere near plug and play.
Ask about the particular loco you are interested in. The diagram might be on the diagram page in the Bachmann site.
A few people have done a couple HO scale Thomas series locos.

Doneldon  gave you some good suggestions.

Rich

[richg]

Here is a install page for TCS which includes some Bachmann locos. Store the link in Favorites. You will need it.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/HO_Search/search.html

Rich

[calleyFan]

Hello,
Thank you all for your tips. I didn't know that N scale decoders could work on HO scale engines!!
I do have a bit of experience with installing decoders. We installed a decoder into our Bachmann HO Thomas engine, and that was quite a handful to do! We've done a few engines were soldering are required, and will do many more, as all of the Thomas engines share the same circuit board pretty much giving each one the same installation. The only problem is finding the space to fit a decoder!
So far, we've used Digitrax decoders. What I was wondering about mainly is not about installing the decoder, but if there might be a place for it to fit inside one of these new Chuggington engines!
Again, as they haven't been released yet, nobody really knows what the chassis looks like, but I'm hoping anyway to see if someone might know something.

Thanks again!

[Jerrys HO]

calley

I didn't know that N scale decoders could work on HO scale engines!!

I just received the 2 Digitrax DZ125's I had on order. I have not had the chance to install them yet, they are very small. The decoder is about the size of my pinky finger's nail. Probably a great choice if you are not going with sound.
I love the fact that they have BEMF. I can't wait to get these babies in this weekend.
These decoders have replaced the DZ123.

Jerry

[Doneldon]

calley-

Don't focus on whether a decoder is labeled N- or HO-scale. Check the power output and number of additional functions the decoder can operate. I'm guessing that the Chuggington locos won't have elaborate lighting schemes so the most elementary decoder should work if it has sufficient power, regardless of how it is labeled. A rose by any other name ...
                          -- D