I started this hobby about 1 1/2 years ago and my first train was the Chattanooga 0-6-0 steam DC set. Since then I've gone all DCC with my locos (yes, they are Bachmann, and I'm using an E-Z Command). I also added a Bachmann DCC decoder (E-Z Command, two function; pretty low profile) to a Trainline FA-1 which went smoothly. Now I'm looking at the 0-6-0 and wondering if I might put the same Bachmann decoder in it. Is that feasible? The body of the loco looks a little difficult to remove so I'd like to know if it's worth it before tearing into things. If it is possible to do this I'd also appreciate advice on removing the shell with the least amount of damage.
Check Jonathan's thread on his fleet of 0-6-0's.
Rich
the fact that you can purchase dcc versions of this locomotive shows it can be done. checque the decoder manufacturers and dealers websites for conversion info on various locomotives. i haven't had time to look but this one may be on there. i have two of them to convert myself but haven't had the time. when i do i will try to take pics and post them here.
Quote from: richg on February 02, 2013, 06:11:08 PM
Check Jonathan's thread on his fleet of 0-6-0's.
Rich
How do I do that?
Well, I did a search for Jonathan and 0-6-0 and saw some of what you're talking about, Rich. So I'm definitely convinced of feasability. Jward- I didn't know the 0-6-0s also came DCC since I have gone the way of diesels after that first starter set. Maybe this will get me to thinking aabout steam some more. Thanks to everyone for their input.
Skook-
It's generally easier to convert steam than diesel because you have a whole empty tender for the decoder and speaker if any. Diesels can be pretty tight under the hood, so much so that sometimes it's necessary to grind away part of the frame to make room for a decoder. And diesel speakers can be the devil's own work.
-- D
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,19869.0.html
the dc version lists for $96, the dcc for $125.
Ok, I finally figured out you are talking about the 0-6-0T. My mistake.
Some here have asked about the 0-6-0 with the tender and smoke.
Remove the front screw and carefully lift off the shell. I have done it. Follow the instructions on the diagram that come with the loco.
Solder the wires to the tabs. A oood quality tiny decoder for this loco will cost about $20.00. I like the DZ125 decoder.
Rich
Quote from: Doneldon on February 02, 2013, 09:53:25 PM
Skook-
It's generally easier to convert steam than diesel because you have a whole empty tender for the decoder and speaker if any. Diesels can be pretty tight under the hood, so much so that sometimes it's necessary to grind away part of the frame to make room for a decoder. And diesel speakers can be the devil's own work.
-- D
Using the tender for decoder and/or speaker is a good idea that I will stow away for future projects. Doesn't this present the problem of disguising wires running between loco and tender?
Quote from: jward on February 03, 2013, 02:51:31 PM
the dc version lists for $96, the dcc for $125.
I got the whole Chattanooga set on Amazon for $109. Quite a deal, I thought, since I also wound up with rolling stock, control, track, signal bridge, station, phone poles, people, etc. I'm still using the DC control for accessory lights and so on. So I don't mind spending a little on the DCC conversion. Of course, now Doneldon has me pondering sound which is getting a little pricier :D
Quote from: richg on February 03, 2013, 03:06:24 PM
Ok, I finally figured out you are talking about the 0-6-0T. My mistake.
Some here have asked about the 0-6-0 with the tender and smoke.
Remove the front screw and carefully lift off the shell. I have done it. Follow the instructions on the diagram that come with the loco.
Solder the wires to the tabs. A oood quality tiny decoder for this loco will cost about $20.00. I like the DZ125 decoder.
Rich
Actually, mine is the one with tender and smoke. Thanks for the heads up on the decoder.
Quote from: skooksteve on February 03, 2013, 03:32:16 PM
Quote from: richg on February 03, 2013, 03:06:24 PM
Ok, I finally figured out you are talking about the 0-6-0T. My mistake.
Some here have asked about the 0-6-0 with the tender and smoke.
Remove the front screw and carefully lift off the shell. I have done it. Follow the instructions on the diagram that come with the loco.
Solder the wires to the tabs. A oood quality tiny decoder for this loco will cost about $20.00. I like the DZ125 decoder.
Rich
Actually, mine is the one with tender and smoke. Thanks for the heads up on the decoder.
Oh boy. Try to be more specific in the future with a question. I deleted all what I thought was unnecessary info.
Rich
Quote from: skooksteve on February 03, 2013, 03:17:57 PM
Quote from: Doneldon on February 02, 2013, 09:53:25 PM
Skook-
It's generally easier to convert steam than diesel because you have a whole empty tender for the decoder and speaker if any. Diesels can be pretty tight under the hood, so much so that sometimes it's necessary to grind away part of the frame to make room for a decoder. And diesel speakers can be the devil's own work.
-- D
Using the tender for decoder and/or speaker is a good idea that I will stow away for future projects. Doesn't this present the problem of disguising wires running between loco and tender?
Many DCC suppliers sell six wire tiny plugs for this. Dress the wires to look like hoses.
Rich
Cheap acceptable sound will be about $50.00. More expensive $100 to $150 for decoder and speaker depending on where you buy from.
You will have to convert the tender to all metal wheels with pickups on each truck. Forget trying to include smoke.
I gave away to of those locos a couple years ago. The locos had rather poor driver pickups.
I kept a couple of the oil tenders and converted one to sound to make a cab forward, oil fired 2-6-0.
Rich
Quote from: richg on February 03, 2013, 03:34:10 PM
Quote from: skooksteve on February 03, 2013, 03:32:16 PM
Quote from: richg on February 03, 2013, 03:06:24 PM
Ok, I finally figured out you are talking about the 0-6-0T. My mistake.
Some here have asked about the 0-6-0 with the tender and smoke.
Remove the front screw and carefully lift off the shell. I have done it. Follow the instructions on the diagram that come with the loco.
Solder the wires to the tabs. A oood quality tiny decoder for this loco will cost about $20.00. I like the DZ125 decoder.
Rich
Actually, mine is the one with tender and smoke. Thanks for the heads up on the decoder.
Oh boy. Try to be more specific in the future with a question. I deleted all what I thought was unnecessary info.
Rich
I was as specific as I could be given my limited body of knowledge in this hobby. I started this hobby a little over a year ago as a retirement activity. I had no background in mrr whatsoever prior to that. So I guess you could say I don't know what I don't know. Thanks for your help.
Ok, that tells me more. Below are couple good links about many aspects of DCC and DCC with sound. Realize also, when you buy DCC on board versus DCC you install yourself, some things are different. On board many times will not have all the operating features or sounds as decoders you install yourself.
Bachmann does not sell sound decoders right now. They do sell a couple sound modules which are not decoders.
This fellow use to own an online DCC supplier I have bought from. There are many good links at the below link.
http://www.mrdccu.com/
The below fellow is in Australia but uses a lot of USA DCC stuff.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn/index.htm
Tony's Trains I have bought from and see at a local trains show.
http://www.tonystrains.com/
This fellow use to be active here. A little dated but still useful.
http://members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/dcc/2-8-0/index.html
DCC is evolving quite rapidly.
Store all links in Favorites. You will need them. I have over four hundred links on DCC and trains alone.
Rich
Just saw this thread. I've been at Train show heaven in Timonium.
Just as an aside, I got a few of my DCC 0-6-0s at auction (ebay) from The Favorite Spot. That is MUCH cheaper than trying to install a decoder than a DC version. Sad but true.
Have pondered some kind of small sound only decoder to intall in a slope back tender, but haven't tried it yet.
Regards,
Jonatthan
Quote from: jonathan on February 03, 2013, 05:05:13 PM
Just saw this thread. I've been at Train show heaven in Timonium.
Just as an aside, I got a few of my DCC 0-6-0s at auction (ebay) from The Favorite Spot. That is MUCH cheaper than trying to install a decoder than a DC version. Sad but true.
Have pondered some kind of small sound only decoder to intall in a slope back tender, but haven't tried it yet.
Regards,
Jonatthan
A Digitrax DZ125 or a TCS N scale decoder would work but not sound. They are slightly larger than a dime. A couple here prefer the TCS although I have used the DZ125 with a Pancake motor Bachmann. There are plates in the tender for weight. and you would need all wheel pickups for decent operation.
Rich
since we are talking about adding tender pickups to a short wheelbase locomotive this seems an appropriate pl,ace to ask a question i've had.
does anybody here have experience with tcs decoders, specifically the ones with keep alive? from what i've read on their web site, keep alive appears to be a sort of battery power for dcc. it allows a locomotive to run over dirty track for 5 or more seconds without interruption of power.
in theory this would allow short wheelbase locos like the 0-6-0 or thomas or percy to negotiate switches with insulated frogs, without stalling. can anybody tell me how well this works in real life?
Quote from: jward on February 03, 2013, 06:11:45 PM
since we are talking about adding tender pickups to a short wheelbase locomotive this seems an appropriate pl,ace to ask a question i've had.
does anybody here have experience with tcs decoders, specifically the ones with keep alive? from what i've read on their web site, keep alive appears to be a sort of battery power for dcc. it allows a locomotive to run over dirty track for 5 or more seconds without interruption of power.
in theory this would allow short wheelbase locos like the 0-6-0 or thomas or percy to negotiate switches with insulated frogs, without stalling. can anybody tell me how well this works in real life?
I have no experience with TCS but a couple Yahoo DCC forums are having quite a few discussions on this device. Go look.
Marcus has quite a lot on it. I have posted his Keep Alive page here in the past.
Rich
Generally the term "keep alive" refers to a capacitor that can hold a charge long enough to get a loco over either a dead spot, such as a frog, or over a short section of dirty track. It was used originally in just sound decoders to prevent the decoder from shutting down until the loco got across the problem.
How well it works, I really can't say, as I don't have any sound units, and on the RR that I operate on a lot, the locomotives are bigger or have enough pickups that this isn't a problem.
Stay Alive sometimes called Keep Alive.
A capacitor on a specific spot for the Tsunami for sound only.
A capacitor, diode and resistor connected to the main filter capacitor on a decoder next to the full wave bridge rectifier for motor stay alive. There is a lot of discussion on this issue in other forums, specifically a couple of the Yahoo DCC Groups.
It appears the TCS has a pretty good stay alive solution.
In the below link, click on Stay Alive.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn/index.htm
Rich
Quote from: skooksteve on February 03, 2013, 03:17:57 PM
Using the tender for decoder and/or speaker is a good idea that I will stow away for future projects. Doesn't this present the problem of disguising wires running between loco and tender?
Skook-
Not really, and certainly no more than with models which come from the factory with the electronics in the tender. There are some extremely compact plugs and very flexible wires which will allow you to make the connections fairly inconspicuously. IMHO, the least distracting way to do this is with a plug which has one piece fixed to either the loco or tender. That eliminates having a bulky (compared to wires only) plug and receptacle floating between them.
-- D
Quote from: Doneldon on February 04, 2013, 07:27:45 PM
Quote from: skooksteve on February 03, 2013, 03:17:57 PM
Using the tender for decoder and/or speaker is a good idea that I will stow away for future projects. Doesn't this present the problem of disguising wires running between loco and tender?
Skook-
Not really, and certainly no more than with models which come from the factory with the electronics in the tender. There are some extremely compact plugs and very flexible wires which will allow you to make the connections fairly inconspicuously. IMHO, the least distracting way to do this is with a plug which has one piece fixed to either the loco or tender. That eliminates having a bulky (compared to wires only) plug and receptacle floating between them.
-- D
Thanks, Don. Very helpful. I'm continuing to learn just how much I don't know :) I think I will never get bored with this hobby.
Quote from: skooksteve on February 04, 2013, 10:45:47 PM
Thanks, Don. Very helpful. I'm continuing to learn just how much I don't know :) I think I will never get bored with this hobby.
Skook-
I understand. For me, the best part of this hobby is that it involves so many
different aspects and things to learn or do. There's no excuse for becoming
bored as a model railroader.
-- Doneldon
I have 2 trolleys that I installed a TCS Keep it alive decoders. These decoders are fantastic, my trolley no longer has any problems. The trolley is an AHM LRV.
i am thinking of trying one in thomas or percy. they are my smallest locomotives. .glad to hear of the positive experiences. they make me feel better about investing $50 in a decoder
Quote from: skooksteve on February 03, 2013, 03:17:57 PMDoesn't this present the problem of disguising wires running between loco and tender?
Sort of a "yes, and no" thing as there was water and air plumbing between loco and tender anyway. And some later, larger, locomotives had even more plumbing and machinery filling the gap.