Maybe it needs reset and re-programed?......some decoders (cheap ones esp) can "loose" their settings when shorted ect right?

On a decoder use the function outputs to operate a relay..Hook track juice up to smoke unit through relay contacts and you might need a resistor cause it will smoke you out! Jim

Hello "old" friends . I have put the Airplanes away for winter.....Getting back to work on the layout and just laid 2 tracks around the Christmas Tree tonight,,,,EZ track to the rescue!

Anyhow im gonna cruze the boards and catch up!

I joined a RC airfield last summer and flew every weekend almost.......Layout was dead,no work done until last week or so.

Powercab fired up fine and i didnt even clean the track!  All is well.

Jim

Yes the 4-8-4 was a standard Bachmann unit....the place where the smoke unit is makes a great shelf for the decoder....yes i had to isolate the motor...i cheated by shimming in between the motor lead and the frame with thin plastic..to keep from having to split the loco apart as the piston housings are glued to the frame...taking them off breaks the mounting pins on them,and you can easily wreck things here.

JST-plug (9-pin) at decoder

I can get pics if needed (next time i service the loco though as its together)

If you need them for a install i will take them for you.

Just sit the decoder up front after removing the smoke unit...add a light bulb for headlight and wire to the left and right solder lugs on the rear of chassis for decoder power. The J plug is a flat 9 pin connector that came on my decoders factory from NCE. The decoders are hardwired via J plug harness for easy removal.

Piece of cake to install with the d13 series decoder.
Here is a J connector example(not a NCE decoder):

I just installed a NCE Powercab and im very happy with it...1 amp system for my small 4x10 is perfect...Programming on the main even while the loco is running ...sweet.

Power can be upgraded to this system up to 3 amps i belive....I got the powercab and four  NCE d13 series(4 lighting function/Effects) decoders all for $200.

Only drawback is it only retains 2 engine addresses at a time....but for my small layout its not a problem.

I installed decoders in;;;;

Bachmann Spectrum K4: nmra plug to j plug on decoder

Bachmann Standard UP 4-8-4: hardwired loco to j plug removed smoke unit

Bachmann Plus F a unit:(and added flywheels) hardwired to j plug

ModelPower Metaltrain F a unit:  j plug dcc ready loco, plug in decoder and wired lighting effects ect.

So far the system runs everthing fine and im very happy with it....and glad i can program CV's ect.

Great System....The powercab itself can be had for around $120....with its 1 amp switching power supply.

Jim Hail

Powering the b unit should be easy....other than the chassis mounting fashioned into its shell its just a empty boxcar 8o)...if you need Bachmann F chassis (A or B) measurments let me know...

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g273/metalhead100/consisted.jpg

I have taken a old hornhook and cut the hole in it off then rounded this piece to fit inside the larger hole on a ez mate coupler (knuckle) then CA glue it into the knuckle and pop it back into the talgo hornhook mount....OR You can also cut the extra part of the hook off the hornhook and round it with a dremmel and get them to couple to a knuckle coupler...making your own magic mate coupler .

Jim

Very slowly pry the pin up out of the hornhook coupler and sometimes twisting the coupler wil remove it also.

If it has the Model power chassis there is a flat square plug installed from the bottom of the coupler pocket that is a pain to remove without cracking the truck frame where the pocket is thin....they snap in with alot of force and small jewlers screwdrivers and prying are the only way to get them out....it was not made to be removed....the plugs  hook into the coupler pocket in the front and back and are oversized in this direction and thicker...so they stay put.

I tried the Athearn plastic truck flywheeled F unit frame and it will work but you will need to chop off the front of the frame or mill it down in thickness where the Shark shell tapers and has the shoulder inside on the nose.

I was going to do this and then glue the sideframes from the shark to the athearn chassis BUT the wheelbase (axle spacing) is way off on the f unit trucks,from under the shark truck the f unit wheelset(too close together) would be set in each way from the trucks bearing molds

Sorry this is all returning to me as i slept and forgot it all....

Thats why i just powered a boxcar....and the Bachmann f unit chassis slid into the Bachmann boxcar shell just perfect after trimming a few vertical stiffining ribs away and the coupler pockets finnish perfect to the shell ends....all i needed was a few strips of 1/16th inch thick balsa glued to the frame top to raise the boxcar shell to the right height.

I can get you pics if needed .

It was also great fun to see my 5 year old sons confusion when dad removed the Loco and let the boxcar pull the cars....boy did he get quiet and puzzled for a sec....

Bachmann F unit chassis(a and b) center to center is 4 and 3/32nds
Athearn chassis is 4 and 1/32nd
MP shark chassis runs around 3 and 29/32nds (the frames move fore and aft a bit in this chassis so it may varry)

I took these measurments with a steel 32nd rule with the chassis on straight track.

Jim

Yea i saw thier sales last week or so but did not know if it was cool to mention them(MP) on Bachmanns forum due to legal issues over the EZ track ect.

Jim

Do what i did.....I made a bachmann plus F chassis into a powered boxcar (trimmed leafsprings and brake actuators off the trucks and flat black them...then shove it into a boxcar shell...yea boxcar with a fuel tank i know) to push the MPower Santa Fe(dummy....loads of them on ebay...) Sharknose around.....Lights on the Dummy work of course so all i have to do is dcc the powered boxcar 8o)......Seems everyone on ebay has boxes of those old MP dummy sharknoses.....they must have found a lost ship from china or japan full of dummy locos....

Yes....I take all the dollar store junk apart.....even got a chuff and whistle for my sons Thomas HO set/layout from a push toy Thomas from Tomy....It will be installed in a building on the layout....and hooked to the throttle with relays ect...

Jim