I bought a new Light Mountain today at the hobby store that told me it is DCC equipped. NOT ready but On Board. I know now the factory didn't make Light Mountains with DCC installed. How Can I tell if its equipped? Where would the Decoder be? Can you tell from just looking at it? Thanks for the help! Ron
The decoder would be installed in the boiler on the light mountain. There would be no visible evidence if done correctly.
Are you sure it's not a Heavy Mountain as it comes with DCC installed, the two loco's are very similar?
What road name?
What style tender? (Heavies came with either USRA Long or C&O Vanderbuilt, Lights come with USRA Std.)
Are there multiple wires between the loco and tender?
Even though the loco is marked DCC equipped by Hobbytown USA it does not have the DCC in it. Called them and they made it sound like I misunderstood. See Pic. I only paid 72 dollars but is it worth adding DCC and than Sound decoder which would have to go into a bigger tender I was told.
Do I return or deal with it! Ron
(http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss18/darticus/20101124_8.jpg)
It's up to you. If it is a light mountain for $77 you got a pretty good price. Adding DCC is not bad in these. The worst part is dealing with all the detail parts on the boiler when removing it to install the decoder.
As far as a basic decoder, look for a DZ125 or similar small decoder. For sound, the Digitrax decoder is the smallest option and will fit in the USRA tender just fine. A tsunami will also fit but it is a much tighter install.
There are some improvements you can do to the light mountain to make it perform better. Primarily it envolves removing the gear cover plate and adding a shim above the bearing pocket on the traction tired driver. For some reason the traction tired driver rides high on these and you don't get the full effect of the traction tire.
Thanks for the info. Which digitrax decoder SFX0416 SoundFX+Function Decoder the smallest for sound you mention or is there smaller?
http://www.digitrax.com/menu_sounddecoders.php
Thanks Ron
The smallest Digitrax is the SDN144PS
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_sdn144ps.php
You will need to cut off the 8 pin plug due to space constraints and then run 4 wires from the loco to the tender.... Motor +, Motor - , Headlight +, Headlight -. The tender is connected to the frame pickup via the drawbar so you don't need to run wires for pickup, you can get that from the tender wipers.
It is actually easier to do in the USRA tender that comes with the Light Mountain. The new seprately available tenders have a light board the takes up valuable space in the tender. The original tender that the Light Mountain has just has the wipers in the floor for the truck pickups so there is a lot more room to work.
Thanks I might give it a shot. You sound like you did this before. So all I need would be the DZ125 DECODER AND THE SDN144PS SOUND DECODER. Ron
Actually no, you just need the sound decoder. It controls motor and sound. John Columbo has had great luck using a dual decoder setup, one in the loco, one in the tender but for your first sound install, just a sound decoder in the tender is simpler to setup.
If you are not using DCC, then the dual decoder system will not work very well anyhow.
I will be using DCC. I thought I need two chips. One for the motor and one for sound. Digitrax SDN144PS you mentioned for sound and DZ125 DECODER for motor both going in the light mountain. Am I confused or is there only one I have to use to do both? Ron
What single chip would I use? Thanks Ron
Quote from: skipgear on November 24, 2010, 10:57:10 PM
Actually no, you just need the sound decoder. It controls motor and sound. John Columbo has had great luck using a dual decoder setup, one in the loco, one in the tender but for your first sound install, just a sound decoder in the tender is simpler to setup.
If you are not using DCC, then the dual decoder system will not work very well anyhow.
You just need a Digitrax is the SDN144PS or similar.
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_sdn144ps.php
The sound decoder handles everything. It has....
1 Amp Motor control
4 lighting Function outputs w/FX3 functions (flashing, strobe, mars, etc.)
2 factory installed sound profiles (Steam / Diesel)
Do you have a DCC system to program the decoder?
Digitrax also offers the PR3 which allows you to use a Laptop to program and upload new sounds to the decoder.
Thanks for getting back. I will have DCC as soon as Santa gets here. I'm getting ready. Only that one chip and it will do directions speed light and sound. Wow! I thought I needed two decoders. Thanks again Ron
I was thinking of using the Soundtraxx Micro Tsunami 8260 in the light mountain and controlling the motor and sound. Originally I was gonna use the tsunami in the heavy mountain for sound but I'm thinking maybe use a digitrax decoder for sound in the heavy mountain as it is A cheaper a decoder and the HM alseady has motor DCC. Input wanted!
I just found out that to program the Tsunami I might need a PowerPax Programming track booster to program on the programing track. Actually I read something about this. I will be using a digitrax ZEPHYR EXTRA which is a little more power than the regular Zephyr. Do you think it will have enough power to program the Tsunami on the programming track without an extra booster? Asking this now as when I get all this stuff for Xmas I will have an understanding of what I'm doing. Thanks Ron
If you are going to put sound in the Heavy Mountain, just eliminate the factory decoder. They are not the best decoder to begin with. All the current N scale sound decoders have motor control already and even the MRC decoders have better motor control than the factory Bachmann decoder.
Quote from: skipgear on December 10, 2010, 05:33:47 PM
If you are going to put sound in the Heavy Mountain, just eliminate the factory decoder. They are not the best decoder to begin with. All the current N scale sound decoders have motor control already and even the MRC decoders have better motor control than the factory Bachmann decoder.
Now thats a thought! The decoder in the heavy mountain, I guess, is only for motor. I guess no sound section in the decoder. It must be in there like the light mountain install tutorial. So just remove it and do the total with one Tsunami! Than the light mountain would be the same install. Tony's trains thought there was a plug in the light mountain or heavy mountain to plug a decoder into. I don't think so. Ron
You are making this much more complex than it needs to be.
#1 - Up to this point, all N scale Bachmann loco's with DCC have the decoder soldered in. None of thier installs use a plug.
#2 - There is not room in the tender for two decoders and a speaker, especially considering the huge thing that Bachmann call's a decoder in their DCC loco's.
#3 - The light mountain is designed for a small decoder to be installed in the boiler. The heavy mountain is designed so that the decoder installs in the tender.
#4 - Adding sound to the light mountain will require either dual decoders (a small one in the boiler and a sound unit in the tender) or a sound unit in the tender and wires from the tender to the loco for headlight and motor control.
Quote from: skipgear on December 11, 2010, 11:15:34 PM
You are making this much more complex than it needs to be.
#1 - Up to this point, all N scale Bachmann loco's with DCC have the decoder soldered in. None of thier installs use a plug.
#2 - There is not room in the tender for two decoders and a speaker, especially considering the huge thing that Bachmann call's a decoder in their DCC loco's.
#3 - The light mountain is designed for a small decoder to be installed in the boiler. The heavy mountain is designed so that the decoder installs in the tender.
#4 - Adding sound to the light mountain will require either dual decoders (a small one in the boiler and a sound unit in the tender) or a sound unit in the tender and wires from the tender to the loco for headlight and motor control.
I know the tutorial shows the light mountain getting a small decoder in the boiler. Is the Micro Tsunami two big for the boiler? If so that must be why your saying to put a smaller one in the boiler and one in the tender to do both jobs.
I think your saying the Heavy mountain has its decoder from the factory in the tender and this would be replaced with the tsunami. Don't have either to look at yet but it will get clearer when I get them. Thanks Ron
Take it from one who knows about N scale sound, you would be better off using the two decoder install. for one using just a tsunami will require drilling holes in your tender and locomotive and running wires between them and even if you do this successfully it usually makes the front of the tender to ride high. Dont insult your engines with a digitrax sound decoder, the sound is garbage. Go with a Lenz silver mini in the boiler for motor and headlight control and a Micro tsunami 750 or a Loksound decoder in the tender.
QuoteI know the tutorial shows the light mountain getting a small decoder in the boiler. Is the Micro Tsunami two big for the boiler? If so that must be why your saying to put a smaller one in the boiler and one in the tender to do both jobs.
I think your saying the Heavy mountain has its decoder from the factory in the tender and this would be replaced with the tsunami. Don't have either to look at yet but it will get clearer when I get them. Thanks Ron
Light Mountain - The micro Tsunami is much too big to fit in the boiler, not to mention the stay alive cap and the speaker.
Heavy Mountain - You would remove the factory decoder and install the sound decoder.
QuoteTake it from one who knows about N scale sound, you would be better off using the two decoder install. for one using just a tsunami will require drilling holes in your tender and locomotive and running wires between them and even if you do this successfully it usually makes the front of the tender to ride high. Dont insult your engines with a digitrax sound decoder, the sound is garbage. Go with a Lenz silver mini in the boiler for motor and headlight control and a Micro tsunami 750 or a Loksound decoder in the tender.
There is nothing wrong with running wires between the tender and the loco. All new Bachmann loco's are coming that way as well as just about any loco with sound. You just have to use good judgement when routing the wires and use good wire. Standard decoder wire is too stiff for the job.
As far as Digitrax sound decoders. You don't know what you are talking about. The sound from the digitrax sound decoder is good. They have some of the best algorithms for modifying the chuff change from slow speed to fast and the drifiting effect are much better than the Tsunami or Loksound. The problem lies in the sound files they provide, they suck. If you take the time to create your own sound files and take advantage of the features of the decoder, they sound very good. My only problem with the digitrax decoder is that the BEMF doesn't work and you can't get the loco to match chuff timing without a cam. Digitrax sound decoders are just not a drop in and forget it like the Tsunami. You have to make a little effort to make the sounds you want but that is why they are 1/3 of the price of a Tsunami.
I just find there to be something off about digitrax sound, Ive used many of them and didnt keep them very long. If you like them then thats great, I personally dont. A tsunami has one throwback as does the digitrax. A capacitor. especially the tsunami. ESU loksound doesnt require a capacitor. their sound files are excellant but some of the diesel horns seem to end abruptly. For diesels you dont even need to monkey with the cv values to get the sound to go with the locomotive cuz it senses the motor speed not the voltage. with steam sometimes you have to adjust them a little. I will give Digitrax one bit of credit. They are the only ones that have an accurate sound file for an RDC budd car in a decoder small enough for N scale. Top Hobby just posted a video of a loksound installed into a kato budd car it sound nothing like a real RDC. There is a guy on youtube that did a digitrax install in one and it sound awesome.