It's a Bachmann track cleaning tank car.  My photos are to big for this site.  I just widened the deck with some plastic diamond plate sheeting and edged it with Plastruct shapes, replaced the wheels for On30 with some a little larger, cutout every other rung in the step ladder, and added a larger dome hatch.

Hi Plas man, No it is not the same as OO/9.  On30 is narrow gauge 1:48 O-scale that runs on HO-gauge track. which scales down to approximately 30" gauge (ie: On30).

All of my other DCC locomotives run just fine on DC/Analog and DCC on my track.  I routinely run a Bachmann track cleaner car hooked-up with my trains to keep them shiny.  My DC/Analog power is a fine MRC Railmaster 2400 (previous comments are correct to ensure the "pulse power" is off), and my DCC unit is a MRC Prodigy Advance, but I do my DCC programming with Decoder DR.  So I think I have some fairly good power and programming equipment (I just don't understand enough about DCC yet).

Not all of my locomotives are DCC (ie: I built some custom analog "critters"), so my track is divided into two track circuits, so that I may run DC/Analog on one and DCC on the other, or parallel them both for either power

It would sure be handy if Bachmann would publish a CV setting sheet for the Trench engines.  The TCS WOW-sound decoder programming is different than the Tsunami decoders that were installed in my other Bachmann On30 locomotives.  I'm not sure of which CV and/or what values to use in the case of the WOW-sound decoders because of manufacturer proprietary variations.  Trying to understand TCS WOW-Sound programming guide manuals sends my 72-year old brain into fits of dizziness.

I'm surprised that Mr. Bach-Mann has no answer for this issue other than dirty track and filtered power pack.  It seems that a lot of folks are having a problem with this issue, or just accept that it only runs on dcc with a weak-peeping whistle and jingly little ringy-bell that I can't figure out how to change also (yah, my hearing is 72-years old too).

Yes, Rich, I did the reset according to the Bachmann Quick Start guide that came with the locomotive.  It said to reset the locomotive to factory default settings, program CV-8 to the value of 2.  I used a MRC "Decoder DR" on a test track to do this reset. 

Rich, the locomotive is the new Bachmann On30 little 2-6-2 "Trench Engine" that comes with TCS WOW-sound DCC installed.

Normally all my Bachmann locomotives run and sound great on DCC and DC/Analog, and I have had no trouble with the factory settings.  I'm hoping I'm not the only one with this issue, and that someone more knowledgeable about DCC programming the me has the answer to my jerky start/running on DC/Analog power. 

I am fairly new to DCC sound locomotives and got hooked after hearing my first DCC sound locomotive, a little over 5-years ago, but I feel that I know just enough about DCC programming to be dangerous to my locomotives.

Kovaks

I just received my little On30 Trench Engine - Beautiful! It runs fine on DCC, but I have trouble running it on DC/Analog.  It runs on DC, but very jerky. 
How do I correct this problem?

I tried resetting the locomotive to the original factory reset, CV8=2, but it didn't help.
It probably has something to do with the BEMF reference voltage adjustments, which I do not understand very well, and I am unfamiliar with the TCS "Wow Sound" DCC system.

Also, since I am hard of hearing, I would like to like to increase to whistle volume, but I can't find a Bachmann CV reference sheet to guide me in this adjustment.
Can the volumes be adjusted?

Please help me if you can,
Kovaks

   Why is the "L-" terminal point labeled Light 2 "Positive", and the "L+" terminal labeled Light 2 "Negative" on the "HO Sound PCB Installation" instructions?  Shouldn't the "L-" be Negative and the "L+" be Positive?

Funny you should mention hearing Hunt,  After I got my hearing aids, I had to go back and re-balance all my Sound decoders.

Your right Hunt,  Now I'm really confused.  I'll try to stick to just one speaker if I can.  Although previously following the Soundtraxx Tsunami/Econami installation instructions, I wired two smaller 8-ohm speakers in series (because of space limitations) and had good sound reproduction.

Hey Hunt,  I'm kind'a new to DCC Sound decoders, and I really value your input.  But Rich/richiy has a point.  And now I'm really confused. 

In reviewing my copy of SoundTraxx Tsunami installation instructions, if using two 8-ohm speakers, SoundTraxx recommends wiring speakers in series + to -.  SoundTraxx Tsunami Installation Guide said: "When wired in series, the ohms of the speakers are essentially doubled, making 16 ohms. Note that larger numbers equal a lesser load, therefore 16 ohms is a lesser load than 8 ohms". 

My SoundTraxx Econami Installation Guide also reads similarly, but referring to ohms as impedance.

Thanks again Hunt,  That Bachmann parts diagram link you provided, is what I had from the Bachmann website, and used for wiring in the new Sound Board.  I de-soldered each wire one-by-one from the original PCB, and re-soldered them onto the new sound board using the diagram as a guide.  When I did a test run, it wouldn't move with either DCC or DC/Analog, only the headlight would light.  I then de-soldered each wire to unwind it from the group to verify where it was from.  Each wire was verified to be correct, but this is such a tiny sound board and the soldering is very tedious, I don't want to re-solder the wires without some instructions from Bachmann.

The reason I probably didn't hear any sound, is that I hadn't attached the little speaker to the inside of the cab. 

BTW, the speaker/exciter that I bought was the number identified on that Bachmann parts diagram (and the one you provided by the parts link: 642XX-SPKR#10080).  It also looks exactly like the one in my other On30 "Sound" Porter.  I don't see any other parts listed for a "Sound Exciter".

Also there is + and - marked for the speaker terminals on the sound board, but no identification on the speaker/exciter as to which wire is + or -.  When installing speakers on other Sound DCC decoders from SoundTraxx, it didn't seem to make a difference except when I connected two speakers together.

SoundTraxx decoders have color coded wires which makes installation a lot easier and less questionable.

I used a 220uf 25v capacitor (eCap)  from SoundTraxx, as I didn't see one listed on the Bachmann parts list (and that was the size my other sound locomotives had).

Thanks Hunt,  I didn't want to do it, but I disassembled the little On30 Porter locomotive.  All six of the wires were black going to the main PC board (PCB) and DCC decoder.  They were all twisted together, so I had to de solder them just to be able to tell which wires were which and where they went.  There is a little PCB on top of the motor, but it serves only the motor.  The headlight wires seem to go directly from the main PCB to the headlight, so there may be a resistor built into the headlight (or it was in the main PCB).  All my other Bachmann locomotives use a main PCB that the Sound DCC decoder plugs into, and the headlights are wired directly into that main PCB (which probably has the resistors for them).

So if I need to wire-in/solder the new Sound Decoder to that main PCB, it is going to be a really tight fit (if it will fit at all).

Either way, I think Bachmann should give instructions to tell me which way to go, what wires go where, and/or to wire-in directly or not.  If I'm guessing and wire it in wrong - Then What?

And yes, thanks also for the explanation of the speaker.  I did buy also the little speaker that has sticky tape to mount the speaker to the inside of the cab.

Thanks for the info guys.  From the second comment, it looks like Bachmann packaging should have included some instructions.  I will write them about that.

I question the first comment though.  This is supposed to be a Bachmann Sound Board made for a specific locomotive.  In fact it is for an On30 0-4-2 Porter.  My Porter came DCC equipped and was working fine.  I just wanted to add sound.  Why would I need to add a resistor to the headlight circuit?  The new Bachmann Sound decoder board should already have that built into its headlight circuit, just like the original DCC system did.

I do agree that probably, this new Sound Board should replace both the original PC board and Decoder module.  Specifically because there isn't room in the tiny bunker box to just add the New Sound Board along with everything else, unless I modify/enlarge the bunker.

Bachmann sells DCC Sound boards in the On-Line "Parts Catalogue" for specific Bachmann DCC locomotives but without any wiring.  I'm OK with that, but, Bachmann should provide some instructions for wiring and installation of the purchased Sound Decoders.  I recently purchased two sound decoders for two of my Bachmann DCC locomotives, no wiring and no instructions, just DCC sound boards.

Do I wire these un-wired decoders to the output of the existing PC board, thus replacing only the DCC decoder? - OR - Do I wire these in place of the existing PC board and DCC decoder?  ()

I'm using MRC Prodigy Advance and Express systems.  SoundTraxx was very good about replacing the decoders.   When I last checked the track voltage, it was about 14-volts, but I don't know if the system could be spiking the voltage somehow. 

I had a mysterious LED headlight circuit blowout with the SoundTraxx warranty decoder, and I wasn't sure if it was defective LEDs or defective decoder headlight circuit.  I tested a new LEDs and replaced the blown ones, but they still didn't work.  Everything works with that warranty decoder except the headlights.  So now, I don't know if the issue was defective LEDs, a defective headlight circuit, or a DCC system voltage spike.

Has anyone experienced sporadic voltage spikes in their DCC systems? 

OK thanks.  It has sintered wheels and yes they do get dirty faster.  I clean them with a "Ruby Stick".  A rubber stick impregnated with very fine grit used to clean commutators of large motors and/or slip rings on generators.  I have used these for years on sintered and brass wheels.  I just hook-up test leads to the motor, apply some power, and lightly touch the wheels with the ruby stick - shiny clean and no grit. I've also used the same technique but use a cotton cloth dipped in concentrated lime juice against the running wheels (caution: run to fast or to wet and the juice will get onto things you don't want it to).

Anyway, my motor and chassis is new (old stock) and runs great on DC/Analog power - I just don't know why it is blowing-out my sound decoders. 

I'm wondering if I need to install a capacitor bridge across the brushes like I do with my radio control electric boats to prevent RF interference. The motors in my R/C boats do run better with the capacitors on them, beside preventing RF interference.