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I wanted a Pacific and saw one at the train show saturday. It was DC and I am DCC. I had a spare decoder at home so I thought I would take a chance with it. It is a Bachmann engine.
Well, things haven't gone so well. Figuring out the wiring tells me that the two bronze castings are part of the track pickup feeding power to the motor. Both the lead and trailing trucks also are pickups. I couldn't isolate the motor without separating the two castings. I went so far with trying to do this and having trouble with it so I decided to stop.
Got everything wired back to DC and it runs, so up on the shelf it goes.
Installing DCC into this engine is a major job. It all has to do with isolating the motor.
Tomorrow I'll order a new one with DCC & sound.
Bill W.
Sorry you are giving up on it so soon. The Bachmann split frame locos can be tedious to install DCC in, but once you understand the purpose behind how they work, they are actually kinda easy.
I've got several of the split frame engines, even wrote an article at one time for RMC about how to install DCC in them!
With the steamers, you can even replumb the wiring so you can run the smoke until off the purple or green function!
However, that being said, now that they offer the engine with DCC and sound, if you can afford it, go for it!
Your mileage may vary!
Hey Karl,
I got to the part of splitting the frame. Had the screws out of the bottom, the two screws holding the two frame parts together out, had the frame split a little bit to the point I didn't want to force it not knowing if I should or what would happen.
I figured out the way the power routing works. That's when I knew that the only way to install DCC was to isolate the motor. One of the straps is in plain site the other buried requiring the split.
I also noticed when I got home there was no headlight ???
Maybe someday I'll try again. I decided for now I needed to get back to building the layout.
Bill W.
Hey Karl,
I got to the part of splitting the frame. Had the screws out of the bottom, the two screws holding the two frame parts together out, had the frame split a little bit to the point I didn't want to force it not knowing if I should or what would happen.
I figured out the way the power routing works. That's when I knew that the only way to install DCC was to isolate the motor. One of the straps is in plain site the other buried requiring the split.
I also noticed when I got home there was no headlight ???
Maybe someday I'll try again. I decided for now I needed to get back to building the layout.
Bill W.
When I did mine I didnt split it fully apart just leavered it far enough apart to get the motor out I then cut those straps with a sidecutter. and soldered the power pickup wire to the piece of strap I cut off and the lead to the motor to the other . Then put it back just how it was. It works.
When I did mine I didnt split it fully apart just leavered it far enough apart to get the motor out I then cut those straps with a sidecutter. and soldered the power pickup wire to the piece of strap I cut off and the lead to the motor to the other . Then put it back just how it was. It works.
Like this huh??
(Yeah, the pic is a LL diseasel, but you got the idea)
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