Hi All! Just browsing and saw your posts!...... Have to agree about smaller branchline loco's. I've just finished DCC-ing 2 beautiful (pre-DCC) Bachmann Pannier tanks (2nd hand - although you wouldn't think it!) and let me tell you!....
They are the most smooth running loco's by far in my new found retirement hobby (delayed from childhood by "life" obviously).
First tip: Build a cradle from styrene to hold the model upside down. Remove screws, on the Pannier tank there is a flat section which carries a small PCB board with 2 coils and a capacitor. Snip the wires off it and do as you will with it! You are left with 2 metal pillars which took the screws to mount the board, (be brave) Take a junior hack saw and cut them off, blowing away all debris. File the area flat and likewise blow away all filings.
The area will now take a Bachmann 8 pin decoder, er! (36-552 with back EMF from memory). Cut off the Plug! Take a soldering Iron.......Red & black from the rails. Orange and grey to the Motor! and hey presto........the finest, cheapest, slowest, controllable loco you will ever wish to own.
23rd March 2010, 03:13
