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Newbie needs help with Bachmann Tram DCC conversion


Jack1

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Although not completely relevant, could I ask those who have the Bachmann trams, do they fit around first radius curves? 

 

thanks, Tom

I fitted zimo dcc chip in one that runs on a layout for a mate. It happily negotiates 180 degree turns with an inside rail radius of less than 7 inches. The layout can also be run in DC mode.  Two unconverted (non DCC) Bachmann trams run when the layout is non DCC configured. They far out perform other trams on the layout. Smoother, quieter, consume less current and far less prone to tipping due to lower centre of gravity, The layout spends a lot of time being operated by a five and eight year old hence the tipping comment.

 

Porcy

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I fitted zimo dcc chip in one that runs on a layout for a mate. It happily negotiates 180 degree turns with an inside rail radius of less than 7 inches. The layout can also be run in DC mode.  Two unconverted (non DCC) Bachmann trams run when the layout is non DCC configured. They far out perform other trams on the layout. Smoother, quieter, consume less current and far less prone to tipping due to lower centre of gravity, The layout spends a lot of time being operated by a five and eight year old hence the tipping comment.

 

Porcy

 

Thanks very much! 

 

Now, to find more excuse why not to have one so I have some money left haha!

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I have to admit, I'm completely biased against 4 wheel trams in favour of bogie ones.

 

I think it's something about watching the bogies turn and move to follow the curves that tells me it is a "working model". The plain rigidity of 4 wheel units forced to turn just doesn't come across the same way to me.

 

Andy

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  • 9 months later...

Seems a bit pointless adding my thoughts to a two year old question, but here goes.

 

Bachmann Birkenhead Tram DCC Conversion. When I ddi my first DCC conversation on one of these models in 2012 there was nothing online on how to go about it.  I had the same Resistor/Inductor debate with myself. I left the circuit board as it was and simply put the DCC chip between the pickup and the circuit board. It worked. Wiring the directional lights was straightforward.

 

The only issue I had was that the chip I’d used wasn’t suitable. It was from Hornby, released from a "DCC Fitted" model when I was doing a lighting upgrade. The advantage of the chip was it’s size, it fitted very nicely out of sight. The disadvantage was that when it lost power for a moment the lights went off and didn’t come back on. I was forever pressing the headlight button twice. With my second of these models I used a Gaugemaster chip. This was even smaller than the Hornby one, but the wires were much thicker and I had real difficulties routing them. The lights stayed on.

 

By the time I chipped my third tram I’d read this thread. It confirmed my suspicions that I could remove the capacitors and inductors and this freed up space for a Stay Alive unit. I’ve used DCC Concepts ZN8H chips which come with Stay Alive units. It’s a squeeze to get the Stay Alive in to an unseen space, but I managed it.

 

The Stay Alive certainly helps through points, but you still have to follow the golden rule of clean wheels and good pickups. On these motors I have found that the pickups are a little flimsy and need a little adjustment with tweezers to ensure they are in contact with the wheels all the time.

 

I’ve just removed the motor from my first tram (which solves the problem of the Hornby chip) and I’m fitting it to a Leeds Horsefield. I like the fact that the motor is small enough to fit without having to cut out the tram floor so I can keep the seats in place. There is also room for the DCC chip and the Stay Alive unit. At the moment I’m procrastinating over whether to solder leads direct to the motor pickups or used the contacts as per the original. I still have to decide if I’m going to add directional lighting. The chip has blue, white and yellow wires, it would be a shame to not use them.

 

Alan recommends the Halling KSW, stating it does a better job. Assuming that I was prepared to sacrifice the seats in the lower deck has anyone got experience of converting one of these motors to DCC? The Bachmann motor has external contacts for pick ups and motor drive which make DCC conversion simple. Is it as easy with the Halling KSW?

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Seems a bit pointless adding my thoughts to a two year old question, but here goes.

 

Bachmann Birkenhead Tram DCC Conversion. When I ddi my first DCC conversation on one of these models in 2012 there was nothing online on how to go about it.  I had the same Resistor/Inductor debate with myself. I left the circuit board as it was and simply put the DCC chip between the pickup and the circuit board. It worked. Wiring the directional lights was straightforward.

 

The only issue I had was that the chip I’d used wasn’t suitable. It was from Hornby, released from a "DCC Fitted" model when I was doing a lighting upgrade. The advantage of the chip was it’s size, it fitted very nicely out of sight. The disadvantage was that when it lost power for a moment the lights went off and didn’t come back on. I was forever pressing the headlight button twice. With my second of these models I used a Gaugemaster chip. This was even smaller than the Hornby one, but the wires were much thicker and I had real difficulties routing them. The lights stayed on.

 

By the time I chipped my third tram I’d read this thread. It confirmed my suspicions that I could remove the capacitors and inductors and this freed up space for a Stay Alive unit. I’ve used DCC Concepts ZN8H chips which come with Stay Alive units. It’s a squeeze to get the Stay Alive in to an unseen space, but I managed it.

 

The Stay Alive certainly helps through points, but you still have to follow the golden rule of clean wheels and good pickups. On these motors I have found that the pickups are a little flimsy and need a little adjustment with tweezers to ensure they are in contact with the wheels all the time.

 

I’ve just removed the motor from my first tram (which solves the problem of the Hornby chip) and I’m fitting it to a Leeds Horsefield. I like the fact that the motor is small enough to fit without having to cut out the tram floor so I can keep the seats in place. There is also room for the DCC chip and the Stay Alive unit. At the moment I’m procrastinating over whether to solder leads direct to the motor pickups or used the contacts as per the original. I still have to decide if I’m going to add directional lighting. The chip has blue, white and yellow wires, it would be a shame to not use them.

 

Alan recommends the Halling KSW, stating it does a better job. Assuming that I was prepared to sacrifice the seats in the lower deck has anyone got experience of converting one of these motors to DCC? The Bachmann motor has external contacts for pick ups and motor drive which make DCC conversion simple. Is it as easy with the Halling KSW?

 

You only loose the Bottom legs of seat with the KSW. And gain 4 wheel drive the Halling pick ups are soldered to the Motor brush tags so for live overhead a bit of soldering and trimming a bit of the PB stamping is needed on one side ( and a linking wire) for DCC it'll be needed both sides  but no dismantling will be needed. Not that that is at all difficult. 

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Thanks for the reply. Sounds simple enough. I have another Leeds Horsefield I want to motorise so I may give the KSW a try.

 

The Horseflied with the Bachmann motor is working well. I gave it a test run on my garden railway through a ladder of insufrog points and it ran well.

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