Here is a small overview of adding a sound decoder to a Bachmann On30 Mogul. I used TCS Wow steam with a KA. The plan was to install all the pieces into the engine. In the end I had to install all the main pieces in the tender. Here it is in action 7/6/2025 and still not finished.
Philip
Here are the electronics.
TCS WOW Steam with KA 3 Keep Alive.
Led lighting. 670K resistor added.
TCS 1336 6 Pin Mini Connector & Wire Harness added to make the connection.
Automotive wheel weights added.
Coal box scratched and adding. Real coal will be added later. I added foam the coal area to take up room and try keeping it from being top heavy.
Speaker is glued to the center of tender. (TCS 1717) I tried 2 other speakers and this one is the best IMO.
Philip
I wanted to add all the electrics to the engine only. I wasted an evening milling the saddle on my Unimat lathe hoping the clearance would be correct only to waste my time. Here are some pictures of what not to do.
Looks like a good job and it sounds great.
Philip, what went wrong?
dave
Quote from: deemery on July 06, 2025, 08:12:16 PMPhilip, what went wrong?
dave
Dave, My journey and first install was a trying and learning experience. The speakers I purchased were the wrong model and my fault. I watched a youtube video and wrote the incorrect number down from the presenter.
Philip
Quote from: Philip on July 06, 2025, 08:35:12 PMQuote from: deemery on July 06, 2025, 08:12:16 PMPhilip, what went wrong?
dave
Dave, My journey and first install was a trying and learning experience. The speakers I purchased were the wrong model and my fault. I watched a youtube video and wrote the incorrect number down from the presenter.
Philip
Ah, so you milled to the wrong size? :P I was looking at the last 3 photos, and couldn't figure out what "the waste of time" was...
dave
Quote from: PRR Modeler on July 06, 2025, 08:10:59 PMLooks like a good job and it sounds great.
Thanks Curt!
Quote from: deemery on July 06, 2025, 09:09:06 PMQuote from: Philip on July 06, 2025, 08:35:12 PMQuote from: deemery on July 06, 2025, 08:12:16 PMPhilip, what went wrong?
dave
Dave, My journey and first install was a trying and learning experience. The speakers I purchased were the wrong model and my fault. I watched a youtube video and wrote the incorrect number down from the presenter.
Philip
Ah, so you milled to the wrong size? :P I was looking at the last 3 photos, and couldn't figure out what "the waste of time" was...
dave
Dave, I'll post a photo tomorrow. Everything is ok just a little lighter. I accidentally deleted the money image. ;D
WOW........ :o :o :o :o I'll betcha it's a gonna be too cool for school....8) 8) 8) 8) ;D
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.
Philip, some good info here from someone wanting to do the same thing.
Engine sounds and runs great.
What did you use for ballast?
Howdy Philip,
The sound is excellent. Nice work integrating it all into the tender. Does that speaker fire downward through holes?
Have fun,
mike
Philip OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote from: kyle creel on July 07, 2025, 12:00:32 AMWOW........ :o :o :o :o I'll betcha it's a gonna be too cool for school....8) 8) 8) 8) ;D
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.
yeah way cool. 8)
Quote from: Rick on July 07, 2025, 07:00:03 AMPhilip, some good info here from someone wanting to do the same thing.
Engine sounds and runs great.
What did you use for ballast?
Thanks Rick!
I used oven roasted sifted rock from the street edge. Works great and cheap. A buddy of mine (Tom) used shingle sand he cleaned out of his gutters, another cheap source.
Quote from: friscomike on July 07, 2025, 07:44:28 AMHowdy Philip,
The sound is excellent. Nice work integrating it all into the tender. Does that speaker fire downward through holes?
Have fun,
mike
Thanks and yes Mike. The hole is actually a rectangled shape of the speaker a bit smaller. It has a foam backing from the factory. I thought it was a peel and stick material for attachment but ended up using CA to attach it. The speaker faces down plus I added 6 small holes in the tender for ventilation. There is also a rib than run through the tender for strength that I left.
Quote from: Larry C on July 07, 2025, 08:02:44 AMPhilip OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like a cow, outstanding in the field! ;D
Thanks Larry!
Nice install. I attach the speakers and other components with silicone caulk, it's a bit more flexible and I think less chance of coming loose than CA glue. I like how you attached the 6 pin connector to the tender. Mine are usually loose but your way looks like a neater option.
Jeff
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on July 07, 2025, 10:30:23 AMNice install. I attach the speakers and other components with silicone caulk, it's a bit more flexible and I think less chance of coming loose than CA glue. I like how you attached the 6 pin connector to the tender. Mine are usually loose but your way looks like a neater option.
Jeff
Thanks Jeff! I tried 3m sticky tape and it made removal a mess. The decoder is stuck on the side of the tender with scotch double sided tape. A lot less forgiving. The plug is stuck on with a black water based caulk and coming loose. Thanks for the tip! Yep, CA is kinda sketchy.
Philip
Philip,
Excellent job on the sound install and it sounds great.
Tom
Philip great sound!!
Jerry
Quote from: ACL1504 on July 07, 2025, 11:51:05 AMPhilip,
Excellent job on the sound install and it sounds great.
Tom
Thanks Tom!
Here was the proposed location for the decoder. I milled about 1/4 inch off the top but changed plans when the decoder length was longer than the recess.
20250708_195805.jpg
A couple Wooten boiler shots. The rest is adding all the parts, aka buttoning up.
20250708_200650.jpg20250708_200806.jpg
Quote from: friscomike on July 07, 2025, 07:44:28 AMHowdy Philip,
The sound is excellent. Nice work integrating it all into the tender. Does that speaker fire downward through holes?
Have fun,
mike
Here is the tender showing the cut out for the speaker and 6 holes for air.
Mike, The point of brush is almost touching the speaker.
20250708_201919.jpg
Last one for now after a bit of assembly.
20250708_205558.jpg
Tomorrow hopefully will finish......most likely not. 8)
Howdy Philip,
Thanks for the speaker photo and explanation. The camel looks terrific, and I bet it runs well, too.
Have fun,
mike
Quote from: friscomike on July 09, 2025, 06:10:51 AMHowdy Philip,
Thanks for the speaker photo and explanation. The camel looks terrific, and I bet it runs well, too.
Have fun,
mike
No problem. It runs great and the sounds are really off the chart. It even has a headlight dimming function.
Philip
Outstanding installation Philip.
Philip,
Well done on the conversation to WOW sound.
Tom
Quote from: ACL1504 on July 09, 2025, 08:04:06 AMPhilip,
Well done on the conversation to WOW sound.
Tom
Thanks Tom. I'm very happy with the tone of TCS 1717 speaker.
Another productive evening with New Tracks Modeling playing in the background. They had a good presentation of the Wandering Spruce narrated by Kevin Spady.
That is one sweeeeet looking engine!!!!!
Quote from: Larry C on July 11, 2025, 10:25:30 AMThat is one sweeeeet looking engine!!!!!
She's a runner! Thanks! I coaled the tender and added the build plate. Currently Working on the tender platform for the fireman station.
Working on the Fireman station and added coal.
Philip
20250712_135104.jpg20250712_135418.jpg20250712_140713.jpg20250712_141511.jpg20250712_141614.jpg
Figure is Aspen Models and is needing a shovel.
Found some coal down at the Old L&N tipple down the street.
Deck is made from plastic brass and .020 hinge pin. I coated the bottom with JB Weld for texture. Diamond plate seems to be used 1st about 1930. Camelbacks predated depression era I suppose.
Thanks.
Extremely well done.
You've captured the 'feel' of a Camelback, based on all the period photos I've seen.
dave
Thank Curt and Dave! One day I'm going to get the Wootten boiler right...one day.
Howdy Philip, nice work on the apron. Congrats on the diamond research. That's good to know. Have fun, mike
Thank you Mike. I remember adding paint with sand mixed in on military vehicle (M109 crew compartment) decks for traction. The Camelback will be slick steel polished by the Fireman's shovel.
Philip
Philip,
The camelback is looking great.
Thank you Ron!
Making figures fit is tough. The Engineer lost his lower extremities. Back to paint shop for touch-up.
20250713_184605.jpg
20250713_184646.jpg
20250713_184902.jpg
Philip,
The figures are starting to bring the locomotive to life.
Philip, you're doing some amazing work here.
Very impressive!
Thanks Ron and Rick!
I got lucky with the cab figure. After trimming several times he rests perfectly on the window sill. I was wanting him inside but he looks pretty natural hanging out.
Rick, I CA'ed the brass to the plastic with no gap followed by JB Weld tapering into the joint on both sides. Once dry I lightly sanded out the bevel to blend with the deck. Seems to have strength. Time will tell.
The cab figure is soaking in paint remover. I may get some time to finish today. Looking like rain and we need it!
Thanks for commenting !
Old engineer is looking rough.20250714_112955.jpg
Howdy Philip,
The engineer casting has a lot of nice detail in the face. It should be a great-looking addition to the camelback.
Have fun,
mike
Thanks Mike, I worked on some figures including the guy above with kneadtite greenstuff. Works great for sculpting and patching and remains flexible. Takes forever to set. His hat was lost when removing all the paint.
green stuff.jpg
Philip I'm impressed. Your doing some really wonderful wor on this.
Jerry
Quote from: Jerry on July 15, 2025, 09:39:30 AMPhilip I'm impressed. Your doing some really wonderful wor on this.
Jerry
Thanks but I would call it piddling my friend.
Philip
"Piddling" is a very important part of modeling and I haven't heard that term used in years. You're doing some masterful modeling here; have fun.
A couple updated. Figures have cured. Maybe the paint will stick.
20250720_141115.jpg
An old combine that is needing attention. The body was warped. Hoping the clamped area holds.
20250720_141427.jpg
I also re-decked around the original weight. Planning some boxes and what not in the interior to obscure the unsightly post and unfinished area. I also removed the lighting kit. The floor needs a good block sanding as it crowns in the middle.
20250720_141453.jpg
Thanks for looking!
The figures look very good.
What might work better next time would be some 1/2" aluminum angle epoxied to the floor.... I think you can get that stuff pretty cheaply at Home Depot or similar.
dave
Philip, nice job of fixing up the crew and painting them.
New floor looks good too.
Howdy Philip,
Nice work on the figures. The floor looks great.
Have fun,
mike
Philip those figures look great!!
Nice job on the floor.
Jerry
Nice updates, the figures look nice. Well worn denims.
Watermelons along the way. THANKS for the comments!20250721_181640.jpg
Philip, great job on the figures, and the floor came out great.
Outstanding Philip.
How much for a watermelon?
Thanks! Watermelon's in 1927 likely cost from a few cents to about $.75 or so. Free for the crew Rick! ;D
Thanks for the watermelon! They do look nice.
Jerry
Howdy Philip,
Thanks for the memory. Every time I see a watermelon, I am reminded of my Grandad, who always carried a watermelon on his shoulder as he came in the front door for a visit. It is a poignant memory that I cherish. Thanks again, Philip.
Are those yellow or red meat? ;)
Have fun,
mike
Great job on the figures and hope the combine turns out well. After working produce
for years I still have nightmares about watermelons.
Larry, When I was stationed in Hawaii we had a watermelon explode on top of the refrigerator. Was a terrible mess!
Red meat Mike. We used to put them in the cold creek years ago.
Thanks Rick, Ron and Jerry!
Working on the cooling coils at the moment. The fitting are tiny and work ok. the larger radius ones are the correct ones. The brackets needs a revamp. The tubes will be .020 steel pipe, solid core of course.
CCoil brackets.png
The experiment is done and turned out ok I suppose. I'll try mounting them tomorrow to the bottom of the running boards. Not sure if the pipes are oriented correctly? In and out may need to be at opposite ends.....
20250723_214552.jpg20250723_214455.jpg20250723_214205.jpg
Almost forgot, added some junk to the pilot. Some stash of Vector cut open end wrenches and a cheater bar tool. Put some ass in it! :o
20250723_215649.jpg
Great details Philip. I look forward to seeing the coolers mounted.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on July 24, 2025, 07:26:05 AMGreat details Philip. I look forward to seeing the coolers mounted.
Thanks, Same here!
I miss the really cool VectorCut tools and stuff!
dave
Philip nice detail on the pilot area. I'm sure you'll figger out the coolers; to me it looks good but what do I know.
I agree Dave!
Same here Larry and not a cooler expert.... unless it's a cold beer! Must be perfectly cold ;D
Cheers.
Philip, coolers look better than just OK.
Added junk looks great too.
Quote from: Rick on July 24, 2025, 08:58:03 AMPhilip, coolers look better than just OK.
Added junk looks great too.
Thanks Rick!
Philip,
Great job on all of the loco build. Loving this thread.
Tom
Quote from: ACL1504 on July 24, 2025, 10:48:53 AMPhilip,
Great job on all of the loco build. Loving this thread.
Tom
Thanks Tom!
Howdy Philip,
The Camel details are fantastic. The cooling coils look better than any brass castings I've seen. The toolbox on the pilot is excellent.
Have fun,
mike
Quote from: friscomike on July 24, 2025, 07:55:05 PMHowdy Philip,
The Camel details are fantastic. The cooling coils look better than any brass castings I've seen. The toolbox on the pilot is excellent.
Have fun,
mike
Thanks! I was looking at the ones offered from PSC and no way to modify their lost wax castings. Disappointed a bit.
"Daddy-daddy-daddy ......can I have one??????? ??? ??? ??? ;D ;D ;D soo cool 8) 8)
KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry Co.