Large Scale Central

Can I add a current keeper to a Bachmann shay and climax?

I have been adding sound to my RDC and Doodlebigger and now that I am on the electronics kick I want to revisit a point of frustration. Years ago I bought a used Bachmann 3 truck Shay with factory sound. I also have the new version of the Climax with factory sound. These are both soundtraxx systems that are designed for DCC but I use DC track power. I would like to turn up the volume on both of these units as well if that is possible without a DCC control?

What bothers me is when the train hits spotty track and the sound cuts out for a second or 2. It really bugs me that the sound just stops when reversing direction to grab some cars out of a siding.

I don’t know why Bachmann didn’t put in a current keeper when setting these fine locos up but they didn’t. Tsunami/soundtraxx makes current keepers for the smaller scales that plug right in to the boards but not for G, plus I do not see where the plug would go on the board if they did. I have the Shay apart right now.

Does any one know if I can add a current keeper, battery or capacitors to the Soundtraxx board and if so is there a diagram that shows the wiring?

I hope someone has your answer for this, I went battery power with Rail Pro and did away with track power and glad it did. It’s like taking all the fun out of model railroading.
trainman

It would be nice if there was an easy way to keep the sound alive in these 2 locos but there doesn’t seem to be. I don’t mind spending $20 for a small battery but ripping it all apart and spending several hundred dollars to add Battery RC Railpro is a different story. I have 2 engines that are battery RC with the Revolution system but converting the fleet is not in the budget.
I’m still tossed over which is better, track power of battery RC.