Maybe Jon R knows.
Bachmann
I’m thinking about getting one of these.
They say it is DCC ready. Has anyone dropped a Rail pro in?
RailPro does not make a drop-in for large scale.
They just released a 21 Pin compatible locomotive module for the smaller scales.
If it is similar to other Bachmann DCC Ready locos, it will come with a break-out board that fits in the socket. If you don’t want to go through a major gut and re-wire, it’s possible to wire the RailPro to this break out board. I think it has been referred to as a Spaghetti board by some!
I have a RailPro wiring diagram for the standard (K-27 & C1-9) break out board.
I’m looking for a picture of that board and will post here if I find it.
Thanks JR!
I usually do a full gut or a semi gut anyway.
Bachmann advertises as “DCC” ready. Maybe i can disconnect a few Bachmann wires and add the RailPro wires in their place. That is what I do to the later LGB engines that come with the LGB Propriety system.
I could only find one of mine. Thought sure I photo documented at least on C-19 install with RailPro in a stock C-19, but my records indicate I gutted the factory stuff before I installed RP. Oh well.
Pretty much what I did on my 3 C-19s. I didn’t touch any of the factory electronics in the boiler, but gutted the tender. I traced out the tender connectors and used those wires to connect RailProto the lamps and motor.
The loco is on its way!
I’ll let you know about how the install went.
The gen 2 versions have a plug-n-play socket in the tender, plus all the regular switches, plus a lot of cables between the two. [I just acquired a “Raton” in an auction - msg me if you want a deal.]
RLD sells some adaptor boards, like this one:
https://rldhobbies.com/air-adapter-board-for-aristo-dcc-rc-sockets/
Bachmann sells an adaptor board:
(Non PnP Decoder Adapter Board [G828X-PCB05] - $25.00 : Bachmann Trains Online Store!)
I’ve heard it described as a “pigtail” board, or even a “bad hair day” board. Or now a spaghetti board!
Thanks for all the info, JR!
I’ll look into it over at RLD since I need a decoder anyway for it.
I bought the loco to pull my E&P coaches.
I run Rail Pro and I totally gut all my electronics that are in the factory built engines, or added systems like DCC, etc. I want all my stuff new and this way I know what I got.
John, it will probably be a gut out. I have done some previous Bachmann’s , mostly the geared locos, and they were gutted.
I couldn’t get the Railpro to work with the adapter board,
Just for kicks, I tried an Airwire board with Px sound and it worked perfectly!.
To use RailPro, it would take a gutting like we talked about above.
I’ll run it a time or two with A/W and then do the gut.
Adapter board as in one with wires that you connect to the decoder? Or one that the decoder plugs into? If the later, that definitely wouldn’t work. The one with wires should work. If that’s what you used, what exactly didn’t work?
I used the wired board that came with the engine inn a separate bag.
Hooked up to the proper wires, hooked the Battery up to the proper area. Switched the pick-up switch to off (Battery).
The Railpro immediately shut down with a warning of “over heating” before I could even synch it.
Did the same with an old AW board with PX sound I had laying around and it worked perfectly.
I will eventually just gut it and hard wire a RP in it.
That’s odd. Try connecting just the battery or a 12V supply directly to the RailPro and see if it comes up without that error. I’m suspecting a bad board.