# Bachmann Thomas in HO with DCC and Sound



## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Ok, I stopped at my LHS today and bought a Bachmann Thomas engine in HO scale. I also purchased a Digitrax N scale SDN144PS sound decoder. When I got home I heated up the soldering iron and soldered 4 wires with shrink wrap drilled a few small holes in the back of Thomas's tender and stuck the itty bitty speaker that comes with the decoder to the back wall of the tender. I used my Digitrax PR3 programmer and soundloader and used the BR class "light prairie tank" sound project and added a wav file of thomas's horn to the project. Downloaded the sounds and Thomas is happily running around my shelf layout. I was worried that the tiny speaker would be insufficient but it is perfect! Thanks to NIMT (Sean) for the decoder suggestion. He needs a little break in time but the horn brings a smile to my face everytime.  He could still use a headlight and taillight in the future. Perhaps a bit of extra weight too. This will be great when my nieces and nephews come for a visit. 
-Art


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## searstractorfan (May 30, 2011)

Ah how sweet a DCC thomas! he does feel really light if you get him moving on any kinda inclines, or mine does...


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

They are pretty light engines. To bad Bachmann hasn't installed any kind of lighting or a smoke unit or both!Art, how much did the decoder and speaker cost? Could I use it with a sound activator and DC?


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

You need to set a special sound from the TV show of Thomas saying "Bust my buffers" so when you have an accident you can use one of the "F" keys to make him say that. Also the toot toot that thomas makes is a great sound for his little horn.

Massey


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

THE TYCO MAN said:


> They are pretty light engines. To bad Bachmann hasn't installed any kind of lighting or a smoke unit or both!Art, how much did the decoder and speaker cost? Could I use it with a sound activator and DC?



The sound decoder is a Digitrax SDN144PS it cost me $49 at the LHS but you can get one at model train stuff for $39.99. 
Look here
It has a tiny speaker included and pre wired. It only required 4 wires to hook up motor + and - and track pickups soldered to the decoder. The motor was already isolated because the frame is all plastic. It's a dual mode decoder so you could run it with DC TycoMan.:thumbsup::thumbsup: Bachmann was nice enough to leave plenty of wire in the shell to easily make the connections. This was a very simple install....good one for beginners. I found this youtube video on how to disassemble and install a non sound decoder. I just took it one step further.
With tax it cost me $95 at LHS. I could have saved some $ by ordering online but I like to help the LHS plus I was able to get it immediately . I can still add LED lights without much difficulty. Maybe a red backup light and a white headlamp.
-Art


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Massey said:


> You need to set a special sound from the TV show of Thomas saying "Bust my buffers" so when you have an accident you can use one of the "F" keys to make him say that. Also the toot toot that thomas makes is a great sound for his little horn.
> 
> Massey


Massey, any idea which episode the "bust my buffers" quote comes from? If I find it on youtube I could extract the sound. Good Idea!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
-Art


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

It is on the new episodes where the people actually move and the engine's mouths do too. He says it all the time just about any episode. We watch it on PBS on saturday mornings but I am pretty sure you can get a youtube version of it too.

Massey


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## deboardfam (Oct 8, 2010)

Awesome.. my son is wanting one for christmas. Will have to look into this once I get my layout running. Think I may just let him play with it as a dc with a regular transformer right now.


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

I found a sound clip of "Bust My Buffers" on a youtube video from the episode of "Pop goes Thomas" near the beginning of the story. When I get home from work will try to add it to my custom sound project. 
-Art


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

That is great!! Then you will need to make a video of your Thomas with all the true Thomas sounds.

Another one to find is when he says "I'm a really useful engine" That shows up most episodes too.

Massey


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Haha I got the thomas clip "Bust my Buffers". Now that's funny. I will try to find "I'm a really useful engine" next. When I get all the sound clips I will make a video with the sounds. Thanks for the suggestions Massey :thumbsup::thumbsup:
-Art


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

NO problem!! I love Thomas, and watch it with my son as often as I can. I miss George Carlin as the narrator.

Massey


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Cool, it took a while watching youtube but I finally found Thomas saying "I'm a really useful engine". This was a really fun project to do. I still have to figure out how to wire a headlight in the housing on his front bumper. None of the LED's that I have will fit well in there.
-Art


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

You know I may just have to do this to my son's Thomas once he gets his DCC setup. This does sound like a fun project. Is there any way you can send the sound files to me once you get them all loaded up?

Massey


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Massey said:


> You know I may just have to do this to my son's Thomas once he gets his DCC setup. This does sound like a fun project. Is there any way you can send the sound files to me once you get them all loaded up?
> 
> Massey


Of course I would be happy to send you the sound files or when I get it all set up I can send you the whole sound project. If you don't have a PR3 programmer you could send the decoder to me and I'll upload the sound project for ya.
-Art


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

*Thomas with sound Youtube video*

Here is a link to my Bachmann Thomas with sound and custom sound project on Youtube. My stepson let me use his windows computer so I could finally upload "I'm a really useful engine" sound clip.
-Art
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvwtbeC0Gyo


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

I cant view youtube from work so I will check it out when I get home. 

I dont have a PR3 yet but I plan on getting one unless some one finds a way to use the locobuffer and JMRI do load the files. Also I dont know how to capture images or sound from youtube, I would love to know how to grab video from them as there are afew that I would love to be able to watch from time to time offline.

Massey


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## Artieiii (Apr 25, 2011)

Massey said:


> I cant view youtube from work so I will check it out when I get home.
> 
> I dont have a PR3 yet but I plan on getting one unless some one finds a way to use the locobuffer and JMRI do load the files. Also I dont know how to capture images or sound from youtube, I would love to know how to grab video from them as there are afew that I would love to be able to watch from time to time offline.
> 
> Massey


Massey, 
I have had some intermittant success with JMRI and the PR3 using my Macbook pro but many times it does not work. I have no idea why this is. I have been using my stepson's windows computer and soundloader. Capturing video from youtube is easy. From windows download "youtube downloader" you can select the type of file to download like MP4, MOV or sound only pick MP3. I use "keepvid". It is a web based JAVA program that will do the same thing and I don't need to download anything to my HDD. Here is the link for Keepvid. The link does not seem to be working tonight but I used it just a few days ago. Like I said before, I can save you the trouble by sending you the .spj file or you can snail mail me the decoder you want to use and I will download the sounds for you and mail it back.
-Art


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