Bachmann Baldwin Sound

[Lowty1]

Hi

I have just acquired the above loco and it runs very well indeed. After connecting the two leads to the loco from the tender and inserting a 9volt battery into the tender battery box I ran it again but there was no sound. I checked the switches in the smoke box and they were for direction and smoke. Do any of you gentlemen have any ideas why there is no sound? Also what sounds should come from the loco? Thanks.

Tom

 

[spoz]

Most Bachmann steamers are representations of Baldwin originals, which loco do you have? Is it a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement or a 4-6-0? The 2-6-0 Small Industrial Mogul (known as the "Indy") has a switch and volume control on the top of the tender deck on the left side adjacent to the battery lid while the Big Hauler 4-6-0 Anniversary (known as the "Annie") has the switch on the underside of the tender between the bogies. Also, make sure you have the battery around the right way; it won't work if you have the polarity wrong.

If you're running on track power then the sound should be a "chuffing" when the loco is moving and a steam "hiss" when its stationary. There is (or was) a video on youtube which lets you hear the sound of the Indy - lets see - here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9D55iFmdN0 which also shows you the volume control (from about 3:06 on, the full sound is at 4:06). A video of the 4-6-0 is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKImsl8gcWc with a bit of sound at 3:34 (the 4-6-0 one is from Bachmann so it's a bit like propaganda; but if you haven't already done so have a look at part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTWNdIusF4 which tells you how to lubricate the loco)

If your wheel arrangement is 2-8-0 then I'm afraid I can't help, don't have one of those and don't know if any of them have inbuilt sound although I don't think the Connie, the outside framed 2-8-0 with the headlight in the middle of the smokebox door, does. Also, most of the Spectrum models (which line also includes an 19th century 2-6-0) seem to have speakers but depend on fitting after market sound. They wouldn't have battery holder, though, so I suspect they're not yours.

Steve

 

[KeithT]

Have you checked in the tender to establish that a card is fitted?
On mine the volume control is a knob on the underside of the tender.
The first Annie I bought had sound which lasted less than 10mins. Apparently it can be notoriously short lived. I got a new sound card from Bachmann and it has been fine since.
Fitting a new card is relatively easy involving just four soldered joins if I remember correctly.

 

[KeithT]

Just an afterthought - if it is an Annie did you operate the red switch between the sockets on the cab backplate and check that you had the plugs in the correct sockets ie 'lights' and 'sound'?

 

[Lowty1]

My loco is a 2-6-0 and tender. The battery is in the right way as it will only go in one way. It is a Mid West Quarry & Mining Co. loco. I have not noticed any other switches other than those behind the smoke box cover-but that does not mean that there aren't any! The video link provided by Spoz shows a volume switch on the tender top. I will try this and report back. Thanks to everyone for their advice-it is much appreciated.