Converting the Bachmann Lyn to Sound

M

Moonraker

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The new Bachmann Lyn is a great model at an attractive price and is just crying out for conversion to sound. The approach you take depends on the type of power and control on your layout.

It looks like DCC users can just plug in a suitable sound decoder and I will leave this aspect to the DCC experts; not my field in large scale.

For track power users, the MyLocoSound DC soundcard offers a low cost solution which is easy to install. The soundcard can be attached to the inside of the cab roof using double sided tape or silicon with the tone and volume controls upwards. This lets you adjust the whistle tone and volume settings by merely opening the vent in the cab roof and using a small screwdriver to change the settings without having to dismantle anything. There are then only half a dozen soldered joints needed to connect the soundcard to the existing Bachmann wiring.

The third option is battery powered, radio control. A friend of mine asked me to convert his Bachmann Lyn and wanted to use an Aristocraft Revolution system for control. Therefore it is that conversion which I have described in the following posts.

However, before we get to the detail, I have put a video of the end result onto Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBTCnkvzmRA . It was a bit windy and I had no tripod but it is not too bad. The whistle on the MyLocoSound soundcard is adjustable in style (plain or chime), tone and volume. However, I have no idea what the Lyn whistle sounded like when it ran on the Lynton & Barnstable. My friend wanted to set it to be the same as the similar 2-6-2 locos on the Puffing Billy railway in Melbourne so that's what I have done. Personally, I think a chime whistle setting would be better.

Details of the conversion follow.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
 
????The attached photo shows the loco stripped down to its major components.

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I removed the ballast weights from the sidetanks and replaced them with a 6 x AA NiCad battery pack in each tank. There was then room to stick two of the weights onto each battery to restore the loco to its original weight. The photo below shows it at this stage.

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Next step was to stick the soundcard into the cab roof, controls upwards, using double sided tape. This allowed the soundcard settings to be changed at any time through the open roof vent. Three holes were drilled in the cab floor; one for the soundcard wires, one for the Revolution linking button and one for a battery charging socket.

Finally we get to the hard bit. I decided to fit the Revolution receiver into the boiler space on top of the motor block. This was a bit of a nightmare and required considerable surgery to get it to fit in. I just managed it in the end but, in hindsight, would recommend fitting the receiver to the cab floor or rear wall. Other (smaller) brand receivers should be much easier.

If anyone needs help with this conversion then just email me at sales@mylocosound.com.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
 
Sounds good Peter the whistle actually sounds ok to me for that type of engine, I did the dcc conversion in another thread using an ESU chip, is it possible yet to get a coasting sound as it decelerates too? I've not seen it on anything but dcc and it's why I've avoided Massoth chips for steam locos.
 
Paul,
We are working on the coasting at the moment, together with other improvements, and will let you know when it is available. Customers who have already purchased our soundcards will be abel to get them updated to the new sounds.

Interesting to see that you are from Salisbury. I was born and bred in Devizes, just up the road from you, and have an 00 gauge model of the Devizes branch operating in my basement.

Regards
Peter
MyLocoSound
 
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