Botchmann 2-8-0 decoder question

[johnb]

 I came across a really good deal on a pair of Botchmann 2-8-0's and I jumped on it. I didn't read the fine print and missed that they are DCC ready (9 pin). What would you recommend for a decoder for these and why?

Thanks

Unfortunately Analog in Arizona

[peteski]

9-pin connector?  Usually a single-row connectors are 6-pin and double row are 8-pin.
Are you looking for sound or non sound decoders?

[johnb]

per their website,  9 pin

Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation - Frisco #1345 [54153] - $395.00 : Bachmann Trains Online Store https://share.google/qJEinyF8VeBxlKqtq

I am considering both

[peteski]

per their website,  9 pin

Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation - Frisco #1345 [54153] - $395.00 : Bachmann Trains Online Store https://share.google/qJEinyF8VeBxlKqtq

I did some more reseaarch for you on Spookshow's )Mark's)site.   There is some good information there.
https://spookshow.net/loco/spec280.html
If you have the latest release then it does in-fact have a proprietary 9-pin male header for which they use another proprietary decoder made for them by Soundtraxx.  No other company that I know of makes a decoder to fit that connector.



Best would be to pull the tender shell off and see exactly what is inside.  You will likely have to hardwire a decoder. That's the limit of my knowledge about this model.

[johnb]

I did some more reseaarch for you on Spookshow's )Mark's)site.   There is some good information there.
https://spookshow.net/loco/spec280.html
If you have the latest release then it does in-fact have a proprietary 9-pin male header for which they use another proprietary decoder made for them by Soundtraxx.  No other company that I know of makes a decoder to fit that connector.



Best would be to pull the tender shell off and see exactly what is inside.  You will likely have to hardwire a decoder. That's the limit of my knowledge about this model.

I have found some adapters that I might try
https://ebay.us/m/GgIJY9

[peteski]

I have found some adapters that I might try
https://ebay.us/m/GgIJY9

Yes, that is a standard adapter for a Digitrax 9-pin decoder to a 8-pin socket.  It does reverse what you need to do and I believe it uses a totally different (JST) 9-pin connector. Even if it fits, you will have to cut off the 8-pin connector and then hard wire a decoder to those wires.

[johnb]

Yes, that is a standard adapter for a Digitrax 9-pin decoder to a 8-pin socket.  It does reverse what you need to do and I believe it uses a totally different (JST) 9-pin connector. Even if it fits, you will have to cut off the 8-pin connector and then hard wire a decoder to those wires.

gotcha...so I basically need Digitrax decoder

[peteski]

gotcha...so I basically need Digitrax decoder

Well, no.  That adapter you found is for adapting an Digitrax 9-pin decoder to standard 8-pin NMRA socket.   Looking at the photo from Spookshow's site of the tender innards, there are no decoders (other than that dedicated Econami decoder which will plug into the tender's connector).  But I'm only basing this on what I see in that photo. And all of this assumes that you have the latest run of that model. I still recommend popping the tender shell and checking what's inside.

[nstars]

It is still possible to buy the sound decoder from Bachmann, but the price these days is high.

Marc

[Jimbo]

Maybe this will work as a starting point for installing a decoder:

https://www.tcsdcc.com/product-page/9-pin-jst-female-socket

@peteski  - is this the female connector that is needed here?

[peteski]

I don't believe Jimbo.  The connector used on Bachmann does not look like JST-type.

Are you absolutely positive the model is from the latest run? If it isn't then your research is useless.  As I mentioned, pop the tender shell off and compare the innards to the photo I posted earlier. I mentioned this few times already and you never answered either way.

[Jimbo]

Mine is.  So his research may be useless to him, but it’s definitely helpful for me!   

Jim

[peteski]

Mine is.  So his research may be useless to him, but it’s definitely helpful for me!   

Jim

Sorry Jim, I'm not following you.  Could you expand a bit more on:

Mine is what?  The latest run of that model (as shown on Spookshow's site)?

Who is "him", and what research is useless"?

Just to reiterate - just going by the photo I posted earlier (from Spookshow's site), I believe that no manufacturer other than Soundtraxx (and the custom made Econami decoder) make a plug-n-play decoder with that type of connector.  There might be a way to buy just the female version of the connector but I don't know the pin spacing. To me hardwire a decoder would make most sense. 
 

[MK]

Sorry Jim, I'm not following you.  Could you expand a bit more on:

Mine is what?  The latest run of that model (as shown on Spookshow's site)?

Who is "him", and what research is useless"?

Just to reiterate - just going by the photo I posted earlier (from Spookshow's site), I believe that no manufacturer other than Soundtraxx (and the custom made Econami decoder) make a plug-n-play decoder with that type of connector.  There might be a way to buy just the female version of the connector but I don't know the pin spacing. To me hardwire a decoder would make most sense. 
 

Peteski:

Jim snuck in and tried to help.  He said he has the most recent version so all this back and forth between you and the OP is helpful to him.  But it might be useless for the OP since he has not confirmed whether he has the recent version or not.

 

[peteski]

Thanks MK! Sometimes things get confusing in online forums.