Bachmann J Class 4-8-4

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WSK-BAC-3

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

B-MB3

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Bachmann J Class Steam using a TCS WOW121 Steam Decoder.

HO-Scale Bachmann J Class Steam prior to installation.
HO-Scale Bachmann J Class Steam prior to installation.
To begin this installation, first remove the tender box coupler screws and the boxes. Then gently lift the shell from the chassis to remove.
To begin this installation, first remove the tender box coupler screws and the boxes. Then gently lift the shell from the chassis to remove.
Shown with the shell removed.
Shown with the shell removed.
Carefully remove the 2 screws, as indicated below in red, from the original lighting board and remove the lighting board.
Carefully remove the 2 screws, as indicated below in red, from the original lighting board and remove the lighting board.
With this board removed, remove the 2 screws holding the metal plate down and remove this board.
With this board removed, remove the 2 screws holding the metal plate down and remove this board.
Shown with the plate removed. Identify, organize, trim and tin the wires as necessary. Move the pin connector out of the way to reserve it for reinsertion later.
Shown with the plate removed. Identify, organize, trim and tin the wires as necessary. Move the pin connector out of the way to reserve it for reinsertion later.
Using hot melt glue, mount the hard-wired 28mm speaker inside of the UNIV-SH2-C housing and then mount this face down onto the frame over the speaker holes. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new porthole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive. We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
Using hot melt glue, mount the hard-wired 28mm speaker inside of the UNIV-SH2-C housing and then mount this face down onto the frame over the speaker holes. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new porthole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive. We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
Next, clip the LED light off of the EU621 board as shown above, highlighting in red.
Next, clip the LED light off of the EU621 board as shown above, highlighting in red.
EU621 Attach the EU621 to the frame. Solder wire leads to the original LED posts on the board and to the LED light you removed and insulate all connections with shrink tubing. Place this new LED in the original light's position on the locomotive.
EU621 Attach the EU621 to the frame. Solder wire leads to the original LED posts on the board and to the LED light you removed and insulate all connections with shrink tubing. Place this new LED in the original light's position on the locomotive.
Solder the speaker and lighting leads to the board according to the included wiring diagram.
Solder the speaker and lighting leads to the board according to the included wiring diagram.
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Reset the tender shell onto the frame, reinserting the bottom screws, place the box back on top and your Bachmann J Class Steam WOWsound equipped locomotive is ready to roll!
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Reset the tender shell onto the frame, reinserting the bottom screws, place the box back on top and your Bachmann J Class Steam WOWsound equipped locomotive is ready to roll!

Important Soldering Tip

Please do not use any flux either liquid or paste on the mother board. Over time, the acidic properties of liquid or paste flux will begin eating away at the fiberglass PCB and will damage it. Use only Rosin-core solder or no-clean flux approved for electronics use.

TCS recommends the use of Kester "44" Sn63 Pb37, .015" diameter Rosin-core solder. Kester part number 24-6337-0007.

You can order this solder from the following retailers:
Digikey - PN:KE1110-ND
Techni-Tool - PN:488SO6775

Other solder tips

When stripping wire, only strip a tiny little bit of the insulation. Strip no more than a 1/32 of an inch. When the wire gets tinned with solder, the insulation will shrink back more. Try to not expose any more wire than half the length of the solder pad at most. In no case should solder or exposed wire wire ever be outside the boundary of the the solder pad you are attaching a wire to.
Click here for important information on properly Stripping and Tinning wire