# Bachmann 55ton rc conversion



## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Hi guys just ordered my first electric steam engine as I'm used to live steam.
I ordered a bachmann 3 truck 55ton shay and am thinking of installing a deltang rc unit.

What receivers do I need for multiple motors? Kinda scratching my head here.


Chuck


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I have installed AirWire receivers in several of those engines. I also install a Phoenix P-8 for sound.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Chuck.
If your Live Steamer locos already have R/C controlling them, you can use that same R/C to also control the 3 Truck Shay. Batteries will go in the 2nd tender.


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Ok cool looks like I've decided to go with the deltang tx-22 receiver allows for control of up to 12 locomotives and gonna go with its kit form to save some cash.

My question is what receiver do I need from deltang? And do I need one receiver per truck? Or will one receiver have enough power to drive all three?

Chuck


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

The Rx65-2 is rated at 3 amps continuous. Max 18 volts.
I doubt it could handle a three truck shay with a decent sized train on its own.
If the Shay you have on order has a DCC sound decoder in it you will have to remove it, as DCC decoders do not play nice with PWM output ESC's. Plus you will have no way of triggering the sound functions.


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

No dcc, I'm gonna gut it and rewire. All I want running is the trucks and maybe lights.

Simple is the route I'm going on this.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

I rarely gut locos. No need to.
You might find this useful. http://www.rcs-rc.com/PDF/How-to/3-Truck-Shay.pdf


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## Red_noir (Nov 13, 2013)

Fantastic thank you! 

Just got a email response from David at Deltang, super fast response on his part!

He has pointed me in the right direction with his rx65 receiver wired in parallel and check the load on the circuitry.


Chuck


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## Cooke (Aug 26, 2012)

Chuck,

I've installed the DT RX-65 in a Bachmann rail truck and davenport and have been very pleased with the results. I first used one of DT RX-60 on a Fn18 mine tram I'm building and used the Tx-20 kit to control it. Read the wiring diagram carefully as I did not and smoked a transmitter. That worked so well that I decided to use DSM-2 equipment on my Fn3 when Tony of RCS-RC started offering transmitters with more more functions. I bought one of his TX-7 transmitters and Alpha-3 receiver/ESC for my Bachmann Connie as I eventually plan on adding sound to it. I am very happy with how that works also. So consider RCS-RC gear if you plan on adding sound. I just want to further say that the customer service/support from Tony and David have been outstanding and would recommend anyone buying any of there products. 

Patrick


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## Batsco (Mar 30, 2011)

Red_noir said:


> Hi guys just ordered my first electric steam engine as I'm used to live steam.
> I ordered a bachmann 3 truck 55ton shay and am thinking of installing a deltang rc unit.
> 
> What receivers do I need for multiple motors? Kinda scratching my head here.
> ...


 
Chuck

I am in the middle of converting my 3 truck shay to battery R/C and I am using a Dimension Engineering "St Ren 10A" motor controller with a HobbykingHK-T4A V2 transmitter / receiver combo.

Commonly used in robotics it has 10A output more than enough to drive the 3 motors.

It has a "calibrate" function where at switch on it reads the throttle position of the transmitter and sets that as zero so if the throttle is fully in one direction eg down then the loco will only go forward. Alternatively if it is set at halfway then there is both fwd and reverse or any combination that you want. 

All up about $150 for the hardware.

It is a bit out of the box but the offers from other methods were a bit out of my price range.

Doesn't have all the bells and whistles but I find bells and whistles annoying 

I'll probably add a mylocosound card later on.

This is a link to the web page for it

https://www.dimensionengineering.com/products/syren10


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