The J72 Gets An Upgrade! - Fitting A Stay Alive & DCC Sound

The J72 Gets An Upgrade! - Fitting A Stay Alive & DCC Sound - Model Railway Tutorial

Рет қаралды 7,983

Күн бұрын

The J72 Gets an upgrade as I fit a Stay Alive and DCC sound in this Model Railway Tutorial!
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If you've been following my channel for a while you may know that in the past I've had issues with the Bachmann N.ER J72/E1 not running well over some of the points on the modular model railway. While I've tried to get the track as flat as possible, this 0-6-0 tank engine is particularly sensitive as the centre wheel isn't sprung at all so I've decided to take action by fitting a Stay Alive capacitor to the loco.
This should keep the loco running over any dead spots on the track so it should be more than enough to keep the N.E.R. J72 running through any momentary loss of power. While I have the loco apart I'm also going to take advantage of the built in speaker by fitting a DCC Sound Decoder!
Luckily Bachmann have made fitting both DCC Sound and the Stay Alive really easy so join me for today's video where I'll be doing both and showing you the impressive results!
Products Used:
Lais Stay Alive: www.digitrains.co.uk/shop-by-...
YouChoos J72 Sound Decoder: www.youchoos.co.uk/Index-Shop...
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro / Backstory
01:46 - Dismantling The J72
03:04 - Fitting The Stay Alive
04:22 - DCC Sound Decoder
05:56 - Reassembling The J72
07:29 - Testing The Stay Alive
09:02 - DCC Sound Running
10:56 - Final Thoughts
Thanks for watching! 😃

Пікірлер: 74

@BrecknockValley 2 жыл бұрын

Great video! It’s good that Bachmann and other manufacturers are adding speakers to their models and they sound really quite good. I will say the Southern coaches do look quite good as well and the J72 and Coaches look good when in the frame together.

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

I agree! Especially now that some sound decoders can run on analog control as well. It does make the installation a much easier process. Thanks for watching 😃

@mandbhomestead 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent job on the install, runs great and sounds good also. Thanks for sharing and stay safe. Ken

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ken, it has made a big difference and I’m loving running it with the sound on. Thanks for watching 😃

@SteamintheNorthWest 2 жыл бұрын

Certainly a nice easy conversion. Habe to agree regard the exhaust. Sounds like it is going a rocket speed when cruising through the station!

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Yes I do like it when locos are easy to upgrade like this. Like you say the chuff rate does need looking at, just need to figure out which CVs to change . Thanks for watching 😃

@johngibson4641 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah i was going to say the same thing too as it sounded like it was going flat out but was only going slowish and the chuff sound was no where near matching the turn of the wheels as real steam trains do. Also the whistle when it first sounded was like someone was going haeaeaehhh or heavy breathing with a small whistley sortof quiet toot hahha Anyhoo keep up the good work and gr8 video there mate. Cheers from John in Australia

@loispadgett6306 2 жыл бұрын

So glad to see the J72 back and running smoothly now the sound is great too. She is a beautiful engine that we now will get to see on the layout chugging along how and working hard. Thanks for showing how you fixed her. GOD BLESS from America 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Lois, I’m really glad to have the J72 back on the layout too. It’s a lovely little engine and is now back to being one of my favourites again now that it’s running properly again. Thanks for watching 😃

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

@adam_fordham 2 жыл бұрын

Great video, the stay alive really does work and the j72 is a much better runner now and the sound just finishes it off 😀

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Yes it’s really made a world of difference! It’s had plenty of time out on the layout since the stay alive was installed and it’s run perfectly ever since. Thanks for watching 😃

@topgear3487 2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating Video

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you found it interesting! Thanks for watching 😃

@andyviking 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the video - will add this setup to my J72 which I bought at the Spa Valley Show - where I saw you and your layout!

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 9 ай бұрын

Amazing, great that you managed to pick one up at the show! Don't know if you saw it but we had my J72 running on the layout all weekend and with the sound/stay alive it performed perfectly. Thanks for watching 😃

@andrewrobinson7401 9 ай бұрын

@@ThatModelRailwayGuy I did see it running - hence the reason I bought one. Great price too from Roxley Models. Which of the Next18 decoders did you use - MS590 I assume (or was it the MS580 or indeed something else altogether...)

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 9 ай бұрын

@@andrewrobinson7401 I should be on commission 😂 Yeah I'm pretty sure it was the MS590. The MS580 would fit too although as it has some on board capacitors already I'm not sure how that would work with the Lais stay alive.

@ianlangan6577 2 жыл бұрын

Great video 👍👍. If you love this little tank engine then you have simply GOT to watch an old 1959 movie The Northwest Frontier

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ian! Ooh, interesting. I shall certainly add it too the list. Thanks for watching 😃

@willbreckinridge8010 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video! Always interesting to see the engines get some updates.😃

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it Will. Thanks for watching 😃

@kevinbrooks552 2 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for the video - I've just fitted a sound chip and stay alive to my J72 tank loco and am really pleased with the result. Have now got a slow running, controlled shunting loco and it doesn't matter how dirty the track gets!! Thanks for your advice and inspiration. Kev B

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

That’s awesome to hear Kevin! I love seeing comments like this and I’m really happy to hear that you’ve also got a great running and sounding J72 now! Thanks for watching 😃

@theenigmaticgamer 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for a very informative video. Watching you tacking this sort of project is very helpful to those like me who don’t really know where to start. Your advice is always very clear and easy to follow. I may just have a go at this myself! More videos of this type will certainly be welcome.

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure, it’s always great when people can enjoy my videos but also find them useful too. I have more tutorial style videos in the works and I have a playlist of past tutorials too if you fancy checking that out sometime. Thanks for watching 😃

@jacobchattell7435 2 жыл бұрын

Love the video very helpful. Keep up the amazing work

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jacob! Really glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching 😃

@AcrossTheNetwork 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video, I love all of your content !!

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Theo, that’s really great to hear. Thanks for watching 😃

@benstrainsandthings 2 жыл бұрын

A great video ! I recently attempted a scenic embankment to display locos with plastercloth and i have to say it works realy well and your video realy helped!

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Ah brilliant! Glad to hear you found that video helpful Ben. It does make a big difference having a bit of height variation on a layout! Thanks for watching 😃

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Ah brilliant! Glad to hear you found that video helpful Ben. It does make a big difference having a bit of height variation on a layout! Thanks for watching 😃

@secretlifeofscottthehamste4633 2 жыл бұрын

I love the J72!

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Me too! That’s why I was so keen to get it running properly again. Thanks for watching 👍

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Me too! That’s why I was so keen to get it running properly again. Thanks for watching 👍

@tagsdm 2 жыл бұрын

Really nice work. The before and after are quite alarming, I'd say. You've made an attractive model also a great running one, and with at least acceptable sounds, especially for the miniscule size of the tiny loco! I'm amazed at how well it runs, stuff we would only dream of 30 years ago.

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Those points were definitely very much the worst spot on the layout - everywhere else was pretty much fine but it did spoil running this loco slightly. It is an attractive model and the way Bachmann have included the speaker and solder tabs as well did make it very easy to upgrade so that was a big bonus with it too. Thanks for watching 😃

@mrholloway104 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video, it has inspired me to have a go with a Dapol terrier tank. Any chance you could give us details of the sound chip and stay alive!?

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you're feeling inspired Nick! I've just updated the description with links to the products used for you. Thanks for watching 😃

@railfanpolska 2 жыл бұрын

Big LIKE 😏👍

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, really glad you enjoyed it 😃

@railway187 2 жыл бұрын

That staying-alive is a fantastic addition. Would it be possible to fit such in a Peckett W4 too? Or in a Terrier? These are smaller locomotives, I wonder if there’s room enough… Great video 👍👍👍

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

It does make a big difference doesn't it! I would imagine someone has managed to squeeze one in both the W4 and the Terrier. I've seen people do sound installations in both models so probably a small Stay Alive would fit instead of a speaker. Thanks for watching 😃

@IanCawthorne 2 жыл бұрын

Very informative and useful to see this video, particularly in that I picked up a Bachmann J72 just a few weeks ago - it is fussy with dead spots on the track just like yours. What really intrigues me is it sounds like from your tutorial that the stay alive could work on DC. Is this definitely correct, as I'd always understood stay alive's to be a DCC thing? I'd be interested to see how it runs on DC with the stay alive as a comparison.

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you found it useful! I think Stay Alive's are mostly a DCC thing - after all they usually connect to the decoder which you wouldn't have on analog in the first place - but the J72 is a bit of an oddball here as it has the stay alive circuit on the loco itself. I haven't personally tested it on my own model (I'll report back if I do get a chance to try it at some point) but I suspect *IF* the stay alive did work as intended, stopping the loco at the desired point would become more tricky on analog control as the capacitors would keep it moving after the power was switched off. Hope that makes sense and thanks for watching 😃

@IanCawthorne 2 жыл бұрын

@@ThatModelRailwayGuy Yes, I get what you're saying there and could imagine it behaving like that on DC. It would be very interesting to see what it does. Hint hint!

@johngibson4641 2 жыл бұрын

Great idea there. So can these stay alive capacitors be fitted to dc loco's as i know it is not so hard to fit extra pickups on most bob and coco configured loco's but the 0-6-0 and 0-4-0 shunters and small steamer and some jintys i have here. Again gr8 video there and enjoyed it. Cheers from John in Australia.

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Hi John, I think there might be issues with using a stay alive on DC as the capacitor usually connects to a DCC decoder. The J72 is different in this regard as it's part of the locos PCB but stopping it in the right place would probably be an issue as the capacitor would kick in and keep the loco moving after the controller is turned off. Thanks for watching 😃

@AtreiusLux 2 жыл бұрын

Wonder if the stay alive would work in a Hornby Pug.

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

You and I have a very similar mind! I think I’m definitely going to try this at some point. Thanks for watching 😃

@AtreiusLux 2 жыл бұрын

@@ThatModelRailwayGuy You're welcome, your layout is shaping up nicely. I've not had to use a stay alive yet, the pug is the only model that's given me pickup issues. Are there any modules you might recommend for standard DC running?

@dathotac3496 2 жыл бұрын

Wow this is amazing! Thank you for showing this! If you don’t mind me asking, for the DCC sound decoder, did you buy one specifically designed for the J72? I want to try fitting my Hattons P class with some good old chuffing sounds 😂

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Yes the Sound Decoder is the YouChoos one for the J72 (links in the description). They also have a P Class sound decoder too and very good installation guides on their website which are incredibly useful. Good luck and thanks for watching 😃

@MRacer001 Жыл бұрын

@@ThatModelRailwayGuy the link in the description just takes you to a list of decoders to choose yourself, it doesnt state the one you used, just says please select decoder

@nicholasbishop3300 2 жыл бұрын

Lovely upgrade I think I might have a look around for one of these. Can you give me the product details so I can do a search for one Nick Australia

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

It does certainly make a big difference to the running! I've just updated the description now with the product details for you. Thanks for watching 😃

@alantraish3368 2 жыл бұрын

Great work. I dont like any 00 gauge steam sounds as they are too condensed. They dont have any depth and are synthetic. I have a few sound diesels which are ok but steam sound is notoriously difficult to replicate in model form

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Alan! I know what you mean with the steam sounds. The smaller speakers don't always translate the more high frequency sounds used for steam locos very well in comparison to the larger ones used in diesel locomotives. I would say that it sounds much better in person though since here you're listening to it having been recorded by a camera mic in the room, edited/exported and then compressed when it gets uploaded to KZfaq, so it's never going to be as good as hearing it in the flesh. Thanks for watching 😃

@alantraish3368 2 жыл бұрын

@@ThatModelRailwayGuy yes it was that word compression and its more than twice over as I am listening to it on a mobile. I dont ever expect it to sound like the real thing but with work it could be bettered maybe

@thomaschambers4894 3 ай бұрын

Can a stay alive work on dc I have a hornby 0-4-0 that I'd like to improve the body and fit a stay alive so it doesn't stall on express points

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 3 ай бұрын

As I said earlier today on the other video you commented on, no it doesn't work on DC. Even if it did you would then have no way to control where the loco would stop. Thanks for watching 😃

@111greatbear3 2 жыл бұрын

So Stay alive works on DC as well

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

I’m not sure. It might possibly on this particular loco depending on how Bachmann have wired it but usually a stay alive would connect directly to a DCC decoder. Thanks for watching 😃

@sliverjack0283 2 ай бұрын

can you do a video like this but with a hunslet

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 ай бұрын

I already did, right here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p52emrl-2ZuYk6c.html Thanks for watching 😃

@ggg_2414 Жыл бұрын

So if I wanted to install this on a loco without dcc and it’s on dc but it doesn’t have a circuit board or dcc socket how would I do it Becuase I need to do this on one of my old triang locos that absolutely hates some of my points… is there a way to hardwire it I don’t want dcc just the keep alive

@ThatModelRailwayGuy Жыл бұрын

Hi there, as far as I know Stay Alives only work on DCC - even if it did work without digital control, on DC when you turn the controller down to stop the loco it would just keep going. Sorry about that but thanks for watching 😃

@ggg_2414 Жыл бұрын

@@ThatModelRailwayGuy thanks I was curious I figured it didn’t work on dc but I really had no clue thanks and keep up the great work on your channel love your vids !!!

@4kandles 2 жыл бұрын

Can the 'Stay Alive' be fitted to any DC locos?

@chrissouthgate4554 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe, but how are you going to stop it?

@ThatModelRailwayGuy 2 жыл бұрын

I don't think so Phil as usually they connect to the loco decoder - the J72 is odd here in that it has the solder tabs on the loco. I would agree with Chris' reply too in that, even if it did work, stopping the on analog might be tricky. Hope that makes sense and thanks for watching 😃