Christmas Train Upgraded to DCC & Sound
I recently upgraded our Christmas Coca-Cola model train steam locomotive to add sound, and Digital Command Control (DCC)! This video showcases many of the sounds and interaction available by such a conversion made to these collectible train sets.
This Coke train (now retired) is one of many holiday express train sets that have been available from the Bradford Exchange over the years. These On30 scale steam locos are/were nicely detailed and painted, but were only offered with simple DC control, and no sound. Many newer holiday village buildings come with sound appropriate for the season; some even synchronize animated lights with their own sound! When the “real thing” steam locomotives are so dynamic with rich and interesting sounds, why should your model “train around the Christmas tree” be silent?
So, I started converting my collectible steam locomotives to the latest model railroad standard “Digital Command Control” (DCC) and adding realistic on-board sound. This upgrade adds a whole new dimension to our holiday village layouts. Not only do you get realistic sound, but operation is much more realistic and interesting.
In the past, such conversions were time-consuming, requiring a certain level of technical skills and tools, costly, and took a lot of time and dedication to do. However, this conversion was relatively quick and easy, essentially just swapping the collectible locomotive and tender shells onto a complete new DCC/Sound chassis! Still somewhat costly, but much more approachable for hobbyists with more moderate skills and ambitions (like me!).
I'm hoping to put together a document describing the upgrade process soon.