Anyone put sound in a Proto 2K S1?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

IF so, how?

2

Chip,

Bruce Petrarca @ Litchfield Station has done it. Here’s the direct link:

Proto 2000 S1 Sound installation

Bruce has the parts list for the install linked so that you can order them right off the site.

Tom

3

Thanks. I can get prices on everything but the decoder. I get a “You don’t have access message.”

4

The DSD090LC is no longer available (discontinued), and I presume that a DSD101LC is too big to fit.

Did anyone try with an ESU Loksound Micro? ESU just released a sound file for the Alco 539 non turbocharged engine, and it sounds rather good to me…[?]

5

Chip,

Even if the DSD090LC decoder is discontinuted, Bruce will give you another recommendation. I’d send a message off to Bruce. He’s usually good about returning e-mails.

Tom

P.S. Keep in mind, Chip, that this info is coming from an NYC guy. [swg]

6

Nice to see this thread. I’ve got three Proto 2k S-1s, and I am still trying to figure out a sound install. Not a lot of room to work with, for sure, and it probably will be limited to a 1/2 or 3/4 inch speaker.

7

Looks like Bruce used a 5/8" OD speaker on his install.

Tom

8

Chip,

I did a search for the DSD090LC decoder on the Litchfield Station site. Here’s the price:

http://www.litchfieldstation.com/lobby/u_SQF.htm

Maybe the fact that it’s been discontinued is why you got the “Access denied” message.

Tom

9

Thanks Tom,

Did he ever get back to you about your email?

10

Quick thought, why not simply hide an old tape recorder under the train table and forgo the course in advanced electronic?

Have fun

11

A digitrax sfx should fit with a little wiggling.

David B

12

No, Chip, I didn’t e-mail him. Sorry. When I said “I’d send a message off to Bruce”, I was suggesting that was something that you could do if you wanted to find an alternative decoder to the one that Bruce used in the S1 install. Sorry for the confusion.

Tom

13

Certainly a Decoder under the table would work.

14

I used the Loksound micro with the Alco 244 sound pre-load (that’s all I could find- hey, at least it’s an ALCo).

It was actually faily easy to fit it in the space where the factory 8 pin plug goes. I removed the plug to gain the space, and hard-wired the decoder. It came with an oval speaker that is a perfect fit for the space where the fuel tank is. I haven’t gotten around to carving the sides off the tank casting and putting them back on, but you have to look hard to tell it’s missing. The micro is .9 amp and you hear a lot of people talk about that not being enough, but the regular Loksound is only 1.1 amp, and most others are around 1 as well. It’s been running for about three months, and no problems. I did tweak the settings a lot to get it to top out at a slower speed, and to “notch” and idle up at what I think are realistic speed steps.

The hardest part was isolating the motor, which is illustrated step by step somewhere on the web, and required me to cut out a clearance hole in the frame (actually those instructions use tape, but I didn’t take a chance. I did both. This also provides a nice hole to thread the decoder through, so you don’t have to cut the wires to the speaker). I planned on getting the programmer and loading the 539 set, but I have a major issue with Loksound not having a “silent bit”. I can’t see having dozens of loco’s making noise as soon as I power on the layout, and having to address each one to silence it. Hopefully we can petition them to add that feature via firmware. I’d buy a programmer, and a boat load of decoders if they did.

So far QSI is the best IMHO, but they don’t make aftermarket units. I’ve been buying the cheapest BLI and P2K I can find, just to get the decoder. You can find some for around $100, or about the cost of the ESU. The only problem is the size. They can be huge.

One more thing…the single chime horn on mine is awful. It sounds like a Eur

15

Chip,

I took the liberty of e-mailing Bruce Petrarca @ Litchfield Station about the availability of the DSD090LC decoder. And, if it has been discontinued, what replacment sound decoder for the P2K S1 he would recommend. I’ll let you know as soon as I find anything out.

Tom

16

Chip,

I got a reply from Bruce about the DSD090LC decoder this afternoon:

Chip, I replied back to Bruce and asked him when he anticipated the Tsunami
diesel decoders might finally be released onto the market. I’ll let you know what he says.

Tom

17

The Digitrax SFX will fit…

David B

18

Unless they are smaller than the current tsunamies, the Diesel tsunamis wont fit.

David B

19

Dang Tom, you got me all excited just to dash my hopes.

20

Chip,

See what you get for trusting an NYC modeler. [:D] Maybe someone has a DSD090LC decoder squirreled away somewhere that you could buy. At least it’s worth a look.

Tom