I would like to try a sound only unit to use in a designated car with switchers too small for a multi-purpose decoder (can’t really see how to convert my SW900 or 44 ton to sound). How do these sound only units work when installed in a rail car? The car must have metal wheels I assume? How does one get the decoder to respond when the addressing is to the switcher…through a multiple addressing as when using two locos or something of that nature? I hesitate to ask…am I on the right track?
Sure, you can do that. If anything, you’ll get better sound out of a box car than out of a locomotive. That’s one reason that steam sounds so good. The decoders and speakers are in the tender, where there is plenty of extra room, and the interior of the car adds to the resonance of the speaker and its enclosure.
You can program the second decoder to have the same address as the engine, so it will respond at the same time. Or, you can MU/consist the two if you give the sound decoder a different address. If you do that, though, you’ll need to control the consist using the sound decoder’s address so you can activate the whistle, bell or other “on command” sounds. (Drawback - you’ll need to use the loco’s address for the lights, but you can use either to control direction and speed.)
You will need metal wheels, and you’ll need to add pickups (or “wipers”) to get the power from the wheelsets into the car. Unfortunately, you’ll probably only have two wheels on each truck providing power, so be prepared for occasional dropouts as you cross frogs.
It can be done. You might try the Yahoo soundtraxx forum. There are other DCC forums depending on what system (control) you are using.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/soundtraxx/
If you are real adventerous, below are some more suggestions.
Harold has a suggestion on how to pickup from all wheels on both sides of each truck. I use it and it works.
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/locomotives/wipers/
Marcus who is in the soundtraxx forums has ideas. Add a keep alive capacitor to the assembly. I use this idea also.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/mainnorth/alive.htm
rich
Yes, you need metal wheels and some sort of wipers to pick up power. When operating with your switcher, you can consist the sound decoder and the switcher’s motor decoder, or if the sound box car is ALWAYS used with the same loco, you can just assign the same address to both.
–Randy
I’ve used SoundTraxx DSX decoders in both HO and G scale. I had an IHC steam engine that already had a decoder mounted in the boiler, and the tender had pickup wipers for a backup light. There was no wiring between the engine and tender, but I put the DSX decoder into the tender and gave it the same address as the motor decoder and it works just fine that way.
In G-scale, I use DSX decoders with an AirWire900 battery-powered radio control DCC system in Bachmann Spectrum steam engines, and program them the same address as the AirWire receiver. G-scale is large enough to use a 3 inch speaker, and the DSX drives them with sufficient volume for outdoor use. The DSX is a much cheaper sound system for G-scale than the SoundTraxx Sierra.
Have you considered a loksound micro decoder? It will fit easily in the 44 tonner and your other switchers as well…
Just a thought.
David
I was looking into that…
Perhaps you can tell me whether what I found is correct?
1.) Loksound are quite expensive?..even more than Tsunami for steam (I use those)
- I read in some post or website, that the Loksound micro are not really designed for HO…requiring less than one amp draw… and have been reported to blow out…and that the maker’s warranty info is not clear that they will replace blown ones used in HO.
I’ll see if I can find where I read that by searching my other computer’s history.
Found the info again on Loksound at Tony’s. Based on what I read here I don’t think I would try the micro in even the 44 Ton just because I might end up having to pull it out again. Besides, a new 44 Ton factory-equipped DCC with sound is only $125.00. The cheapest price on a Loksound Micro I could find was $109.00.