Can the Athearn Genesis SF SD75 m #241 be made DCC and sound capable? All the websites I checked did not indicate it had the quick plug. If it can be made DCC and sound capable, what is the process or where is a good online tutorial indicating how to do it? Which DCC and sound do you recommend? Thank You
Digitrax makes a drop-in DCC decoder for Athearn Genesis locos… The part number is DH163A0.
I don’t know about sound though.
Hope this helps a little.
This probably sounds like a broken record, but the diesel Tsunami is coming.
Check SoundTraxx…They have several DCC/Sound decoders.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/products/dcc/dccindex.htm
Also check Tonys
Loksound if you got the money. They are the best deisel decoders around bar none, and they are small so they will easily fit in the SD75. Check tony’s, I think you can get one for around $100 pre-loaded with the exact sounds for the SD75.
Thank you for the info.
The short smart-alicly answer is that anything can be made DCC and sound capable. The real question is how easily it can be done, and what it sounds like! [:)]
The Athearn SD75M you describe was produced in 2005, so I will guess it has a 9 pin edge connector for DCC. Don’t just grab one and plug it in though because the headlamps are probably 1.5V which means resistors will be needed.
The hardest part of any sound system installation is the speaker placement. I am guessing either upward firing tiny speakers through the radiator vents would be easiest, while a fuel tank downward firing speaker would sound better. It would probably take major work to get a dual speaker “A” frame built in the body. The fuel tank or “A” frame would reduce the weight and hence the tractive effort of the locomotive.
I don’t know about any specifics for that locomotive but the general idea is all the same.
- Locate and identify what all the existing wires are (track, motor, lights, etc.)
- Determine amount of space available for the decoder, and choose one that fits.
- If sound determine amount of space available for speaker, and choose one (some) that fit, and match the technical specifications of the sound processor.
- Based on the voltage your DCC system is putting onto the track, determine voltage and current draw of the light bulbs. Calculate the needed resistor value(s) and size(s).
- Do any physical cutting, filing, whacking to the frame or body needed to fit in the components. Especially the speaker. Build a speaker enclosure or baffle if needed.
- Install the speaker and test for vibrations and sound quality with unmounted sound processor. Adjust as needed.
- Isolate the motor fr