What is a good decoder for a Spectrum Southern Railways Locomotive? Thank You, Lop Il
SoundTraxx Tsunami. Check the SoundTraxx site. There is a lot of info with downloadable sound clips for the different loco sounds.
Litchfield Station who I order DCC stuff from has good prices No shipping charge over $75.00. Litchfield does answer email and you can ask them about which decoder to use.
Rich
Thank Tou
Which Decoder would you recommend for my train type?
Exactly which manufacturer/model engine is it? I am assuming HO? The decoder needs to be sized for the model, not what is painted on the engine!
Jim
In general, the Tsunami recommendation is a good one.
To determine the “perfect” decoder though, this is what’s important:
Who made the original prototype locomotive? Was it EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, Alco? For diesels, at least, the motor sounds were very distinctive. I think most of the “generic diesel” sounds are EMD 567 prime movers, but those are very different from what you’d want in an Alco.
What prototype model was it? An EMD E7 would sound somewhat different from an EMD F7.
What scale is the model? Smaller decoders are made for N-scale, but they may not be able to support the higher current requirements of HO locomotives.
Who made the model? Some decoders are designed as drop-ins for particular engines by particular manufacturers, Athearn, Kato, Bachmann, etc.
Do a Google search for your loco prime mover. You will get many results. I have done that as well as asking Litchfield for a suitable decoder.
Rich
I believe in my first post I mentioned that it manufactured by bachmann spectrum. I did forget to say that it is HO and is not diesel, but steam.
Lop Il