I am interested in knowing about n scale locos with sound decoders. Is it worthwhile or is the sound quality poor. Has anyone had success? What about the systems that are located under the layout?
John
There are at least two companies making sound for N scale right now, Precision-a Broadway affiate and LokSound. Both of which may not have been realsed yet. Ceratinly I’ve not heard one.
I have not heard one, either. I’m a bit skeptical, especially with diesels. It’s not the sound quality that is my major concern, but the fact that N-scale locos are, by necessity, all motor and weight. Even with that, their pulling capacity is generally limited. Hollowing out a place to mount a speaker would aggravate that problem. At least with steam there is a tender that is usually empty and ready to house a speaker.
I have no idea how Precision Craft is getting around that issue. An E7 is a fairly long locomotive, so that gives them some options they would not have with a GP7. They could be using a heavier alloy for the frame, who knows. Southern Digital Digiframes are molded of a different alloy and are heavier than stock frames even with an opening for a decoder.
As far as converting existing diesels, the speaker may need to be installed in a dummy loco or the first car in the train.
Anyway, I’ve taken a wait (or is it weight) and see approach to N-scale sound. I can live without the sound more than I can live without horsepower. Still, I’ve toyed with the idea of the Precision Craft E7 since that is the right era for me and, well, “because it’s there.”
Try this;
http://www.precisioncraftmodels.com/
and go to models and pick the E7 and there are links to pics and soundbytes.
It it listed as a spring '06 release.