hi all,
can you suggest a sound-only decoder that can fit into a dummy N scale loco?
thanks
as far as i know the only decoder likely to fit in any N scale equipment is the loksound micro
Denny, there are no sound only decoders that I’ve heard of, but you can install a standard sound decoder to get the affect you’re looking for.
SoundTrax makes a transitional deisel sound decoder that isn’t real expensive, but is alittle large for N scale and requires that you put a resister across the motor leads.
You’ll also need a speaker. Fitting all that into the loco might be dificult too. Even dummy N scale locos don’t have very much room inside.
I’ve installed one of these decoders in an N scale Kato Super Liner and positioned it behind the loco and that worked out well.
For freight operation, you could consider putting it in a box car or a stock car, but you’d have to jumper track power from the loco or figure our a way to mount a power pick-up on the trucks of the car.
I hope this has given you some insight into the problems you may encounter.
ereimer, Mike,
thanks for your answers. I don’t think I can fit a speaker in a “normal” loco with motor and the rest. I should mill the frame, removing too much weight. The idea was to buy a non-dummy unit, remove the motor (and perhaps keep it as a spare part) and fit in a speaker. Then place a sound only decoder replacing the circuit board.
I’ve hearf of soundtraxx and digitrax sound only decoder, but I’m afraid they’re too big…
http://www.soundtraxx.com/products/dcc/dsx.htm
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_sfx064d.php
I thought there were manufacturer producing a smaller decoder…
thank you