My local NMRA division sponsors and maintains a 1906 era HO scale layout at the Suffolk, Virginia Visitors Center, which is located in the old Seaboard Airline Station. We have the track set-up to run a train back and forth with two automated reversing loops, using a DC throttle. We would like to use sound equipped locomotives with this system, and use one of the DC sound control boxes so visitors can blow the whistle and ring the bell. We do not want to convert to DCC because the visitor center is manned by volunteers who are mostly not model railroaders, so we need to keep it simple.
Sticking to the layout era, our choices in RTR are either Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation, or Athearn/Roundhouse 4-4-0 or 4-6-0. Does anyone have experience running any of these on DC? Will they work with any DC sound controllers?
Are you talking about sound-equipped engines running on DC, or using an “under the table” sound system in DC, like MRC has?? The latter might be easier to set up, and provide better sound. You may not have exact synchronization of the chuffs but you can get it pretty close.
You want to keep it simple and yet you have a DC system with automated reversing loops [%-)]
I believe the sound units in the Bachmann are Soundtraxx Tsunami. These are DCC only units. I have no personal experience with them (Bachmann and Tsunami combined).
I do not have either of these specific units, but all the other Athearn with sound that I do have are MRC electronics and do run on DC. The ones I have came with a wireless remote control for DC operation. That would be a way cool way for your guests to blow the whistle.
Unfortunately I cannot answer that. I haven’t tried to run any of mine with any DC controller.
Since you are DC, have you considered one of the PFM sound units? The new stuff is just now getting to the same level of quality. I’ve seen them going on e-bay for anywhere from $50-$350 depending on the exact unit.
Whoo Hoo, Thanks selector. That makes their choice easy. I went to the Soundtraxx website and looked up the tsunami specs but it didn’t say anything about DC operation.