I just bought a Erupoean locomotive at a train show for a really good price: a Trix Elektrolokomotive BR E 50 DB that is DCC ready. The loco is made out of solid metal and the detail is simply amazing! Despite being a small loco, it’s so heavy I need to use both hands in order to pick it up. It screams quality workmanship! It’s a beautiful model!
Here’s why the loco was such a good deal: it takes a specific decoder, Trix 66849, 21-pin decoder which is sold out and no longer available anywhere, even searching European hobby sites. Google was not my friend, today.
Is there an equivalent decoder that I can use, even if the sounds don’t exactly match this locomotive? It’s an electric locomotive, not diesel.
However before you spend any money on my word, I would check with the ESU group on Yahoo or wait till one of our European members opine on this particular loco.
Thanks! I, also, assume that all 21-pin decoders are created equal. But being this is a European model and the instructions are in German, I don’t want to rush out and buy just any decoder, either. European standards might differ from NMRA.
We have NRMA members who might know that as well as EU members, so don’t rush. There is a sample sound track on that link if you click on the loco picture
There actually ARE differences with the higher functions. But ESU decoders are also German and follow the German standard, Lokpilot for just motor, or Loksound if you want sound as well.
The difference is that some fo the functions are ‘logic level’ which means the decoder just puts out a low power, low voltage signal and expects the function will pass through an amplifier circuit on the motherboard. NRMA decided to trat them all as full power functions for some totally unknown reason, despite 21 pin decoders with the logic level functions having been the standard in germany for YEARS previously.
It looks as if Tony’s Trains sells Loksound decoders and will pre-load the decoder for you with the sounds from any locomotive in their drop-down list at the time of order. I don’t see this particular loco on their drop-down list, but I see some that look nearly identical but being of a different livery.
I’ll wait for a few more people to chime in before I order anything, though…
Tom, good idea! Since Hrvoje discovered the Trix model numer of my loco, I’ll email ESU with the model number…
Hrvoje, yes, that’s the same locomotive. Again, I don’t read German so I wasn’t sure of the model number. I see a number on the box: 22155. So it’s probably a different manufacturing run of the same loco.
You wouldn’t expect much US demand for that sound file, but that doesn’t mean Tony won’t be able to load it for you. It’s going to take a phone call rather than a drop down menu. All they have to do is download the exact file you need and put it on the lokprogrammer. Anyone with the lokprogrammer can do the same thing. I would not buy one for just one loco.
Yes! My railroad is generally 70s to present day Amtrak, Conrail, and CSX (depending on what specific decade I’m in the mood to run). It’s also largely freelance with fictional locations hinting at being NYC and surrounding suburbs in LI and NJ. Yet I run some European and Japanese trains like the Shinkansen, the Rapido/Locomotion APT-E, and the infamous Marklin Discotrain. And when I’m in a silly mood, I’ll let Thomas pull the Lakeshore Limited, lol.
Both Trix 22150 and Trix 22155 are listed. Your model has been manufactured in 2009, it is DC version, with DCC 21 pole connector for decoder. (GS = Gleichstrom = Direct current).
If you can buy such decoder in USA, any store (and for sure Tony’s) can upload that sound in your decoder, so you will have exact sound for your locomotive.
Just keep in mind, ESU is not even close in their effort to evolve/improve their sounds (or decoder features, as for example “Full Throttle”) as it is for USA market. But despite that I am sure sound will be good, it is just electric locomotive, so sound is not so demanding as for diesel or steam.
Hrvoje
P.S.
I found manual for download, and explosion drawing on Trix web, maybe it will be useful for you (manual is multilingual, English included [:)]):
I’ve come across this question, as I have a similar one. I have a trix locomotive and the manual mentions “This locomotive is equipped with an electrical interface connection for digital operation and can be retrofitted with the 66849 Selectrix locomotive decoder.”
@Bernie Did you end up getting a sound decoder for your locomotive, if so which one ended up being an appropriate substitute for the 66849 decoder?
Oh wow. I don’t remember exactly what I put in it back in 2018. All I remember is I just put a generic silent decoder in it just so I can run it on my railroad. I don’t run it often because my layout is Amtrak and Conrail and NJ Transit, but I sometimes pull out my European and Japanese stuff (DB, APT-E, Shinkanssen, etc. – I like to collect obscure foreign trains in addition to the routine prototypical stuff) to watch them run.
Would it have been a generic 21 pin that you just plugged in, without the need for any rewiring or a different socket? If so, that’s at least promising that this deprecated decoder could be substituted without much hassle, with something newer…
I’m thinking I’d want either a ESU LokSound 58419 (21 MTC NEM6660) or the 58449 (21MTC “MKL”)… but I’m not entirely sure…
