Question about Atlas RS-11 HO

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am trying to complete a Lehigh Valley freight train from the mid 60s for my wife (her uncle was an engineer for them). I’m watching for an Atlas RS11 on ebay and the web. Can anyone tell me if they are DCC ready and I can just plug in a decoder? Also, will there be an issue with fitting a sound decoder in it? I don’t have much experience with diesels, my locomotives so far are all BLI steam. Thanks.

2

They aren’t DCC ready, IIRC. Even the new ones. But you can buy a board replacement from Digitrax (DH163AO). If it’s the old RS-11, you have to unsolder the old wires. If it’s a new RS-11, you have to remove their clips to remove the old board. Then you snap in the DH163AO and reconnect the old wires to the decoder. It’s not that difficult.

Adding lights…depends. If you want LED’s or grain of wheat bulbs, it’s a little different, but it’s still pretty easy.

As far as sound, it can be done (I’ve seen and heard it). But it’s anything but easy. I would not attempt to do this on my own. If I really wanted sound in it, I’d pay for this installation as there’s a lot of metal under the hood. In fact, in the working sound units I’ve seen, the guy put an edgeport speaker in the fuel tank rather than mess around inside the shell.

Paul A. Cutler III

Weather Or No Go New Haven

3

Putting sound in an Atlas RS-11 is not for the faint of heart, I did so earlier this year and it was no fun! There’s just not much room, I had to mill out the fuel tank:

The Proto RS-11 has a bit more room (less weight), but it would still be a major effort and requires some advanced skills.

Here’s some more pix from that project:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1069636/Atlas-TVMAlcoRS-11LoNosew-SND17.JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1069636/Atlas-TVMAlcoRS-11LoNosew-SND19.JPG

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1069636/Atlas-TVMAlcoRS-11LoNosew-SND20.JPG

4

The latest runs of the RS11 are DCC ready and will take a drop in replacement board decoder.

Sound is a little tricky. A friend of mine had luck putting the speaker under the cab roof, but he had so mill down the front weight a tad.

Nick

5

Thanks for all of the quick replies. I think I’ll figure out a plan B. BLI is coming out with a Lehigh Valley SW7 this summer. While not my ideal, it sounds like I would be better off being patient.

Tim