Has anyone tried this recently released item? Any comments regarding it for a sound-only decoder installation in a box car? Also, they don’t show a non-powered matching truck as far as I can tell. Did I miss that?
Mike
Hi Mike,
Yes, I purchased four sets when they were new. The 33" frt truck matching is p/n TRK-33. The pickups work absolutely flawlessly, rarely dropping out unless track is really bad. A GREAT relief after fooling around for years with ‘Phosphor Bronze’ wire (lousy contact), and various commercial pickup schemes, none of which really work very well, even with clean track.
I’ve used them for exactly your planned application - one of mine is an older Soundtraxx decoder and speaker in a freight car.
Well worth the price in my opinion.
Dick Chaffer
You don’t want just one truck with pickups. Think, 0-4-0 loco with very short wheel base if you do.
Rich
For thee sound install, follow the instructions that come with the decoder. I do know the Tsunami require a 100 ohm, 1/2 watt resistor to simulate the motor load. The CV’s need a little adjustment to keep the resistor from getting too hot. I have a link somewhere from a DCC company that addresses the issue.
OK, here is the link to use the Tsunami as a sound only decoder.
http://www.mrdccu.com/curriculum/soundtraxx/tsunami.htm
Store the link in Favorites. You will need it.
Rich
I just looked at the Ring Engineering site and they sell matching trucks if you only want one truck with pickups. No idea on what site you were looking at and did not see matching trucks.
Rich
I don’t get what you are saying. Why would I need two powered trucks for a sound only decoder in a box car? Maybe I don’t understand how they work.
Mike
Ring has matching non-power pick up versions of their trucks, but you really want power pickups on both ends of the car, not just one. The slightest drop in contact will cause the sound to drop out and restart. If you put power pickup trucks on both ends, you will have a wider power wheelbase, like an 8-wheel diesel, and things will be MUCH more reliable.
–Randy
Think a loco which pickups on one end only and losing rail pickup on a turnout or maybe dirty track. The decoder hiccups. Sound interruption. It will happen a lot more than you think.
If an occasional hiccup is not an issue, then use only one truck.
Not a big deal.
Rich
Did exactly what you are planning to do.
I installed these in some Athearn mechanical reefers that were equipped with Digitrax Soundbugs. I used two power pickup trucks per car. A little more expensive to do, but I don’t have any sound drops at all. But if you are only going to use one per car, as mentioned above, they also sell a matching “dummy” trucks. Here’s a link:
Below is a link to a YouTube video of my sound reefers. I liked these so much I added sound to a third reefer.
OK. I’ll back up half a step and say that when I re-checked the Ring Engineering web site the non-power trucks were on the page with the powered ones, although I did not find/see them the first time there. Likely my oversight. However, I don’t understand why they are not priced. Maybe they’re free?
? [%-)]
$4.95
Maybe a browser thing on your end? Sometimes certain things don’t show up on certain browsers. Although I doubt it here.
I apologize for the confusion, but I’ve figured out the problem. On the RE home page about half way down is a link to the Power Truck Page. If you click on that you find the power trucks priced at $19.95 and just below, the freight trucks (which I overlooked the first time) without a stated price. Back on the Home page, there is a direct link to a different page for the unpowered Freight Trucks, which has the $4.95 price. Unnecessairly confusing for a simpleton like me[*-)]