Sound Decoder for Bachmann EM 1

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I would really like to get a EM 1, from what I have read they are great engines. But I want sound and was thinking about using there plug and play Tsunami.

From what little I know about the engine the Tsunami decoder has no motor control, correct?

Have anyone here heard how well the built in decoder motor control is far as speed control and BFM. (is that the right term)? Is it easy to speed match?

I have heard a few videos on line of the Tsunami and it sounds OK. Not great nor awful, but that might be the recording and not the decoder and speaker.

If I where to hard wire a new decoder, I would like to use a Loksound 3.5, so far they have been the best sounding decoder / speaker’s set up I have heard for steam. If I where to go with the 3.5 I would use a big boy sound files and have Ulrich Models custom load the whistle. I would all so try to fit the Big Boy speaker system in the EM 1 tender.

Any thoughts on my idea? I would prefer the easy route and use the Tsunami plug and play.

Thank you for the coming answers.

2

Ken,

I think you can get a plug-in Tsunami sound module from Bachmann or SoundTraxx that plugs into the EM-1 factory equipped decoder, and I have even seen one offered on e-Bay already.

The following information downloaded from the Bachmann web site lists all of the available CVs for the Tsunami sound module.

http://www.soundtraxx.com/factory/OEM%20pages/bachmann/bachmann_ho_em-1.pdf

And here’s a picture of the SoundTraxx Plug-in module for the EM-1:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=3924

3

Search this forum. Someone has put in a different decoder, I think a Titan. Little rewiring was necessary. I did some searching but forgot where the discussion is. Search the General and DCC for EM-1 and read through the discussions. You will find it.

Rich

4

I think this is the thread you’re referring to:

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/199826/2183955.aspx#2183955

5

Thank you all for the ideas.

Ken