Sound Decoder For F59PHI (HO)

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

[?] Has anyone installed a sound decoder in a Athearn HO scale F59PHI before?

If so, which decoder did you use or which decoder would you recommend?

Thanks! [:D]

2

Loksound.

I havent installed one in this engine, but Loksound is by far the best diesel sound decoder right now. If you check thier sound library they actually have the exact sounds for the F59PHI so you wont just have to settle for something close.

Good luck.

3

I haven’t done mine yet but yes, It will probably be a Loksound with the 28 mm speaker. The nice thing about cowl units is that they have more room inside. I don’t recall my F59 having a DCC plug when I opened it up, so it will need to be hardwired. The mechanism is more or less just like the old blue box units. I will probably substitute a Mashima motor while I’m at it. I have done several BB Athearn locomotives with Loksound decoders with great results.

4

Thanks! I will look into LoKsound sound decoders.

Dacort: Some later Athearn F59’s did have a DCC quick plug…

Thanks Again…

5

Might as well go a little bigger with the speaker. I managed to cram the 20mmx40mm in the cowling on my dash 8 after cutting out some weight and filing the inside of the shell at the corners of the vents.

6

Personally, I’d chuck in a Soundtraxx DSX in combination with a regular motor only decoder. I did a Kato F40PH this way and it sounds great. There’s heap of space in the shell as well :-))

Regards

Tim

7

I was actually looking into Soundtraxx, but they don’t have any 3rd generation sounds…

Back to LoKsound…I find it a bit pricy…[2c][:O] $139 decoder + More $$$ for the LOKPROGRAMMER doesn’t fit my budget…

(Do you think a GP9 would be a close match??) Digitrax might come out with sound for a GP9…[:D]

Thanks Again…

8

Yes its pricey. But they are about $100 at tonys and you DO NOT need the programmer. The programmer is wonderful if you want to change the sounds on the decoder but you can program the address and all the CVs on a normal program track.

9

So you don’t need the programmer? I thought you bought the decoder with no sound, and then you program the sound in the decoder with your PC and LoKProgrammer…

Anyways, Do you think a Soundtraxx DSX EMD second generation would be a close match??? Just a thought…

Thanks to all who replied…[:)]

10

When you order a Loksound decoder you specify which locomotive you want and they will load it up for you before shipping. If you want to change the sound later then you need a programmer.

If you arent very picky about the sound then a DSX should be fine, and space will not be much of a concern in that loco for the dual decoders.

Good luck.

11

Thanks Again![8D]