I have an Atlas AC&Y FM 15-44 with DCC. I’d like to add a soundboard & speaker. Has anyone out there attempted this already, as I need some advice on how to do it.
Thanks for any help!
Mike
Mike
I’ve successfully installed a Loksound 3.5 in my 3 Atlas UP H15-44s (which originally had the Atlas DCC chip installed - yours may be the DC version), and am very happy with them. I removed the original DCC circuit board (the original red and green marker lights are not really prototypical in most situations anyway, but I have correctly working headlights, which were from old Athearn blue box locos, but you can get suitable replacements easily elsewhere), and had to cut a small bit of the chassis away around the cab area, plus small pieces of the inside of the internal shell. I removed the crew and the control console, and placed the speaker in the cab area.
I chose the Loksound chip as it’s small, “all in one” (ie has both sound & power) and it also has back emf, and it was hard-wired, as there is obviously no 8-pin plug to use. The only slight problem I have is that Loksound has not released the correct Fairbanks Morse sound yet, so until they do, I have used the Loksound programmer to put in a non-prototypical but nevertheless great-sounding ALCO growl, until the real thing comes along. It was quite easy to do (I’m no expert), and they all run very smoothly.
Brian
Does anyone have experience with the plug and play Soundtraxx??? I know there may be some issues with the class lights, but what about the sound? The placement of the speaker is always problematic, I have installed several ATLAS Alcos with plug and play Soundtraxx but not my ATLAS FM’s.