Today I received a package containing a new Walthers 0-8-0 painted for the B&M. Comparing this loco to my other two steamers, a pair of Model Power 2-6-0’s, well, there is no comparison. The Model Power steamers do run well enough for me, but this Heritage loco is heads and tails above, and I’m thrilled at the purchase.
This being the first loco I have that has a DCC decoder socket built in, it will be the first that I use to convert my layout to DCC. Any recomendations as to which decoder to use, in particular, which sound decoder if an option.
I already have a Prodigy Express DCC system that I held over from my previous HO layout and the new N layout is wired and ready for DCC, I just need to get a decoder in a loco.
Lets say it is possible to shoe-horn a decoder and speaker in the tender.
Lets say you have to remove the existing light board and weight in the tender to do so (and in this case, you will have to remove it).
Then lets say that you have to for-go the “optional” capacitor with the Tsunami Micro as there is no room.
Then what you have left is a loco with poor pickup (because of lack of weight left in the tender), small tinny sound (because of the small speaker) and a tendancy not to run well at all (because of a lack of a cap).
If you really want sound for this loco, I would take the decoder of your choice and basically wire it in under your layout with a good sized speaker/baffle (there is no limit to the size of the speaker). I would then give it the same address as your 0-8-0 and when you have it set to where you want it with CVs…then I would lock (cv15 and 16) both decoders (so you can program a second decoder).
The most expensive choice would be to go with Surroundtraxx…but that requires mega buck (close to 700 dollars plus a computer to start).