Can anyone suggest a readily available sound system for retro fitting to older HO DC steam locos. Once you have a loco with sound you want to retro fit it to all your locos??
The best choices would be Soundtraxx product line or the ESU Loksound product line.
http://www.loksound.de/us/index.php?showId=2
At some point in the future there will be other choices such as the QSI for retrofit and the Digitrax decoders (when and if they release stream).
There are other brands of sound decoder like the MRC Brilliance. I have no personal experience with these, but they never seem to get very good reviews.
STOP…Simon this is BAD advice.
You said ‘older’ steam locomotives…in that case, you will most definetly REMOTOR them BEFORE you install DCC sound chips. The older steam locomotives used something call a Pittman motor with is a current hog…current DCC offering will NOT be able to support the required high current of this old locos and will destroy the decoder.
Now…if you remotor them with say a helix humper of equivalent, then yes, you can install a dcc sound system.
David
Always make sure your decoder can handle the current, but not all “older” HO Steam Engines have motors that are current hogs. I guess it also depends on your definition of “older”.
Philip, which HO steam are you thinking about installing DCC/Sound in?
Very good point David. Yes one should always check the current draw of a loco before installing a decoder, any decoder for that matter. Unless it is a TCS decoder most other decoders will not be covered by any kind of warranty if you blow them.
Hi guys, thanks for the good advice. I have P2000 Y3 which should be ok with the decoders but also have a United Consolidation and a PFM Berkshire which has a Pittman DC71- i know these are current hungry, so will have to consider the re-motor situation first.