I have been tinkering with a couple of P1K F3a-a sets over the past few days, adding Soundtraxx LC100 sound decoders and 1" speaker/baffle units.
First I stripped out one of the motors and added Kadee 30-series (short) uncouplers to get the correct 3’ spacing. I also added an American Ltd working diaphram to the corridor connections (On the CBQ locos - I only had one pair)
I inserted the decoder and wired it up to the motor and front light by passing the wires through the corridor door window. I also hooked up the Pickup wires (red and black) to all 16 wheels.
The speaker and baffle fit well in the void left by the motor, although some of the window moulding had to be removed to avoid unsightly bulges
The shells are replaced. I have sheathed the wiring in heat-shrink tubing where they pass between the units
And the locos are put into service
There are some video clips of the Pennsy and CBQ F3s here
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=843
Jon
WOW Jon, that’s incredible![tup] I’m not easy to impress with sound chips because I chased [and heard] a large number of EMD 1st gen units back in my youth - but those F3’s At Speed are as close to the real EMD ‘bark’ as I’ve ever heard![8D]
Thanx again for sharing this…
Very nice!
Any info on the Santa Fe GP9 installation? Your sound (diesel reverb) seems better than my GP7 installation. What speaker did you use and how did you get it in there?
And please give some info about the awesome Bachmann Doodlebug conversion. I’d love to convert my Santa Fe doodlebugs to DCC and sound. Any tips, suggestions?
Oh and you might want to change the CBQ Fs horn to the single chime like the Pensy units. I’m not sure about CBQ practice, but the model has single honkers.
Some photos to follow soon.
Here’s the link
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/859390/ShowPost.aspx
Gotcha. I assumed that, having 2 horns on the same hood, the sound would be different to a single chime. I must check my videos, as we don’t get many p
Jon, I have been doing something similar. I added sound to the B unit of an ABA set of Stewart F3’s using a DSX decoder with 1st gen EMD/Wabco E2 file. I consulted Alan at ST about the two horns question because I could only find single and triple versions on the ST website. He said that actually the E2, listed as a single, is a double horn version. I didn’t know what to expect, but when I auditioned it here, it turned out that the two chimes are very close to the same pitch, but produce a distinctive beat or wavering effect.
I used an Edgeport speaker at one end of the B unit in the top, leaving the motor in., and used DT DH123 decoders in all three units for motor control.
I am about to go put short-shank couplers between units.
Question: anyone know if the CBQ 9960 set used for the Zephyr had diaphragms?
Hal