New DCC locomotives

[richg]

Hello All

Been a while since I was here. Missed the forum.
I have recently installed some Tsunami decoders in a couple Baldwin locos with NYC lettering. I like the "organ pipes".
Probably nothing anyone would want to try but it has been an interesting project.
Each has a driver and brakeman. I dislike running a loco with no crew.
The first picture is before I did the install.



Below is what one loos like inside. Fairly easy install.



A short video with only one loco right now. The caboose is not the correct one.

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Stewart/?action=view&current=VO-1000.flv

Richard

[full maxx]

looks really good , your layout has alot of great detail

[richg]

looks really good , your layout has alot of great detail
[/quote

Thanks, but that is a local cub I have belonged to for many years. It is a team effort.
The layout was started about 1980. Mostly hand laid code 100 HO scale track.
We run the NCE 5 amp Power Cab. We are presently disconnecting all the fourteen blocks and installing #14 buss wires with the original #22 drops. The layout is all common rail install as was used in the older DC block control layouts. If any issues, we cut the rail with a Dremel cutoff wheel and install a styrene spacer in the gap. Put in another drop if neccessary.
We have two MRC DCC reverser's. One for a reversing double loop and the second for a cross over.
The turntable does its own reversing with the ring under the TT.

Rich

[Santa Fe buff]

Oh Rich! Are those the new Tsunami Baldwin sounds? I'm so glad they released these, I'd like to see about one for an RF-16.

What VO-1000 is that? Is that a MTH?

Cheers,
Joshua

[pdlethbridge]

stewart

[richg]

Yes, they are HO scale Baldwin VO-1000 locos, DCC ready from Bowser/Stewart.
I have picked up three off of ebay for about $50.00 each. My first two were NYC 8606 and 8707. NYC had #8600 though 8607 VO-1000 locos.
These are going for about $50.00 quite often on ebay. Very easy to plug in a motor/light only decoder.
I am using the new Tsunami Baldwin VO-1000 sound in one and a Fairbanks-Morse sound n the other.
I was told by an online DCC dealer the Fairbanks-Morse was close. Not quite though.
My third one will be a LokSound VO-100 sound install.
I hope to get a Stewart VO-1000 shell, Southern Pacific with the trolley poles for something different.

Below is a photo of my first. I actually removed the 9 pin jST connector from the shrink wrapped decoder. I soldered in the NMRA colored wires. I have a soldering station with pointed conical soldering tip and a good Optivisor. I built my own decoder tester.



I don't recommend this install though I had no problems with it.
Years ago I stopped attending the church of, "We have never done it that way before".
I like tinkering.
Cheers

Richard

[jonathan]

Richard,

Tinkering is king!

Enjoyed your video very much.  Thanks for sharing.  I like it when things go.

Show us a video of the engines double-headed, when they're ready. 

Regards,

Jonathan

[Chris350]

Rich,
I'm interested to know if you had to modify the chassis to get the speaker located.  I have an older Stewart that i am trying to get right, and it has no room up front for a speaker.  I've tried using two Loksound mini speakers in series, but they blow before one can get them to a usable volume.  The next step is to mill the front of the  chassis to fit a more appropriately sized speaker such as you've use.

[richg]

Rich,
I'm interested to know if you had to modify the chassis to get the speaker located.  I have an older Stewart that i am trying to get right, and it has no room up front for a speaker.  I've tried using two Loksound mini speakers in series, but they blow before one can get them to a usable volume.  The next step is to mill the front of the  chassis to fit a more appropriately sized speaker such as you've use.

I did modify the chassis a little. I have an inexpensive 4 inch diameter bench type disk sander that did very well. A belt sander would work. The chassis does get a little hot. Keep a cup of cold water nearby.
Go slowly.

Below is the chassis.



The speaker is a 8 ohm 16mm X 25mm with a little bath caulk to seal it to the frame. Some people make a gasket from 0.020 styrene. Your choice.

I am sure you know, you need 100 ohm speakers for the LokSound Standard 3.5 decoder. Use the 16mm x 25mm speaker they sell. I am using these speakers in a couple other diesels. The loco shell makes a pretty good baffle. With a little bit of ingenuity, you might seal up the shell a little better around the speaker.

My next one with the LokSound, I am going to install it and leave the fingers in place on the DCC ready board.

[Chris350]

Thanks Rich,
That's what I was thinking needed to happen to make the installation work really well.  What I have now is a cobble job that is less than ideal.  I'm thinking the existing headlight arrangement will have to be redone.  I've done Dremel work on P2K's to fit speakers in the cab so this ought to be pretty straight forward. 

[Rick D.]

Hello All, I just got a new EMD GP7, item 62404,  .  My question, has anyone converted one to sound?    IF so any info. would be helpful.

Thanks,
Rick D.

[Santa Fe buff]

Rick D,
You can find sound-only decoders to add to other decoders. Digitrax makes them. It depends on what decoder you have currently installed, or if you don't have one installed at all, then www.soundtrax.com is where you should look for great sound decoders if you don't have a decoder installed.

Rich G,
Is LokSound good in quality? I was checking them out for a moment, but I thought they sounded a bit trapped up inside of the locomotive; and that the computer-required programing sounded like a bit much. (Is that correct, grammatically? I don't know if it's okay to connect a noun clause to a compound sentence with a semicolon.)

What are your views? I might consider them. Neat way of sanding down for the speaker. I think someone here on the forums awhile ago found out you can (carefully) remove a little bit from the rear of the DCC decoder PC board in a Bachmann FT to have a speaker fit properly.

Plus, tinkering is the way to get good at locomotives! You should probably not just start ripping apart engines, but preferably just start looking in them. So far, I can take apart and re-build any Athearn Blue Box locomotive! Hehe.  Now, I just need to get an A-Line repowering kit for the current sucker.

Have good day guys.

Cheers,
Joshua