i was just curious about how a person can install a sound chip in a 2-10-2 without soldering and/or modifying the loco itself.
You can't currently. There are no add on sound systems in N except a Digitrax unit that wouldn't be small enough.
It is not hard to remove the factory decoder. If you want to install N scale sound, you must learn how to solder and modify. Space is too tight to allow convenient universal installs. Probably the simplest install I have done was in the FVM Hiawatha which was truely a plug and play.
thanks
its pretty easy to solder once you get the hang of it. You really dont have to do much modification to the tender since it is a larger tender, just drill some small holes in the coal load for the sound to be louder thats it. Ive done many N scale hardwire sound installs and never really had to modify anything unless it is diesel. there is alot less room in a diesel to work with. The only N scale steam locomotive that are true plug and play is the FVM hiawatha, the walthers 0-8-0 and the later model walthers 2-8-8-2.
thanks again if i do i'll be sure to upload a short video