The Suffolk Station Museum in Suffolk, VA wants to add sound to one of its HO scale Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidations that is DCC ready. Here’s the problem, the layout is straight DC and they do not want to convert over to DCC as they only run one locomotive at a time on a single line main with two automated reversing loops. What would be needed is a decoder that is “plug and play†and a controller to trigger the bell, whistle, etc. The controller should not be effected by locomotives that don’t have a decoder. Also the controller must be usable with as many brands of sound decoders as possible as they might have locomotives donated that would have different brands of sound decoders. I maintain the layout for the museum and have experience with DCC and sound (limited) on my home layout. For example I have a Roundhouse 4-4-0 American with sound that works on my home layout (DCC) and on the Station's layout (DC) and uses a wireless controller. I don't know who made the sound decoder in this locomotive.
MRC #1629 (i believe the number is correct #)has a plug and play steam sound decoder the speaker of which will mount under the coal load in the tender
all decoders can be programmed to operate in the DC mode the bell and whistle may be toggled by the direction control on the poewr pack (ala BLI)
but i'm not completely sure this will work
happy turkey
Lou
Or, you could use a Soundtraxx Light Steam decoder (Which IS plug n' play) and an MRC Blackbox to control the functions. I haven't heard many nice things about MRC decoders, but Soundtraxx seems to be Hiballing right along. ;)
Jake,
When the MRC sound decoders - or at least the old ones worked - they were wonderful. High failure rate, but then I've had two Tsunami fail, too.
Gene