I want to put an MRC 2 wire steam sound decoder in an ho scale silver series Frisco box car. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this or has anyone even done this?
First I have to ask..why not put the sound unit in the tender?
Anyways its quite simple. you will need metal wheels for you car. take the wheels and install them so that the isolated side of the axels are on the same side of each truck. You will need to find axel power pick up tabs that are often found on steam engine tenders or passenger cars/cabooses with lights. drill holes near the trucks and run wires thru the car frame. solder the tabs to the wires. bolt the trucks with the power pickup tabs to your box car (each truck must have the isolated axels so that each truck picks up power from diffrent rails.)
connect the MRC wire to the power pick up wires
Simple!
This is "easy" if you know what you are doing. Otherwise, it can be a challenge. Soldering can be a challenge for some.
Below is an idea for metal wheel pickups for a boxcar or tender. Store the link in Favorites even if you do not model the era.
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/bachmann_4-4-0/wipers/
Use #30 wire for connecting everything. Drill holes in the bottom of the tender frame or boxcar frame and face the speaker down over the holes.
If using a standard decoder, solder a 100 ohm resistor across the orange and grey wires to simulate a motor load. A sound only decoder will not have wires for a motor.
Rich
If you have a small layout and locomotives that won't hold a sound system put the sound system in a box and mount it under the layout. I was surprised how well this works. I have the Oldtime Bachmann 4-4-0's and they can't be fitted with sound. I unplugged the 4pin connector on a HO Bachmann 2-8-0 and placed it under the layout for sound. The mind's "ears" have the sound coming out of the locomotive that is being operated.
I am able to sync the chuff and it works really great. I know that there will be a lot of disagreement on the viability of the "Soundbox" but having done in-loco sound and "Soundbox" sound I probably won't put sound in another loco.
Just a thought
Harold
I'm not sure what locomotives I want to put sound in plus I only have certain locomotives that I can run on my layout. I really want the sound to seem like it is coming from a certain train instead of all of them. And It just seems cheaper to do it that way instead of getting a separate decoder for all of my locomotives. Something else is that I am using the E-Z command witch doesent have a lot of amps to power all of them. :-\
Dont feel bad at least you have a start. you can always upgrade later. I would suggest NCE or MRC DCC if you want better control of sound/DCC locos. Regardless. The sound box car is an old but well used idea. I built a few as a kid and recall some company had a flat car with a load that had chuff sounds. I recall it had a metal tab on the axel and as the axel turned the chuff would sound evertime the tab made contact with a wiper mounted on the underframe. Primitive but it worked. any ways if you need more help just let us know. I have made a few cars that have lights. the key is the car needs to have weight in it for good contact with the rails and the trucks need to be set up right so you dont short out.
The Frisco Box cars have a good bit of weight to it. I also thought that I could get some of the replacement Tender pickups and use them.
Just remember to keep the track, wipers and wheels clean. Looks clean does not always mean, clean.
Add weight where you can.
Rich
What Kind of tender pickups could I use from the replacement parts? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Look at the link I provided.
Rich