Thanks guys just read something on smoke for N SCALE and wanted to ask about it. Sounded interesting but I know its a mess. Ron

Quote from: skipgear on December 11, 2010, 11:15:34 PM
You are making this much more complex than it needs to be.

#1 - Up to this point, all N scale Bachmann loco's with DCC have the decoder soldered in. None of thier installs use a plug.

#2 - There is not room in the tender for two decoders and a speaker, especially considering the huge thing that Bachmann call's a decoder in their DCC loco's.

#3 - The light mountain is designed for a small decoder to be installed in the boiler. The heavy mountain is designed so that the decoder installs in the tender.

#4 - Adding sound to the light mountain will require either dual decoders (a small one in the boiler and a sound unit in the tender) or a sound unit in the tender and wires from the tender to the loco for headlight and motor control.

I know the tutorial shows the light mountain getting a small decoder in the boiler. Is the Micro Tsunami two big for the boiler? If so that must be why your saying to put a smaller one in the boiler and one in the tender to do both jobs.
I think your saying the Heavy mountain has its decoder from the factory in the tender and this would be replaced with the tsunami. Don't have either to look at yet but it will get clearer when I get them. Thanks Ron

I have heard of some N scale trains had smoke generators years ago. Does anyone know if there is such a product now. I even heard of someone that makes smoke generators for the N scale steamers but the smoke stack should be metal. Anyone have any information? Ron

Quote from: skipgear on December 10, 2010, 05:33:47 PM
If you are going to put sound in the Heavy Mountain, just eliminate the factory decoder. They are not the best decoder to begin with. All the current N scale sound decoders have motor control already and even the MRC decoders have better motor control than the factory Bachmann decoder.

Now thats a thought! The decoder in the heavy mountain, I guess, is only for motor. I guess no sound section in the decoder. It must be in there like the light mountain install tutorial. So just remove it and do the total with one Tsunami! Than the light mountain would be the same install. Tony's trains thought there was a plug in the light mountain or heavy mountain to plug a decoder into. I don't think so. Ron

I was thinking of using the Soundtraxx Micro Tsunami 8260 in the light mountain and controlling the motor and sound. Originally I was gonna use the tsunami in the heavy mountain for sound but I'm thinking maybe use a digitrax decoder for sound in the heavy mountain as it is A cheaper a decoder and the HM alseady has motor DCC. Input wanted!
I just found out that to program the Tsunami I might need a PowerPax Programming track booster to program on the programing track. Actually I read something about this. I will be using a digitrax ZEPHYR EXTRA which is a little more power than the regular Zephyr. Do you think it will have enough power to program the Tsunami on the programming track without an extra booster? Asking this now as when I get all this stuff for Xmas I will have an understanding of what I'm doing.  Thanks Ron

Can anyone help with recommending a track cleaner for a DCC layout. What is good a pull along or powered? Thanks Ron

Thanks that covers it. Ron

Many decoders are used for motor and sound. One of the decoders with excellent sound  seems to be the mini tsunami but it does motor and sound at a high price. What choices do we have if an engine has DCC but not sound and we want to add sound? Are there sound decoders with great sound and only do sound or do you have to buy a decoder with motor and sound functions to get good steam sound? Thanks Ron

So you have a new one for sale? How much If I could raise some money? What did you think of its sound? Ron

 The train in this pic I hope is N scale as thats what I want to do.
All the trains you mention have DCC and sound I think you said. That would also be a great thing for me to look up for a nice working DCC sound starter. How do you find out about what trains were build with DCC AND SOUND FACTORY? Is there something to look in to find them or are these them?
Where can I find Walthers N&W Y-3 N scale? Thanks Ron

Quote from: skipgear on November 24, 2010, 07:17:40 PM

Quote from: simkon on November 24, 2010, 06:37:09 PM

Quote from: skipgear on November 24, 2010, 06:05:29 PM
The above....
...Adding sound in a Light Mountain is not too hard although you need to run wires beween the loco and the tender unless you do a dual decoder setup.

Yep, did not check the Athearn catalog...besides the 3 Athearn offerings there is only the BLI E6/7/8/9 (which I mentioned), the Walthers 2-8-8-2 (which I mentioned), however, I neglected to mention the BLI PAs, I missed it in the catalog I guess... Hey skip, since you think the install is so easy why don't you volunteer to do the install for Ron at no charge?

The 2-8-8-2 does not have the Vanderbilt tender from your original post, it is very specifically a N&W Y-3. N&W wasn't really fond of Vanderbilts. The Walthers Y-3 happens to be the best sounding/running N scale loco yet. I love mine.

I consider the E6, E7, E8/9 all unique loco's because they have very different car bodies.

Sorry, would like to help but I have too many other projects on the bench right now, but it's not that hard to do. Here is a sound install in a Trix 2-10-0. The tender is the same as the K4 tender which is smaller than the USRA tender used on the Light Mountain. The lead box is the speaker enclosure.





The IM AC-12 could also be considered a sound unit as the Digitrax SDN144 decoder will drop into it with no modifications. Truely a 15 minute install at worst.

Edit - Forgot a few available sound locos:

Kato Kobo GS4
Kato Kobo NYC RDC Jet
ConCor offered PA/B sets where the B unit was crammed full of sound decoder.

Almost every modern Kato loco now has drop in sound available for it from MRC and a few from Digitrax. They can be installed in a matter of minutes.

Thanks for getting back. I will have DCC as soon as Santa gets here. I'm getting ready. Only that one chip and it will do directions speed light and sound. Wow! I thought I needed two decoders. Thanks again Ron

I will be using DCC. I thought I need two chips. One for the motor and one for sound. Digitrax SDN144PS you mentioned for sound and DZ125 DECODER for motor both going in the light mountain. Am I confused or is there only one I have to use to do both? Ron

What single chip would I use? Thanks Ron

Quote from: skipgear on November 24, 2010, 10:57:10 PM
Actually no, you just need the sound decoder. It controls motor and sound. John Columbo has had great luck using a dual decoder setup, one in the loco, one in the tender but for your first sound install, just a sound decoder in the tender is simpler to setup.

If you are not using DCC, then the dual decoder system will not work very well anyhow.

Thanks I might give it a shot. You sound like you did this before. So all I need would be the DZ125 DECODER AND THE SDN144PS SOUND DECODER. Ron

Thanks for the info.  Which digitrax decoder SFX0416 SoundFX+Function Decoder  the smallest for sound you mention or is there smaller?
http://www.digitrax.com/menu_sounddecoders.php
Thanks Ron

Are the trains you mention available in DCC with factory sound ? People  have told me that the light mountain would need a bigger tender to add a sound decoder and speaker. Ron