Go to Soundtraxx and down load the manual for their decoders. It's the diesels user guide. This tells hot to program the CV's for various functions. In Decoder Pro,on the top tool bar should be a tab for sound. I believe this is where you find the settings for master as well as individual CV's.  Joe

Doo go with Soundtraxx. I have several of them and like them a lot. If you use the one shown,I don't think you need resisters for the LED's as this decoder might have them built in. Visit the soundtraxx web site and e mail customer service abt the need for resisters for using LED's. I get my decoders from Accu-Lites. They have good pricing on them. Joe

The magnet faces away from the fuel tank. I'll try trimming down the speaker. Thanks.  Joe

I just bought a GP7 with DCC on board and am putting a sound decoder in it. I read in MR the review on it and says it takes a 28mm speaker. I tryed to install one and it seems too big. I tryed a 1'' speaker as well and can't get either one to seat far enough in the whole to get the fuel tank cover to seat properly. I installed with the cone faceing down. Is there some thing I'm missing? Thanks.  Joe 

Read the manual on how to program CV's. Usually programming 8 to CV8 resets the decoder. How ever if the loco buzzes, sound like you may have a bind in the drive train. with the shell off,turn the flywheel by hand. It should turn easily. As you turn the flywheel, look at the wheels on the trucks, they should turn. If the flywheel doesn't turn easily, there's a bind some where. If that's the case get a hold of the service dept. about getting it fixed. It should be under warranty.  Joe.

I would go with a new sound decoder. I use the Tsunami board style with built in capacitors. The engine in the GP40 is  second generation(645). Soundtraxx part # 828051 fits the Athearn locos and has a 645 sound scheme. This usues 1.5 bulbs though. I think there is a soldering point on the board so you can use LEDs. If you don't care about the prime mover type, then Soundtraxx part # 828020 will work as well. This is for a first gen. (567) prime mover and is set up yo use LEDs. Use the biggest speaker and baffle you can. The impotant thing is to keep the decoder isolated from the frame. On a recent install in the new Bachmann GP7, I cut a piece of plasic 020" thick the size of the decoder to put on the frame. The decoder then goes on top of the plastic. I solder the wires to the decode. Hope this helps. Visit the Soundtraxx web site for a list of decoders and sound schemes.  Joe  

What digital controller system are you using?  Joe

Hey MR.Bachmann, how about some Great Northern paint schemes for the GP7/9,RS3 and F7A/B units?  Joe

Another thing to check look at the draw bar between the tender and loco. Make sure the draw bar part that hooks to the loco is all the way up the pin. Also is this a DCC engine? If it is check the wires between the tender and loco. I have a Conny (2-8-0) that had derailed on some turn outs and not others. I had to separate the tender from the loco and stretch out the wires. The wires had a kink in them that caused the tender to lift up. Also had to make sure the draw bar was up all the way on the pin on the loco.   Joe

Does this tender derail on  all turnouts or just this one? Check the guage of the wheel set on the tender. On some turn outs I have, I gently bent the end of the point rail inwards a bit to make sure it was tight against the rail. Also make sure the point rails are tightly held in place by the throw bar. If they're loose, this maybe causing your problem.  Joe

One more thing to try is put the loco on the track with the shell off. Hold the flywheel between your fingers and have some one turn on the power. If the motor spins the problem is the flywheels are too loose on the motor shaft.  You may have to take the trucks apart to see if there is any thing broken or gummed up inside.   Joe

Pull off the shell again. Turn the chasis-the part with the motor in it- and turn the brass part( flywheel) with your fingers while looking at the wheels. The wheels should turn as well. If the wheels aren't turning, the drive mechanism is loose.. If the wheels turn, you could have dirt on the wheels or dirty track.Take a good paper towel and fold it several times. Put some rubbing alchahol on the towel and rub the track rails. If the towel is dirty, clean the track and try again. Cleanig the wheels on the loco can be dificult if they wont turn. You may have to take the frame apart and soak the wheeels in alchhol. You could have bad grease in the truck mechanism as well. Try the easy parts first. If you get the track cleaned, try running the engine again. If it runs better, get a paper towel with alchahol on it. put it on the rails put the engine on the track, rais one end up and put the wheels on the paper towel.Hold the loco and have some one turn on the power to the tracks,the wheels spinning on the paper towel will get cleaned. turn the loco around to clean the other truck.   Joe

Are the F7A&B N Scale Spectrum locos DCC ready or friendly? IE easy to convert to DCC. Thanks.  Joe

Or try Bullfrog Snot. It's a product made to be put on loco drivers to improve traction.   Joe.

Try blast mode. Another option if you plan on having several locos is a Digitrax PR3 and JMRI. JMRI is free , the PR3 is hooked up to a computer and used for several things one being programming decoders. Go to the Digitrax web site to learn about the PR3. It needs a DC power supply of around 18V to work with sound decoders. Also join the Digitrax Yahoo group.  Joe