I'm sure most people can live with the problems. i dont' see a big deal with it.

Quote from: tren on August 12, 2007, 09:48:45 AM

Quote from: astroshane on August 02, 2007, 12:00:43 AM
I plan on eventually coming up with E60 sound effects that would be downloadable to a Digitrax SoundFX decoder. I have the horn sounds already, but getting the decoder to properly simulate the way electric traction motors whine as speed increases may require some complicated computer programming.

Could the QSI GG-1 electrical traction motors sounds be used?

No, it can't.  Keep in mind that the GG1 was built in the the mid 1930s, some of them with westinghouse (not GE) parts.

the E60CP on the other hand was built in the 1970s, with much more modern motors and drives, far beyond what was carried by the GG1. 

the only sound you can take from the GG1 is it's cooling fan sound (and generic train noises like wheel flange squeak). 

Listen to this NJ Transit E60CH (it says CP, its wrong) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdTibIVZJzE

the fans would work if you made them quieter.  On the real GG1, these fans were that loud, but on a modern engine such as this they made them quieter.


Now listen to the E60MA (its the second train in the video)-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWGqfTwNf_o&mode=related&search=

That is some shriek, its like a jet plane!  I'm betting there are other traction motor sounds, and a good place to start looking for electric sounds is Loksound.  Despite the E60CP being all american, the components may be used in other electric such as those in europe, or atleast, a better standin sound can be had.

Keep in mind that most E60s had PO1235 horns, which astroshane  has (speaking of which, can you send me these sounds? would it be possible to put them on a Loksound decoder?).  I'm modeling 610 just because it has the more common K5LA horn instead.

I'll need to look through the sounds to see what has a good shriek like that.

It sounds like you are loosing power

the first thing you can try is to use needle nosed pliers to squeeze the rail joiners together, this would help.  next would be to install more feeders (or bachmann terminal track).

Either way will work, although the shortest route will have the least loss of power. I'm thinking though, that your problem has alot more to do with loose rail joiners and other maitenance issues, ESPECIALLY because you only now just layed the tracks. Now that they've settled, you'll need to adjust them slightly to get them to work properly.

My E60MA project is moving along.  I still need some major detail parts, but right now, enough is together to look nice.

Quote from: astroshane on August 02, 2007, 12:00:43 AM
I plan on eventually coming up with E60 sound effects that would be downloadable to a Digitrax SoundFX decoder. I have the horn sounds already, but getting the decoder to properly simulate the way electric traction motors whine as speed increases may require some complicated computer programming.

With regards to AEM-7s, I haven't proven this yet (because my AEM-7s aren't at the forefront of my roster) but I took some measurements and believe that it will be possible to fit a Digitrax SDH104-series sound decoder in place of the original light board, with a 14x24mm mini oval speaker from Tony's Train Exchange where there is space at one end. Alternatively, the same might be possible using one of the new DH165 decoders with an SFX004 sound board added onto it.

I think the horn sounds would help out alot. I know some people who are good at computer programming, but i don't know if they could work on this.

as far as the AEM7s go, the PC board on the AEM7 is extra wide, so it might be weird to fit a DH165 or similar in there, but it might work.   I know the OBB 144 fans and traction motors are a match, all you need to do is switch out the european sounds with a K5LA, a more american bell, and some other equipment. 

Still a tiny speaker might not make the best sounds.  You'd think for a full hooded locomotive, there would be space in there.  Sometimes i wonder if a good trade off would be to remove the rear cab interior, since no crew is in it, and you never really look into the cab anyway. 

whenever you do get E60 sounds, let me know!

Thats true, i'll probably have a better running loco.  the only thing is that there would have been DCC.  i would compromise.  wiring up these drives for DCC has proven to be  a headache, as i have found in my Athearn BB kits.  I'm happy bachmann has included decoders in their line, even it is only standard.  It makes DCC a possiblity for beginners.  Bachamnn seems to attract everyone i know who starts out in the hobby.   

I just wish they had sound decoders for the E60s and E33s, or atleast their HHP8, since electric sounds are so hard to come by. the only one out there is the GG1 sound for american prototypes, and while an AEM7/ALP44 can be had if you take specific sounds from european equivalents in loksound, there is no where to cram a speaker in there, ESPECIALLY if you modify your units to the AC version, or make your ALP44s more realistic, which removes the boxes that were meant to hold decoders.

I wonder if Bachmann has any plans to paint the E60s in New Jersey Transit?  wil the new metal pantographs be available seperately? I know the only other source of faively pantographs is through sommerfeldt, and its an expensive import, especially since i want to retrofit my current E60s and my Metroliner EMU cars.

To be honest, i'm kinda angry bachmann announced them now.  just two weeks ago i aquired the American GK kits, a company who only made the E60s before going under back in the 70s/80s.  they were undecorated dummys, but they had the chassis that could be upgraded with PPW parts now on order.  I could have jsut waited a few months and go a powered, DCC equipped model that only had to be repainted and detailed as planned, and it would all be at most, $200. the powering parts alone cost about that much ( although i did order powering parts for some other models in that order, such as a more modern motor for my Metroliners), and it cost me about $80 between the two dummy engines. And i don't even have DCC for them!

I'm still buying a phase II E60CP to replace my old bachmann E60, so now i will have all versions.

The only thing i'm worried about is that my American GK E60s are noticabley bigger then the bachmanns i have from the 70s. I hope they match when they arrive.  Right now i'm building an NJT E60CH and an E60MA.

right now, my E60CH is closest to completion.  



I'm working on my E60MA to, but i need some more parts before i do more painting and decaling. so far i've filled in the nose

I have a 44 tonner i just installed DCC in. while it was never quiet ( and i haven't used it or most of my other trains in a while because of the switch to DCC) it seems much louder than before.  I know i was servicing a bunch of my locomotives, and the 44 tonner did have big glob of lubricant from the factory jammed in there (literally), and i cleaned it out.  Its still loud.

Whats more though, is that it doesn't creep like i'd like it to.  at speed step 1 its still moving kinda fast. 

What can i do to improove performance?

also, its DD40AX.

somewhere along the line someone started putting the A in front of the 40, and I don't know why. most books i've seen, and even UP's site lists them as DD40AX

lol i'll have to pick a tougher one next time.  Of course thats hard to do with the internet, lol.

it still doesn't fly.  no locomotive would be able to melt through the tracks like that, especially with such a large locomotive.  the thing would have blown itself up before it got that far.

the idea of nuclear locomotive isn't farfetched, but the size and mostly the story of it is just beyond reality.

this locomotive is a fake.

yeah i was wrong.  Bachmann makes 2 road numbers of C40-8Ws in ATSF warbonnet paint, with BNSF on the side.

I'm curious if they will get sound for those HHP8s and E33s.  there seriously needs to be sound for more electric locomotives.  the generic GG1 sound will never sound right in anything but a GG1.  Some european sounds from loksond match the sounds of that like the AEM7/ALP44, but you can't get sound in that, not without extensive modification.

the only wide cab that Bachmann makes are the C40-8Ws, and they don't have a BNSF version ( in fact i don't think they make anything BNSF).  You could paint an undecorated model, but i think you might want to get a prepainted unit.


you might want to go with Atlas Gold series, since they are cheapest with DCC already installed. Kato is making their new AC4400CWs and C44-9W locomotives with provisions for the new digitrax sound decoders. sop installation should be easy, no frustrating modifications. ( the speaker would go in the ideal location in the fuel tank)

Tower55 also makes some of the new ES44 and SD70ACe locomotives in BNSF if you have the money. 

You can always fit a speaker in the wide cab of the locomotive if you buy an offering from Athearn.  there should be more than enough room for  the standard speaker like that from Loksound.

oh thats how this works? sorry i kept you guys waiting.

well i think i have a tough one for you guys...