Sound Decoders

[trainbuf]

Not used to using this ....  repeat of my mistake....
Can anyone tell me which decoder was used in the 50 ton Climax   loco runs fine on DC  but as I'm changing the whole layout to DCC looking to convert the climax with correct sound decoder.....
Similar with the Three truck shay.... have one with DCC already...runs and sounds great... would like to convert my other two to DCC with sound. And maybe the two brass ones as well if it fits.
Lou Hocken
Blenheim  NZ.

[trainman203]

You can call any of the decoder vendors and get a much better and completely updated decoder then the ones that were used in that engine when it was made back in the digital Jurassic.  I have a feeling that you probably cannot even get an identical direct replacement item anymore, except on the used market.

Unlike wine, decoder technology does not age well but is regularly superseded with better.  Much better.

All of us that choose to operate with DCC have our favorite brand of decoder.  I don't think that the Bach Man's house is the place to discuss pros and cons of the various products currently offered.

[trainman203]

Convert your layout to DCC ASAP.  Trying to run DCC engines on a DC layout is really awkward, literally a square peg and round hole kind of thing, possible, but not truly intended.  Not unlike going coast to coast on a tricycle. It's not possible to fully utilize all of the wonderful features that DCC brings to the table. 

About the sounds for geared locomotives.... My favorite company's newest decoder has complete options for every geared engine under the sun and nearly 100 whistles you can choose from.  But I'm not going to name them in someone else's house.  Contact the various vendors and you'll find out who I'm talking about.  It won't take long.  They have great customer service and  can tell you not only exactly which decoder will fit in your engine but can also provide you with detailed and extensive information about installation.

Advice from someone who's been down the wrong road:  Have your decoder installed professionally.

[Tenwheeler01]

Trainman203,
                Your referring to US made decoders with DDE and EQ?    There are my standard now also.

[trainman203]

The ones I am talking about have 90 whistles, DDE, EQ, over 20 bells, at least 10 chuffs including geared engines, choice of sounds of coal fired vs oil vs wood, cylinder cocks, wheel slipping, choice of coupler crash.  And each controllable by the operator.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I've done everything but name the company, which I don't feel right doing on someone else's forum. You ought to be able to figure it out.

[Ralph S]

Convert your layout to DCC ASAP.  Trying to run DCC engines on a DC layout is really awkward, literally a square peg and round hole kind of thing, possible, but not truly intended.

I know I'm late to this discussion, but I just could not resist adding my two cents.

Trainman's quote is spot on.  I stopped running my DCC locos on DC, awhile back.  I didn't want to give up my historical collection of DC loco's so I set up a totally separate DC track, just for them.  Although it's quite short, I call it my museum section. I hardly run them since my larger track is DCC and on top of that I'm expanding it.  I only have 1 Bachmann with sound  but having sound doesn't spark any new desire.... I'll say at least not yet. 

My analysis of sound decoders and installing them.  The cost in my mind is still not equitable whether you "do it yourself" or buying a new one. 

Hopefully there is some perspective in this that may help ...or not.

[trainman203]

It is always worth paying a professional to install your DCC/sound decoders.  No endless research, no backtracing each wire to find out what feeds what, no frying the decoder if you get something wrong, and no accidentally putting the soldering iron through the tender shell. 

You send the engine off, pay for the work, and get it back nearly perfect, meaning you'll almost certainly need to manipulate CVS to get things the way you want them.  Motor control can always be improved, different sounds such as Whistles can be selected, and sound volumes are always unbalanced at default.

[wjstix]

Converting an old (pre-DCC era) engine to sound is, in my experience, much harder than just converting it to DCC. You have to get the decoder installed and find room for a speaker and it's enclosure. In some cases, I've just given up and bought a new version of the engine and swapped body shells...although in some cases, the new bodies of the diesels are much better detailed than the old ones.

Anyway, non-sound DCC decoders aren't that pricey compared to sound decoders, for the cost of one sound decoder you could buy like 3 non-sound ones to convert your old DC engines with. Maybe look into ones with some version of "keep alive" or "power pack" if the old engines - like many old steam engines - don't pick up power all that well.

[trainman203]

I cannot run engines without sound.  It's like pushing a corpse around the layout.