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Can anyone recommend an ho or ho, n scale decoder that is 8 pin plug and play for the Atlas Genset as i have tried 2 that i have and cant fit either. One has sound and the other does not but neither will fit. I am not looking to break the bank. I saw on you tube someone installed a n scale in it which is where i might been heading though he said the volume from the speaker was low.
Well, there's really no good genset sound decoder out there at this time. All of the decoders that are advertised as having genset sounds actually have generic engine sounds and are not genset sounds.
As for non-sound decoders that will fit, most N or Z scale decoders will fit. If you unscrew the part of the weight with the 2 capacitors in it, and then remove the two capacitors (they cause erratic operation), you can fit an HO scale decoder with a long harness in that space under the weight.
If you can't even fit a decoder where will you put a speaker? Sounds like the frame will need extensive milling. My advice is send it to a company that does DCC installs and expect to pay.
By the way, the least expensive sound decoders are the generic Digitrax ones which are about $50. Expect to pay about $100 for a Tsunami.
i almost fit an ho that plugs in to the top of the board and the speaker i was going to put in the cab. It just misses and stops the shell from going all the way down. It was a cheaper mrc.
Most DCC manufacturers have a list on their websites of what decoders fit certain locomotives the best. As long as the stall current of the motor doesn't exceed the decoder rating, a Z scale decoder can be used.
A caveat, some smaller decoders will get over heated and start acting erratically if the normal operating parameters of the motor in question is above what the decoder is designed to use normally. So if you're going to use a smaller decoder in an HO engine, it isalways wise to attach an extra heat sink to the decoder. This can be as simple as a metal strip taped to it, slightly bigger than the decoder itself.
Evening Ken. If may offer a suggestion, Train Control Systems,or TCS for short, offers a pair of different decoders that might be of use to you. One is the DP-2x,the other is the DP 5x. Here is the link to their website: www.Tcsdcc.com. When you go to this site,click on the link to their installations section for HO locomotives,and scroll down to the section that is listed Atlas,and scroll down the list,and you will find the listing for how they did the install of the two decders listed above. I hope this helps. Good Luck. William.
Update, so i would not give up and i finally got the decoder and speaker in, well almost. Ok so i noticed the decoder 8 pin plug had rather long metal connecters the first thing i did was cut them smaller which allowed it to get closer to the board without touching it, then the speaker which still would not fit into the cab. I noticed it had a black plastic dome on it which was raher thick a good 5/8 or so. I sanded it down to 3/8 or so and put it in the cab. As i put the cover on i realized my modifications had lowered the shell quite a bit and now i was very close. The couplers had little boxes that went through the shell, however i just missed them going through. So i used other couplers i had with the top of the box and the screws and im rollin! Never thought i could get it to work, but i did! Looks and sounds great! Thanks for all the input!
