DCC & Sound in Loco and one car

[Danny Strain]

I have some VERY small box cabs that are DC. I think I have room for a decoder in the Loco but I want to place a sound system in an idler car. Is this possible without wires running between Loco and idler car. In another word, can the sound card get it's instructions as a stand alone without the decoder using the same loco number as the decoder in the Loco.

If not, another possibility is to place the sound card and speaker in a structure along the track. The loco will only be used on an industrial siding so it will not travel a long distance. Any ideas?

Regards,
Danny

 

[fast_ian]

..Is this possible without wires running between Loco and idler car.

Not AFAIK. The speaker (etc) mounted in the idler have to get their signals from the decoder.

However, there are numerous "sound only" decoders that can be separately controlled - Or, even put at the same address as the loco decoder.

If $ is no object eek, just put a "complete" sound decoder of choice in their and do the same......

Cheers,
Ian

 

[lmackattack]

What I would do is buy a cheap MRC sound only decoder ($30) and wire it up inside your idler car. you would need to make power pickups for the trucks of the idler car and make sure the wheels are isolated the correct way. This way the sound is close to the loco and will travel with it. just set your loco and sound car decoders to the same address and your done!

 

[Al Silverstein]

I am a N scale modeler and for us N scale modelers sound is rare because we do not generally have the space for a sound decoder in our engines nor do we have the luxury of being able to install speakers large enough to create good sound.

On the other side of that same situation I know of several people, myself included, that have installed sound decoders in rolling stock that is pulled directly behind the engine of choice.

My first sound project consisted of installing a N scale Soundtraxx decoder inside a box car. Here is what I did to get sound.

1) I removed the shell of the box car.
2) I changed my wheel sets from plastic to metal.
3) I installed an electrical pickup I purchased from Richmond Controls.
4) I drilled several holes in the bottom of the box car.
5) I mounted the speaker over the holes.
6) I built a baffle around the speaker with the wires coming out the top.
7) I mounted the sound decoder above the baffle.
8) I connected the sound decoder to the electrical pickups and decoder.
9) I programmed the decoder to insure that my installation would work.
10) I put the shell back on the box car.

The first experience took me about two hours. I took things very slow in as much as there were a lot of dollars spent on this first project (decoder, wheel sets, electrical pickup, styrene for the baffle, plus the cost of the box car).

I do not get the greatest sound but most of that is due in part to the 1/2 diameter speaker. Some day I am going to replace the 1/2 round speaker with an oval speaker which I found has a slightly better sound.

Now you did not indicate which scale you model. If you are an HO scale modeler then my outline should work just fine. As an HO scale modeler you would have more speakers to choose from along with a wider variety of decoders.

What I suggest you not to do is to get the cheapest sound decoder. Often they are not worth the price because of poor sound or problems in programming.

Al