Question re Consists

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L

loco-motive

New Member
In a two loco consist, for example 2 Athearn Genesis SD60M's, running in DCC, do both need to have sound or would it work if one has sound and the second unit is powered but w/o sound?
 
Only one unit needs to have sound although you'll probably have to do a little speed step adjusting to offset the higher current draw of the sound equipped unit. Since they are consisted, you'd turn off the horn and bell on the trailing unit anyway and the engines should spool up and down at the same rate. Having both sound equipped usually leads to too much noise and some reverberation between the two units since both sound decoders won't put out the same sound at the exact same time.
 
It'll work w/o sound in both, however most manufacturers recommend against it due to current draw.
 
Feedback & insights appreciated. I guess I'll find out pretty quickly about a consist where both locos have sound because I'm running one Atlas Dash 8 (BNSF 829 - new release) and I have a second Atlas Dash 8 with sound on the way. I'm looking at the new Athearn Genesis SD60M and I'm expecting that I'll have to dump the MRC decoder anyway so I'm trying to decide if I ought to get one SD60M with sound & the other without..
 
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