ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
I am intrigued by the sounds of my new Blueline ATSF 4-8-4. Now I want sound from my two Genesis F-7 locomotives. How difficult will it be to achieve it? Are DCC sound decoders difficult to install? Will I have to buy Athearn decoders or will those of other manufacturers work? If so, which manufacturers' decoders will work best? If I buy a BLI DC master, will it work with Genesis products? Or will I have to buy similar items for each manufacturers' locomotives?
Damn if you railroading professionals aren't going to steer to the path more frequently traveled by experienced railroaders. Hell, within a year you'll probably be reading my posts here touting the benefits of DCC!!!
Is this engine DCC ready? if so it has a plug and will make life somewhat easy. I think that engine also came with an option for DCC with an MRC sound unit?
You might want to look into the factory sound as you may be able to pick up the parts to convert it. Steam is easy as you have atender to hide the decoder and speaker. With diesels the speaker can be hidden where the fuel tank is or at the rear of the loco inside the shell above the truck. It all depends on how much space you have to work with. What I did with my old Proto2000 FA/FB was to install the decoder in the A unit. I left all the factory weight + some added weight in it so it pulls better. then I ran 2 wires through the rear door of the powered A unit and into the dummy B unit. I connected the wires to the speaker in the B unit. this is a simple way to hide the stuff in F units diesels
as they were mostly seen in an lash up
the other option is to buy a sound only decoder and install it in the dummy unit. This is what I did with my Proto GP18s I have 3 powered and one dummy simple and easy to wire in.
Tom, those Athearn F-7's are DCC ready so it's just a matter of chossing a motor/sound decoder and finding the right place for a speaker. There are several good sound decoders out there. I'll let you research them. I'll just warn you away from MRC sound decoders, which are the ones that normally ship with Athearn sound-equipped engines. They are so bad, both in terms of sound reproduction and reliability, that most experienced modelers will buy an Athearn DCC ready engine and add their own motor/sound decoder even though the total price may be more than the Athearn model equipped with sound. I have had several MRC sound equipped engines and finally ended swapping them out for better sound decoders.
To answer your other question, the BLI DC sound controller only works with other BLI engines, not even with another company's DCC sound equipped engine. Save your money and go real DCC.
Thanks for your advice. I will stay away from MRC. I'm going to begin by taking a look at Digitrax. How much should I expect to pay for a decoder for my BLI? How about decoder and sound for my two F-7's?
Don't overlook the new spiffy Quantum Revolution decoders!!!!! They are getting rave reviews. For one thing, like the LokSound series by ESU, you can download your own choices of sounds, or specify what sounds you want at Quantum's site and order the "package" from Litchfield Station or from Tony's Train Exchange....or Quantum themselves I would think. But apart from them being tailored to suit you, they are marvelous!!
The Soundtraxx Tsunami drop in replacement board is out, and I think thay have the most flexibility, along with 16 bit sound. There's a big difference between 8 bit and 16 bit sound! Try doing just one unit and see if it isn't enough. I know several people who have one unit in a consist sound equipped and they are happy with that.
Alan has an excellent point. With a really good sound decoder like the Tsunami, both units would be kind of overwhelming with sound. I'd try just the one unit first and see if that doesn't do the job.
If you want an excellent baffle to use in an "F" unit (or any), use a 1" round speaker with a 1" medicine (Rx) bottle. Just cut the bottle down to the space you have, put a hole in the bottom for wires, mount the speaker in the opening. Place speaker down over the truck. I have done this to several and my P2k FA sounds all most like a BLI factory job. Don't buy one of the baffles you see at Tony's and others. They are too small and there is not enough space for air and good speaker movement, ie low volume/weak sounds.
the only time I like to run 2 engines with sound is when they have diffrent sound decoders. Example I run my Heavy mountain with a heavy steam Tsunami and my Hudson with a Med steam Tsunami. the chuff note is diffrent and the driver size is diffrent so the chuff is faster on one. I think this sets them apart nicely.
I recently ordered a sound only decoder for my fleet of 4 GP18s I put the dummy unit in the middle and the powered units around them. Sence they all have the same EMD motors I felt this would be a cost effective way to install sound, I can run 2-3 or 4 in a lash up and it will look and sound good. My feeeling is that most diesels are found coupled to another one so why not take advantage of the space in a dummy unit.
