S-Helper F-3 Question

[Major]

Yesterday I finally got around to converting a C&NW F-3 from DC to AC. This F-3 was part of a set offered by S-Helper that contained a DC transformer. It was marketed as not having sound. I was surprised to find when I opened the shell that it had a speaker and connections to that speaker and the connections for the wires to multiple units.  I tried the locomatic horn/bell buttons and standard horn bell buttons on a Z-1000. However they do not function the speaker. My question to you tech gurus since the parts are already there is how to make the sound work. Do I need to get a locomatic board from dallee? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[lionelsoni]

The Lionel and Flyer ways of generating sound were very different.

Lionel used a motor-driven whistle (for steam) or a buzzer (for Diesel), with a relay in the tender or locomotive to turn these on in response to a low DC voltage superimposed on the AC voltage powering the train.

Flyer superimposed an approximation of the whistle or horn sound's audio waveform onto the track.  The speaker in the tender or locomotive is simply AC-coupled to the track voltage through a capacitor which blocks much of the 60-hertz hum.  The small size of the speaker also helps to make the 60 hertz inaudible.

[Laurastom]

I do not have any SHS engines with the Locomatic system so I could be wrong. However it is my understanding that the Locomatic system will only work with the SHS proprietary Locomatic controller. This could be why the sound system will not work. Take a look at the site tuveson.com. Under the TMCC general heading there is a wiring diagram for connecting the Locomatic controller to a layout that also uses Legacy/TMCC. There is also a complete pictorial and instructions for converting the 2-8-0 to TMCC with Railsounds.

[Major]

I have two locomatic controlers since I have a number of S-Helper locomotives with sound. However this locomotive was marketed as DC powered and no sound. That is why I was surprised to see a speaker in it and what appears to be a sound board all wired up and ready to go!

However it does not function.

[Laurastom]

I saw the details of the engine in your first post and agree it would be unexpected to see that in a DC SHS diesel. The philosophy as I recall was DC just had the connector for a DCC decoder.

All my SHS engines are AC/highrail diesels, no sound. One day I will swap out the high rail wheels and put in the scale wheels since my layout is designed to run scale wheel equipment. Unfortunately I have no DCC cabability, just Legacy.

The SW-1 and SW-9 engines are too small to convert to TMCC and Railsounds. It would require two units tethered to make it work. I hope you can get your engine sound system working.

[Major]

I got this set at the Timonium, MD train show a number of years back. I think I paid like $225.00 for it. The fact that it was DC did not bother me as I have a Flyer docksider and Pennsylvania switcher that have bridge rectifiers in them because they were missing the two position reverse unit. They work a lot better on DC! All my other S-Helper engines are AC with many being locomatic control.