Hi
All my HO locos are DCC and sound equipped and I run NCE 5amp system. I have one 'old' Proto 2000 SW9 switcher that is not DCC and not sound equiped. Can anyone recommend or advise how to convert this little switcher so it can take it's rightful place amongst my other sound locos? Any tips from anyone who has done this would be very, very welcome.
Thanks!
WOW thats asking a lot. I put Tonys SW9 decoder in mine a long while back and there is not much room inside the shell. You would have to gut the inside and remove quite a bit of weight to fit a decent sound decoder in it. Forget about having a cab interior. The speaker has to fit somewhere.
Good luck on this one.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
I have a P2K S1, which is probably similar. I had installed a simple motor decoder, but I wanted sound.
I took it to my LHS and payed them to do it. The labor charge was $35. I haven't removed the hood since I got it back, but they did a great job, the engine is still pretty heavy, and it sounds and runs well.
I've installed sound decoders in other engines, but there was so little space in this one that I decided to let a pro handle it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Hi Misterbeasley
Yes, it's a lot put in a small shell. And paying a pro to do it sounds like a good idea. Someone mentioned putting in an N scale decoder. Any thoughts anyone?
Thanks
Barry
Here is how I did it some time ago with a micro ESU Loksound. The backside of the speaker is in the cab between the two seats but barely visible.
Reinhard
As luck would have it, I just finished installing a MRC sound only decoder in a Athearn SW1500 yesterday. The switcher was equipped with a NCE decoder and having sound in the road diesels I wanted sound in at least one switcher. My problem is that at 80 years old my fingers will not do what I want them to do! As someone stated the cab interior had to be gutted. I even cut the back window to get the speaker to fit. On my buget I have to go with what I have rather than ordering smaller speaker. As I refit the NCE decoder to make more room I tested ever move. After moving the NCE decoder the unit ran good, After installing the MRC unit with the switcher body laying along side the switcher moved nice and sounded good. Now the hard part. Rewiring headlights and stuffing all the wire into the body. Went fairly smooth.Final test. Switcher moves nice but sound is muffled and volume is to low.
All in all I am very disapointed that all of this fiddling and cussing did not accomplish better results.
I would like to hear how the exoerts do this.
I sometimes wish that these advancements would not come along. It is hard to keep up. Like they say"Once you have sound you will never go back"
Love the forum but wish I come close to the abilities of most of you!
Cliff
Hi Cliff
Great at 80. I'm 61 and my eyes are getting really bad by the day! So, come on experts, how do you do it? Cliff woiuld like to know and I would like to know before my eyesight totally fails!
Several years ago I bought several PK2 SW7 and have a lot of trouble putting regular DCC decoders in them; but would love to add DCC/Sound. I would like some How To photos and instructions too.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
I used a Loksound Micro with 1/2 of their dual speaker. The speaker is in the cab and I did have to remove the control stand. You can't see the speaker. One caution is to cut a notch in the cab firewall to use for your speaker wires and rear light. these tend to get pinched.
As you can see in the RDG 1519 photo below I broke the handrail stanctions in refitting the body. I would gladly show a picture but this is a very "fussy" removal and replacement and I do not want to break more stanctions.
The sound is very good. Plenty of volume, a little "wanting" on bass but it is good sound none the less.
Chris
Hi Chris
Good job. Can you write us more details about how you went about it, part numbers, etc?
Barry,
LokSound Micro is just that, no P/N it shows in the photo of the chassis above and is installed just like that one. I do not believe you can use the rectangular speaker that comes with it as this is big and does not have a sound chamber.
The Speaker is a dual 0.63 inch with enclosure, P/N LokSound 50447 at Tony's or Litchfield Station.
Using a Razor saw carefully cut the speaker enclosure in half so you have one chamber and of course use it for one speaker. There is enough material between the two enclosures enabling you to reuse the other chamber on another SW. My speaker is vertical facing the firewall of cab. You can not see it. I am quite sure I removed the control stand but try to fit it w/o doing this. It is loud (for me anyway), you do not need to have it face downward or be on bottom of cab.
Go to LokSound website and sample the EMD 567 switcher sounds and choose a horn. You will need to try a few engine sounds with different horns to get the one you like. Write down the sound ID number. If you download your own sounds with the LokSound interface and software (I do and reccomend it) than you are done. If not use the sound ID and order the LokSound Micro with it already on it.
Your biggest challenge is re installing the rear headlight, be careful and slow, leave it in tact unless you plan to change to LED or different voltage bulbs. Cut a single notch in firewall and floor to give you space w/o pinching wires and to hold the wires. The rear bulb wires have a channel cast in the cab for them. Note the flywheel and this will help in clearing this as well. I used LEDs. Check your light bulbs I can't remember if they are 1.5 or 12 volt. I think the LokSound Micro will send them 12 volts unless someone reading this knows for sure what they are. In any event check before powering these bulbs.
By hitting F8 several times you can change between three sound levels. Or by using software you can adjust the volume. Your bass is a little off but the rest will sound great.
Hope this is helpful. Chris
In looking at Reinhard's photo it looks like he used an interconnecting board. His work is very good. I removed the original lightboard and direct wired everything to the LokSound Micro (soldered joints).
My Reading Company SW 900m started as a P2K SW 1200 and I cut off one of the exhaust stacks. This was well before the lower horsepower single stack P2K's were offered.
Hey Chris
That's great, thank you. Will try.
Thanks again