I purchased the newest version of Athearn's RTR SD45T-2 in HO Scale. This is a great looking model for the price and has lots of nice detailed parts.
I want to add either a Tsunami or Loksound decoder and speaker to the locomotive. Space is at a premium in this locomotive and I am just wondering if anyone else out there has added a sound to one of these locomotives? There seems to be plenty of space for the decoder but I would like to get in a decently sized speaker somewhere. I could get a 1/2 inch speaker above the board which could sound out of the open fans. I would prefer a larger speaker though.
The model is not "sound ready" so I could mill out the fuel tank, remove the rear weight, or try some milling around the dynamic brake exhaust area. Any tips on this would be helpful.
I'd open up the radiator fans or the 'tunnel' intakes and put the speaker in that area, with an enclosure.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It's really hard to say without seeing the model with and without the shell but I was told by a very very good technician who specializes in dcc installs in brass locomotives that when ever possible you always want the speaker facing down toward the track. This way the sound bounces off the board and resonates back instead of just going off into space. Kind of makes sense when you think about it. I have a Big Boy on the work bench right now I installed the Loksound decoder under the boiler with plenty of room to spare, from the factory the speaker is installed in the front behind the head light, to run larger speakers I opted to place them in the tender and option you don't have unfortunately, but whats to stop you form placing a couple of larger speakers in a freight car behind the locomotive? So the car and the loco will be a permanent set up but who cares if it gives you the sound you want.Probably not the best option but one none the less.
Not sure how much difference there is dimensionally between the SD45T-2 and SD40T-2. I have a 40T and was able to fit a 16 x 35mm oval in an enclosure in the back above the radiator intakes facing down. Sound comes out those nice big grills. I honestly can't remember if I removed the weight, I think I just cut it down and "hung" the speaker from the bottom of it.
I've done a few installs now and have to say the the SD40T-2 was by far the easiest. There's plenty of room for a decent size speaker.