The frame has to be modfied to allow for the speaker.
The modified frame with trucks back in place. Ready for the headlights and decoder.
!6mm X 25 mm speaker and baffle.
Speaker and baffle in the loco shell.
Next will be to install the LokSound Micro v3.5 with 44 ton sound..
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Rich,
Thanks for your updates. Keep them coming. You've got me interested in doing this install in my 44 tonner.
Joe
Hello Joe and All
Cutting the pieces out of the frame was about the hardest thing to do. Four cuts total. A little bit of filing after.
The LokSound Micro v3.5 with 44 ton sound decoder will be hard wired. No PC board or plastic shelf that was in the original loco. The decoder will be on the left side in the unfinished picture. The speaker over the right part of the frame.
Below is a picture from someone who did this. This is my inspiration.
Here is the decoder install on the chassis. I use shrink tube on all splices. I never test an install without insulation at the splices. Kapton tape holds everything in place. The two orange wires are for the speaker. The blue and green will be to operate a roof strobe. I painted the rear of the bulbs with liquid black vinyl to keep the light out of the cab. It is a great running loco. Very quiet.
Photo of the finished model. I added a beacon, Details West RB-106 which is cored for a 1.2mm dia. Miniatronics 1.5 volt bulb. I used a 470 ohm 1/8 watt resistor which limits the voltage to about 1.1 volt.
Wow, that's amazing!
I've got one, and plan on installing a decoder at some point - and expected it to be a major project.
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Making the cuts with the Dremel was the hardest part you might say. Stripped everything out of the frame.
Splicing the leads together and soldering was not too bad. I have done a lot of different soldering over the past 40 years. I shrink tube all splices.
For the beacon. I cut the two bulb leads to about one inch long before inserting it in the roof hole and splice in some 0.007” diameter magnet wire. Coated the splices with black liquid vinyl, liquid vinyl tape, equivalent. Don't forget the 470 ohm resistor at the decoder green wire if you use the LokSound decoder. Not sure a Micro-Tsunmai decoder would fit besides the LokSound is 44 ton. You can hear both engines start when the loco is called up.
That way, the wire leads up to the roof top strobe are virtually invisible.
I put a layer of Kapton tape on the loco frame as extra insulation for the wiring.
I kept the original 12 volt bulbs for the lights but might go to LED's.
I have now put LokSound micro 3.5 decoders in two Spectrum 44 tonners with good results. The first one has the speaker in the cab, not the best place for it but not too objectional. I salvaged a cab window from another 44 tonner shell to enclose the open window on the one side so as to make the speaker less visible. I modified the frame with a Dremel on the second engine and placed the speaker in the hood portion as you are doing. The sound is a little better in this location in my opinion. I simply copied the CV's from the first unit to the second, using my LokProgrammer--a must if you plan to use more than one ESU decoder (I have 3 and plan to add a fourth soon). Thus both engines run the same and use the same function keys. I hope your install works well! I opted for LED's for my units--a tight fit!
John
Mebane, NC
Here is a short video. The loco has two 160 hp diesels so not very loud. You can hear both diesels start and come to an idle.
I have purchased a Sony cam corder so I should have better videos in the future. I was all by myself trying to do this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDosTzkQiWg