Hi everybody, I am planing to install a soundtraxx Tsunami TSU-1000 non turbocharged 654 engine I believe and was wondering if anyone had done this and how one can do it. Also, I have an SP version and want to have the rooftop beacon work and add ditch lights to the front and back. Help Please! Photos would be the best!
Personally, I think you'd be much better off purchasing a new locomotive with DCC/Sound already installed. The Tsunami decoder in these is programmed with mars lights, red emergency lights on both ends, number board lights, and good quality speakers.
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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.
Where you see, View full version, click on Athearn's New MP15AC is a winner!.
That will take you to a forum I belong to and the person is there. Join the forum and ask for more detail. It is permissible and very useful to belong to multiple forums for a lot of good modeling help. Don't restrict yourself to one forum.
Rich
I already have an Athearn Genesis SP MP15AC with speed lettering so I just need help on the instal of a Tsunami decoder but thanks anyway.
The TSU-1000 will not fit. I tried it. I had the same situation as you; one sound equipped MP15AC and one not. The board used in the factory sound equipped version is a hybrid board and not available to the general public. It is made specifically for this Athearn model.
My final solution was to buy another sound equipped model on a closeout for $99 and transplant the sound board and speaker in the unit I wanted to equip. The $99 is actually cheaper than what you can buy the components for (if you can find some that will fit). Check the price for a mini Tsunami and a suitable speaker and you are easily over $100. For $99 I got the sound system I wanted plus lots of spare parts. The mini Tsunami would probably fit, but pretty costly. Good luck.
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Ohhhhhh. Thank you soooo much. That would have been a very expensive mistake. Well I will look for a cheap one but if I cant find one I will try the mini Tsunami.
Well, this is a bummer. I'm almost ready to pop for my DCC system, and this exact same engine (although CSX) would be my first one to convert. I thought it would be a simple plug and play.
But what am I missing, looking at the Soundtraxx site? The product selector shows the TSU-1000 as being the one to use in this engine. Not so?
Width and thickness look ok, the length though - that is goign to be very touch to fit int herewithout stripping the factory board and hard wiring things. And then there's finding room for the speaker and enclosure. Sound is almost NEVER plug and play, mainly because of the speakers, unless it's a unit like Atlas, where the Silver series wothout sound still have the same frame with the speaker mounts in it, so all you need are a pair of the correct size speakers and you're good.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Oh. Ok, well I was planning on hard wiring it anyway so it will fit if I go that way?
It will not fit no matter if you hardwire or whatever. Trust me, I tried it. I removed the factory board also, but there is just not enough vertical clearance and then you have to find a place for the speaker. Take your sound equiped version apart and look at the type of board in it and the custom speaker. Compare that with the shrinkwrapped TSU-1000 and you'll get the picture. You also have to cobble the cab to find a place to stick the capacitor and find room to cram the light wires in the shell.
Soundtraxx is telling you what decoder to use for the correct SOUND, but that doesn't mean it will fit. The only other decoder install I've seen for an MP15 is a Lok Sound at a mere $156. Look here:
http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/the-DCC-Components-cln-Sound-Upgrade-Kits-cln-Athearn/Categories
Lok Sound also uses 100 ohm speakers which are not exactly easy to find. I only paid $179 for my factory sound version. If you want to stick another $156 into your model. be my guest. Like I said before, buy another unit with sound regardless of the roadname just for the parts and you'll be ahead and have something that works and fits.
Good luck!
Thanks Hergy. This would have been my first conversion and I thought it looked simple enough. Even the dimensions of the board (width & length) listed on the Soundtraxx site looked like it would fit. I thought there would be enough room above the nose weight to fit a small speaker - maybe with a little milling involved.
But that makes two much more experienced modelers than myself saying not to try it, so I won't. How about a simple DCC conversion with no sound. Could I do it with a Digitrax? Or something else?
To be fair, that Ulrich kit is a true plug and play installation, it's not just a bare Loksound decoder. It includes a wiring harness properly sized plus the speaker and enclosure. All you have to do is plug it in and position the components as shown in the instructions so the shell fits back on. Pretty nifty actually.
Are you speaking of the Athearn Genesis MP-12 AC? I have two and there is plenty of room for a rectangular speaker in the nose by simply pulling two screws that hold the front weight on. the weight is almost the same thickness as the speaker and enclosure (enclosure will have to be shaved a bit on top).
As far as the decoder I used a drop-in MRC but am not happy with the sound volume which on high setting sounds like the lowest setting of most decoders.
Finally! I have a plan. I am going to add ditch lights on both ends in addition to the beacon already on it. I'm going to plug in that Ulrich "package" of the sound decoder. Then, for the functions I am going to plug in a TCS FL4 decoder into the JST plug. Then, well I have no idea how to program. Anyone know if I can do this and how can I program it?
BTW, the beacon is already plugged into the light board.
i think it will work but I'm not 100% sure.