I converted a 3rd F-M Erie Built to DCC with LokSound Select decoders and thought I'd post a few project pictures and a video for any interested. I blew it on the project pics as I wiped my camera card to take the video and I had not moved the work in progress pics to my pc. So I opened the newest conversion to get a lone shot of the completed (2nd) A unit shown below.
The Select is the 6Aux version, hard wired in. The headlight is a 3mm warm white LED with 1k reistor. The speakers are a quad set (for 8 ohms) of 13x18mm Knowles Grands (recently discontinued) in a 0.040" styrene box (9mm height).
The sound file is the F-M 6 cylinder 38D. The Erie Builts had a 38D-10, which I assume is a 10 cylinder version? A neat feature of this sound file is a random cold start failure, which if occurring, then begins a 2nd start which succeeds. And the diesel (prime mover) sound slot playback speed CVs are adjusted slightly so the 3 units do not stay in sync, presumeably making more distinctive (vs unison) sounds at a given time. I have the sound CVs turned down a bit, still a bit too loud at idle, but these units when rev'd up and running do not increase sound volume (compared to idle) as much as most other type Select equipped locos I have. But they are fun to play with.
The video is a bit long, partly due to the length of time taken to start the 3 A-B-A units up sequentially (the B unit shows the cold start failure feature). And the video is apologetically shaky, plus seems to have some wind type noise I haven't figured out (maybe my breathing near the camera mic?). So, for what it's worth if you take a look.
One learning on this 3rd unit concerned properly setting the wheel gauge with the NMRA gauge. Not surprisingly, some of wheels could be turned too easily against its gear. Whether cracked gears or just loose fitting, it needed attention. I did not expect to find these gears readily (don't plan to use NWSL at this point due to cost) as they are not the Athearn style; i.e., they have offset from center gears. Anyway, I decided to try 5 minute epoxy. It seems to work but I had some derailments which came from not setting the gauge precisely. Just getting the wheels pretty much in the NMRA gauge slots is not good enough. One must get them centered in those slots, not just in the slots. When done less precisely, some of them would pick the frog points on my curved code 83 turnouts. Once figured out, this was correctable, even though epoxied. A good twist freed up the wheels so they cound be re-done. Probably since so little epoxy is involved in the tight wheel axle to gear cylinder clearance.
Here's the photo:
Here's the video:
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Those are neat. FM opposed piston engines have a very different sound from the usual EMD and Alco and GE standard. The inclusion of the random start fail is a great touch.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Paul:
Nice installation, great sound, and great video.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Nice job. A few years ago I put Soundtraxx FM decoders into a Proto 1000 C-Liner as well as an Erie-Built. Yours sound much better.
The FM is supposed to be a quieter engine when running, so maybe that's why the sound doesn't increase as much...
Gary
Erie built day or something.
I just finished putting my $40 brand new Tsunami decoder(it pays to asks questions lol), 2 IPhone4S speakers and ebay LED lights in Wednesday morning too!
B unit is just getting a NCE D13SRJ though and I'm going to speed match the pair.
Nice looking install you have there.