Sound decoders for OLD Athearn???

[phatkat64]

Next N00B question....

Now that I've fallen hard for sound-equipped DCC locos, I want to convert my old fleet, if I can!
They are almost all Athearn Blue Box Geeps(except for 2 F-Units), and 2 of them have Sagami can motors and isolated(not frame grounded) wiring.

[I'm guessing that the un-prototypically wide hoods of those Geeps will make speker placement easier!]

[I know the Athearns with the original motors need rewiring and motors completely isolated.]

I also have one old (1995) Atlas C30-7. The hood on that one looks almost completely filled!!

What I want: Part numbers! Including speakers that will actually fit without major milling (I'm on a fixed income). I want to do it right the first time!

[Last Chance]

That is quite a list.

Think about decoders with very high AMP tolerance. Maybe 1.5 or even 2.0 for those old Athearns.

For the cost of decoders, wire and speakers for sound on those old athearns you can buy NEW RTR Athearns already ready to go either DCC ready to accept a decoder (And draw less power) or with the MRC's for a little extra.

Good luck!

[modelmaker51]

You would be better off contacting: http://www.tonystrains.com/  They're very helpfull and know their stuff, there's also an excellent DCC primer on his site. Or contact Sountrax or Digitrax directly.

[phatkat64]

That is quite a list.
Think about decoders with very high AMP tolerance. Maybe 1.5 or even 2.0 for those old Athearns.

For the cost of decoders, wire and speakers for sound on those old athearns you can buy NEW RTR Athearns already ready to go either DCC ready to accept a decoder (And draw less power) or with the MRC's for a little extra.
Good luck!

It's a good point, but there's sentimental value in those 20+ year old rigs. They're custom painted to my railroad, and besides, back to value, should I have to replace locos I paid about $17.00 for new $80.00+ locos that I can't even get paint to stick to the handrails???

I will check out Tony's...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Avoid MRC decoders. They invaribly go 'POOF'!

[MisterBeasley]

Been there.

I have a collection of old Athearn engines that are close to 50 years old.  Yes, they have sentimental value, and that's why I cleaned them up, isolated the motors and installed decoders.  (Non-sound.  This was a few years back.)  They did not run well at all.  I looked into replacing motors and wheelsets, and then I found brand new Geeps for $40 on sale, same Milwaukee paint scheme.  It was actually cheaper to buy new ones.

I did manage to get one out of about 10 of these engines running reliably with a decoder.  It's an ancient F7.  It's the loudest thing on my layout, even though it does not have a sound decoder in it.  Yeah, old Athearn gear noise.

I've gutted the 2 rubber-band drive engines (1 Geep, 1 F7) and they now run as dummies, or "honorary," engines.  I actually used the old gear-drive Geep last week, but it was as a weight to hold down track I was gluing in place.  I could neuter that one, too, but I've got a small layout and I've already got more active engines than I can keep on-table at one time.

So, first of all, I'd advise you strongly not to cling too much to sentimentality.  If these engines run quite well, then they may be worth installing decoders.  However, you need to listen to them before you install sound.  If they have a lot of motor or gear noise, then you may need to turn the sound decoder volume up to an uncomfortable level to drown it out.

Get one cheap non-sound decoder and wire it in.  See how the engine runs on DCC first, before you invest a pile of money and a lot of effort in putting sound into a marginal performer.

[phatkat64]

OK, that helps my decision!

I'm going to put sound units in the Sagami-converted ones, re-motor the two that are quiet, and gut the noisy ones to become dummies....

Can I still have headlights in the dummy units??

[wjstix]

Well you can always run two wires from a powered unit to a dummy and light it up that way. You can pick up track power from the dummy engine's trucks, but the lights will probably flicker a bit.

Check out Tony's 1/2" speaker and enclosure, so far I haven't found an engine I couldn't fit them in.

BTW a dummy can fit a really big speaker, I have a powered FT A unit with a dummy B unit connected by a drawbar with a 1" speaker in it. The wires run thru the windows of the doors between the units. The cab of a GP or SD should be able to fit a 3/4" or 1" speaker too.

[RDG1519]

Wjstix is right, I have put a LokSound 3.5 with EMD 645 SW 1500 prime mover in a 10 year old SW1500. I custom detailed and painted it for Reading Company. The speaker is the LokSound Twin .63 inch with the rectangular enclosure cut in half and glued back to back. The speaker lives in the cab and you can barely see it. This SW 1500 was always a good, if noisey performer. With LokSound DCC and sound it is now one of my favorites, if these Athearns have value to you, keep them and upgrade them, it's your railroad. My 2 cents.

[phatkat64]

Thanks! They represent the beginning of my hobby, and I'm not ready to make paperweights out of them!

So so far, I hear LokSound is the best, with Soundtraxx right up there - and don't touch MRC with a 10-foot pole!

If I were to replace my old Athearn motors with the new Athearn motors, would it make enough difference in current draw to convert those to DCC/Sound???

I definately plan on getting new DCC/Sound diesels and steamers - I'm just trying to save the old gals.....

[Last Chance]

Good bye... Old Paint! ... Many a Dogie we have run... Gooood BYE!!! Old Paint....

 

Cheers.

 

Best of luck!

[dragenrider]

Thanks! They represent the beginning of my hobby, and I'm not ready to make paperweights out of them!

So so far, I hear LokSound is the best, with Soundtraxx right up there - and don't touch MRC with a 10-foot pole!

If I were to replace my old Athearn motors with the new Athearn motors, would it make enough difference in current draw to convert those to DCC/Sound???

I definately plan on getting new DCC/Sound diesels and steamers - I'm just trying to save the old gals.....

I was in the same position with many of my old Athearns.  They were painted for my railroad and had a lot of sentimental value.  Remotoring them does wonders for both the performance and the installation of DCC with sound. 

[DANSGRANDPAPA]

Well here we go, its almost de javu, I also have a nice old inventory of blue box loco's. my best luck comes from using a digitrax (no sound) premium dual mode decoder. I will now give the sound bug a shot. I had failure with MRC and soundtrax. Hope this helps! Doug

[phatkat64]

Thank you guys!!!!

 That's just about what I wanted - to hear from people who have converted them, not the one's telling me not to do it.....
It's not the best idea economically, but I guess you have to be gen-X or older to get it.

Those old Blue Box Athearns were no the state of the art - not even then! They were however, before Irv Athearn died, a promise that the company would deliver locomotives, in up to date models and liveries for a CHEAP price (not what they call a VALUE today!). Except for the DD40, PA-1 and Trainmaster, they were sold for under 20 bucks right up untill 'Ol Irv died!
[Check out ANY magazine ad before 1993]
Prices did hold out a little longer, untill Irv's widow passed, and Horizon bought the whole thing...

Yes, quality is vastly improved today, but at what cost? This is no longer a hobby poor people can enjoy, and if you're older than about 35, you know that.

Those old locomotives represent what a kid mowing lawns could afford, and what sparked and inspired me into this hobby. I want to move most of them into the 21st century, and wanted to know HOW!

 

 

[Last Chance]

Bought a pair of Blue Box NW Switchers (1500's I think they were labeled)

I wanted two powered units but was told by me Pa that one power is more than enough. I think it was 22.50 for the Powered Cow and 14.00 something for the dummy calf switchers. I would eventually (20 years later) power the calf with a 20 dollar powered chassis. The thing would stall on the plastic switch frogs at yard speeds.

But once cow and calf both got powered no more stalls, one will pull the other through. Sure wished I spent that extra 8 dollars or whatever for two powered units from the beginning, would have been much cheaper and less hassle.

Bring on the 40's from Athearn. These were flywheels, all wheel pickup, robust idiot proof wiring, strong pulling and just all around sturdy.

for 25 dollar engines Athearn did a great job so long ago. Thanks Irv!

 

 

[mike_ruby]

Next N00B question....

Now that I've fallen hard for sound-equipped DCC locos, I want to convert my old fleet, if I can!
They are almost all Athearn Blue Box Geeps(except for 2 F-Units), and 2 of them have Sagami can motors and isolated(not frame grounded) wiring.

[I'm guessing that the un-prototypically wide hoods of those Geeps will make speker placement easier!]

[I know the Athearns with the original motors need rewiring and motors completely isolated.]

I also have one old (1995) Atlas C30-7. The hood on that one looks almost completely filled!!

What I want: Part numbers! Including speakers that will actually fit without major milling (I'm on a fixed income). I want to do it right the first time!

Hi
Yes you can fit DCC to old Athearn, I've fitted several with DCC power and sound. They all had the lower current thinner motors, which I had to hot glue into place as the motor mounts disintegrated when I removed them to isolate them!

I've fitted 1A Lenz decoders, with Soundtraxx sound, in future I would use Loksound. Here is my 20+ year old SD40-2T



It has been upgraded with a snow plough, correct hand brake, MU cables, modern lighting etc. Still needs the numbers and weathering and getting rid of the chassis pips.

Mike Ruby