I recently asked about how to determine if I can add dcc or sound to various engines and was told the best way was to select the engines I was interested in and ask about them specifically.
So, here goes. I am looking at several Bachmann engines that already have DCC but do not have sound. I don't know how to find out before I purchase the engine how difficult or expensive it would be to add sound. The engines I am interested in are a.) BM Spectrum 4-4-0 w/DCC (item 83403, 83404, or 83408) b.) BM 2-8-0 w/DCC item 51301. c.) BM 2-8-4 w/DCC item 50949. d.) BM GE 70ton switcher w/DCC item 60607. e.) BM 2-10-2 w/DCC item 83310. f.) BM 2-8-2 w/DCC item 83211.
I know I am asking a lot, but I really need the help. If anyone has any experience with these engines I would appreciate whatever you can tell me. Also, if there is a web site or other resource where I can get this info, please let me know.
I would like to have some engines with DCC and sound but my budget will not allow for making the mistake of buying something that is not going to work out the way I expect it to.
thanks to all who reply
wdcrvr
The steamers with tenders is the easier sound install. The 70 tonner is very hard sound install. It will cost you around $120 each for a sound decoder and speaker. Generally it is cheaper to buy an engine with sound already installed. There are cheaper sound decoders but the same rule applies, You get what you pay for. A quality sound,motor and lighting decoder like a Tsunami or QSI is going for $100 retail. Then you will need speakers, shrink tube, soldering supplies, speaker enclosures and either lights or LEDs and resistors.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
If you haven't purchases the engines yet, I, too, recommend buying engines with factory installed DCC sound. The hardest part of the sound installation is mounting the speaker. Why not buy one with the speaker already installed.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Hi!
I've been a model railroader for well over 50 years, but only into DCC for two years. I've gone thru the questions you are asking (been there, done that) and the answer for a "newbie" is to buy locomotives with the sound installed. If you buy a loco and install it yourself, in many cases it will cost you more, but for us relative newcomers, we take a chance of screwing it up and frying a decoder or whatever?
Once I'm comfortable in installing decoders and have my layout fairly well complete, I will probably attempt my own installations on some FB units or a couple of Spectrum steamers. Until then, I'll leave it to the experts.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Realize, much of this is NOT plug and play. There will be some soldering required and possibly making a speaker baffle. I had to remove the PC board and hard wire for the 4-4-0 and 4-6-0.
I have put a Light steam Micro Tsunami in a 4-4-0 and 4-6-0.
A medium steam Micro Tsunami would work in a 2-8-0.Some have done this install with the micro and some have used the standard Tsunami.
All three do not have over 500 ma current at 12 volts DC. The Micro is good for 750 ma.
The 70 ton could use a logging Micro Tsunami. Some have done it.
The last two would be a standard Tsunami.
Email Litchfield Station and ask them. They will tell you which decoders and speakers but not all the details of the installs.
Bruce, Mr DCC, former owner of Litchfield is another good site with some installs listed.
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.
My suggestion - have someone install the first one, then open the shell and see what they did and duplicate it on the others. It always looks intimidating when you see all those wires, but they get hooked up one at a time, and it's pretty obvious most of the time where each one goes. The hardest part about installign sound decoders is getting a place for the speaker and building an enclosure - enclosures are a MUST to get the most out of the small speakers and low power amplifiers of onboard sound decoders.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
To add to Randy's suggestions..........
An airtight speaker enclosure will make or break the sound. Years ago I built speaker enclosures for stereos, and did an experiment or two with them to validate that the back side of the speakers must be in an airtight chamber. My experiments had very obvious results, and I never questioned the need for that afterwards.
There are books on the subject (got mine from Radio Shack many years ago) and they explain what is going on with the air behind and in front of the speaker.
On the subject of sound, it adds so much more to the RR operation. When I blow the whistles/horns and hear that sound, it just makes me smile! That being said, sometimes the sound is "too much", and you have to turn it off - which is no big deal with DCC.