Hello all! This is my first post here on these pages. I have been a longtime reader of both Model Railroader Magazine and these forums. I consider myself to be a rookie model railroader and the advice found within these forums and within the Model Railroader Magazine has been extremely valuable to me. For the last year and half, my young Son and I have been working on a very modest and humble HO scale layout in our garage and have enjoyed it very much. It’s a work in progress (as most folks model railroads seem to be) but we are enjoying the journey together as much as we are looking forward to the destination.
Until now we have been content to run our railroad on DC power, working our GP38-2’s and SD40-2’s in and out of the switches and servicing our ‘industries’. But both of us have been eyeing up DCC for a very longtime, wanting to add locomotive sounds to our layout. My wife recently purchased us an NCE Power Cab starter set and an Atheran Genesis Union Pacific SD70ACe DCC ready locomotive (all SD70’s are among my favorite modern locomotives) as a gift. Anyway, I haven’t installed the NCE system yet as we have no DCC locomotives ready to run. So here are my questions:
1) I believe I read here that the Soundtraxx DCC sound decoder I need is #828053. Is this correct? If not which one do I need?
2) What speaker would I need to get that fits into the ready-made speaker recess/housing in the Athearn SD70ACe? I believe I also read here that some folks use the Soundtraxx speaker #810054. Is this correct? If not which one do I need?
3) I am assuming based on what I have read here and elsewhere, that all of this will work fine on the NCE Power Cab system? Again…rookie…sorry…
4) I have read so much about installing sound decoders and speakers into DCC ready locomotives that I believe I have developed a case of "paralysis-from-analysis"…in other words…a confidence problem. Is doing all this work really as daunting and complicated as it’s made out to be? Is this something that you folks wouldn’t recommend attempting at this stage?
I appreciate any and all advice and thank you for taking of your time to assist a fellow model railroader and rookie. I hope someday that I will be able to have some knowledge, wisdom to impart on others as many of you currently do.
Regards.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
EMD Don.:
I would say welcome to the forums but that isn't quite correct so I will say welcome to posting!
I tried to find the Soundtraxx decoder that you were referring to but I had no success. Anyhow, regardless of the decoders you will use, I think you will find the NCE Power Cab a very capable unit.
Others with more knowledge of decoders will be able to answer your questions better. For now, it is very heartening to hear you talk of your interaction with your son.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Welcome aboard.
Any DCC decoder will work with any DCC command station. The skill level required to install a decoder depends on whether or not the engine has an 8 pin plug factory installed. Check the paperwork that came with your engines.
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Gidday EMD Don, .
The Soundtraxx 828053 sound decoder appears to be the right one, here's a link to their site.....
http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/1000gn.php
EMD.Don .............I believe I have developed a case of "paralysis-from-analysis"…
.............I believe I have developed a case of "paralysis-from-analysis"…
You're definitely not the first
Have Fun,
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
To be able to install decoders, you should know a few things. Most of which you probably already do know.
If the loco says DCC ready, it will most likely have a socket that all you have to do is plug in the DCC decoder. However, the socket is just wired for power and lights. If you want to use a sound decoder, the speaker wiring is usually done by hand.
If you can follow wiring diagrams, can work with small things, and know how to solder, you can probably hard wire in a decoder if you had to. The color coded wires on decoders is almost always the same from one manufacturer to another, except for the speaker wires.
Most of us that do our own decoder installs have a parts box of speakers and enclosures that wouldn't fit something we originally bought them for. So if you don't get it right the first time, just keep it for later. If you think you need help and advice from someone, call Tony's Trains. They are also a good supplier of DCC stuff.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Thanks for the welcome and info guys. In reading the many posts here and elsewhere regarding installing DCC sound decoders into DCC ready locomotives, the general opinions range from 'not that difficult...just take your time and be patient' to 'don't attempt' and everything else in between. I will admit, it is an intimidating project. I think that it's the dollar factor involved that causes that greatest degree of trepidation...between the locomotive, speaker, and decoder...one does not want to mess up!
I forgot to ask about the lights. I am happy with the front and rear lights as well as the ditch lights, so do I need to convert them when I add the sound decoder or can I just keep the Athearn factory installed lights? I would think that all I would have to do is reconnect them to their proper place on the decoder upon installation? I ask becuase I have heard/read about people having to add LED's and resistors.
Thanks all and regards.
You don't have to do anything with the lights if you're using a "plug in" decoder. You may or may not have to do some programing (setting some CVs) for the ditch lights to operate (but probably not).
The main issue with Athearn's lights, is light bulb life. They can easily be replaced with light bulbs from Miniatronics which are far more durable. Replace them in pairs so they match in brightness.. Converting the light bulbs to LEDs in certainly doable, but I don't recomend it at your stage of experience and you'll need some soldering skills for that as well.
Just about all the wiring is color coded, so as long as you keep the colors straight you shouldn't have any problems. The speaker wires are not color coded but hat doesn't matter as either wire can be hooked up to either terminal. If the new decoder isn't shrink wrapped, I do recomend adding a piece of electral tape to the bottom of the decoder board to prevent any shorts.
Don't worry about breaking anything, it can be fixed.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
If you are worried about messing up, get a cheap non sound decoder to practice on. Nothing like an exercise to build you confidence up. The only difference or addition the sound decoder has is two wires for the speaker.
Well, I ordered the speaker and the decoder today. The decoder is the correct one (Soundtraxx Tusnami #828053). The speaker on the other hand may not be the right one. I could only find one speaker that looked like it would fit in the Atheran speaker housing. It's a Soundtraxx #810054. It is 1.1 X 0.21" in dimension, 8 Ohms, and 550-10 KHz speaker...but... it's rated at 0.2 Watt's and the decoder specs call for a 1.0 Watt speaker. Now, I knew this before I ordered it but figured that it won't go to waste should it indeed be the wrong speaker. I can always order another, more correct one and use the one that I just ordered on another sound euipped project at a later date. Incidently, and I do sincerely appologize if this is a dumb question, does 0.2 Watt just mean that the speaker will not be as loud as a 1.0 Watt speaker?
I know why Atheran can't list the exact decoders and speakers required to convert their DCC Ready locomotives to DCC or DCC with sound...but man would it help if they did!
Btw, great tip on picking up a cheaper non-sound decoder to cut my teeth on. I have a Bachmann SD40-2 DCC ready locomotive that I got dirt cheap. I think I might look around online today to see what decoder I need for it. If it's not too pricey I might order one and covert the SD40-2 before I tackle the SD70ACe sound decoder and speaker.
This is all good stuff gents, I am glad that I finally posted here. My confidence level went from pretty low ( ...a.k.a FRUSTRATED...), to fairly solid. Thanks to all!
Regards, Don.
The loco manufacturer isn't going to list what decoder/speaker to use for several reasons. There are multiple choices from multiple sources, and with updates and new versions coming out they are not going to try to keep track of what the options at any particular time are. You are more likely to find the info listed by the decoder manufacturer, since they are trying to sell the decoder.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
Vail and Southwestern RR The loco manufacturer isn't going to list what decoder/speaker to use for several reasons. There are multiple choices from multiple sources, and with updates and new versions coming out they are not going to try to keep track of what the options at any particular time are. You are more likely to find the info listed by the decoder manufacturer, since they are trying to sell the decoder.
Oh I totally agree with your post. Just wishful thinking for those of us who are decoder challenged....
Hi Don,
I was looking on the Soundtraxx website myself for a conversion and noticed they recommend a different speaker for the SD-70 series locomotives. You ordered the right decoder but they recommend the 810113 speaker.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/choose/step3.php?t=ho&s=Athearn
UPinCT Hi Don, I was looking on the Soundtraxx website myself for a conversion and noticed they recommend a different speaker for the SD-70 series locomotives. You ordered the right decoder but they recommend the 810113 speaker. http://www.soundtraxx.com/choose/step3.php?t=ho&s=Athearn
Thanks for that information, it is much appreciated. I figured that the speaker that I ordered was the wrong one. Looking at #810113, I see that it is an oval speaker, whereas the Athearn speaker housing is a circular shape. I wonder how the two would mate up, if it all? Irregardless, I will place an order for the correct speaker and go from there.
Just out of interest...are there other speaker options on the market that are compatible with Soundtraxx Tusanmi? Perhaps there is a circular speaker out there that is compatible with the Soundtraxx sound decoder and would fit into the Athearn speaker housing, thus negating the need for potential major surgery...?
Again, many thanks!
Don,
Before you drive yourself crazy I'd recommend talking to someone at tonystrains. They specialize in DCC and have given me great advice before. It seems strange to me that Soundtraxx specs a oval speaker when you say the Athearn housing is a circular shape,
UPinCT Don, Before you drive yourself crazy I'd recommend talking to someone at tonystrains...
Before you drive yourself crazy I'd recommend talking to someone at tonystrains...
I just may have to do that before I order the other speaker recommended by Soundtraxx. I am staring at my opened up Athearn SD70ACe and the speaker housing is indeed round (well, more round then oval). Comparing it to the pictures of the Soundtraxx speaker recommended and they look to be two different animals. I have never contacted Tonystrains before, but I think I may have to.
Thanks again!
Regards, Don