Adding sound to SW1200

[basementdweller]

I have an HO Lifelike 2000 SW1200 switcher that I would like to try adding sound to. I have done plenty of non-sound decoder installs including hardwiring deoders, so that part doesn't concern me.

What I can not seem to find out is if there is even enough room to install a speaker? Could I put the speaker in the cab?

Is there  specific decoder made for this locomotive?

 Would weight have to be removed from this loco? in which case I may not want to do as it is currently such a great running loco.  Any info would be appreciated. Perhaps I should start with an easier install for my first sound decoder. Thanks.

[rrinker]

 It's doable, but you may have to remove the cab interior to make speaker room. Thee isn't a specific decoder, you need to use something small. The Loksound Select Micro is a bit smaller than a MicroTsunami and doesn't have overheating issues. Slightly higher current rating, too.

 This will be a tight spaces install - if you haven't done sound before, I'd suggest starting with something that has more space inside first.

 There is a Yahoo group, Rick Bell's RPM Clinics, which has detailed installs about once a month, the files section has all the past ones (until they run out of room and delete the oldest ones). Not sure iof they've done the SW1200 but they have done similarly small switchers and you can probably get some ideas there. I've saved off the files for everything I might pontentially need (I don't model modern era, so when they do a Dash 8 or something, I look at it for ideas but don't save). He uses mostly Tsunamis, I find the Loksound decoders much nicer, but the biggest issue in fitting sound is getting the speakers and an enclosure in, and that doesn;t really matter which decoder you use.

                --Randy

 

[hon30critter]

I have put sound into a P2K SW1200 and a P2K S3.

In both cases I mounted the speaker in the roof of the cab. In the case of the S3 I fabricated a speaker enclosure from styrene using the inside of the roof as one side of the enclosure. For the SW1200 I used a standard mini oval speaker and enclosure. The scratch built enclosure works a bit better because it doesn't intrude into the cab as far. You could modify a stock enclosure to make it fit the profile of the roof.

Here is the S3 with speaker installed:

The speaker shows up because of the camera flash, but under normal lighting it isn't that obvious. I would suggest removing part of the cab interior floor to allow the sound to escape around the rear truck. If you look at the second picture you can see where I removed material. You won't be able to see it with the cab installed.

As for the sound decoder, I have used QSI, Tsunami and Loksound. I find the Loksound to be the easiest to program so that it what I intend to use in the future. The proper Loksound Select part number is 73406 and the Loksound micro is 73806.

You will lose some weight, but it is a switcher engine so it likely won't be pulling too many cars at once. If you have to pull larger cuts, MU two of them together. Its only money!

Here is the inside of the S3. You can see where some of the weight was removed. Your SW1200 won't look exactly the same.

By the way, this was one of the first sound installations I did (you can see the overkill with the two pin connectors), so disregard the polite warnings about the difficulty level and go for it.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[Mark R.]

I just finished doing that exact install ! I repowered the engine with a Kato motor laying on its side which gave me much more vertical clearance under the hood. I also eliminated the front flywheel which enabled me to install a 16X32mm speaker and enclosure under the front of the hood. A loksound Micro decoder easily fit on top of the motor ....

Mark.

[PennCentral99]

I installed a Soundtraxx Tsunami TSU-750 sound decoder in a Proto 2000 S-3. I mounted the speaker in the cab on the underside of the roof. Here's a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feTfDSZe34g

[basementdweller]

Thanks everyone for the positive replies, I will make this install a priority on my DCC to do list.

Thanks again.

Martin.