Hi all, (this is like my 7th post regarding brass engines...I bought quite a few recently)
I found this thing inside the tender of a Sunset brass Santa fe 2-8-2 class 4000 engine. Its clearly user installed. Anyone know what it is?
NOTE: There are 3 wires going from the engine to the tender, a rail pickup, and 2 motor leads.
Is it some PFM sound system? maybe some vintage DCC sound system?
Thanks!
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
Those look like capacitors in there. Maybe it's some kind of "keep alive" system.
That is an old sound system I believe.
.
The wipers on the locomotive driver are there for chuff synchronization.
Hopefully I did not just make a terrible fail, but I believe that is correct.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
That is a model tronics sound system.Modeltronics existed in the latter 1970's to early 1980's..IIRC the sound wasn't to bad for its time but,sound did not catch on like today's computerized sound.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
That's a Modeltronics speaker, but that sure looks like PFM sound board and wiper.
Don
Woah, I've never heard of Modeltronics sound systems, till now. Found a Diesel sound video on Youtube and boy, does it sound vintage!
Nonetheless, I'm gonna try to get this piece to work...just for the fun of it!
Thanks all for the replies!
I was around this hobby for both of those systems and I agree, it looks like a PFM sound board.
Charles, if it is a PFM system, it requires a base station that sends the sound thru the rails to loco.
Sheldon
That is definitely a PFM or similar board. Note there are no active components on the board, just some diodes, capacitors, and a coil or two. This is all to keep the DC out of the speaker and the audio signals and high frequency lighting out of the motor. It will not make sound on its own, it needs the PFM sound console to feed the sounds into the rails.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes, I remember a friend back in the late eighties had a PFM system that was quite nice but like DCC, it needed clean track with clean wheels or the sound was intermittent.
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.
Definitely a PFM sound board and speaker. I have both Components (both speaker and board) in their original packaging in my sound supplies ( i just have never got rid of them). the speakers are top notch. The board is useless unless you have a PFM sound base station which are pretty much gone nowadays.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Ah, I stand corrected. I heard some clips online on the PFM sound, and I gotta say it sounds pretty nice! A real shame I dont have a PFM soundboard.
Thanks for the replies!
Charles,
Save the ported speaker. They sound great with Tsunamis or other modern sound decoders.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site