kbkchooch NSColsMP6 kbkchooch And yes, I did wire the lights too. What did you use for the lights? Also, how did you route the wiring on the front light? Didn't seem like much space and I didn't want to go straight through with wires extending out of the back of the lamp housing. I'd prefer to use golden white LED's but bulbs would do if that's the only thing small enough. its a 14 v miniatronics bulb. The wiring is concealed under the running board, the headlight housing drilled from the bottom and front.
NSColsMP6 kbkchooch And yes, I did wire the lights too. What did you use for the lights? Also, how did you route the wiring on the front light? Didn't seem like much space and I didn't want to go straight through with wires extending out of the back of the lamp housing. I'd prefer to use golden white LED's but bulbs would do if that's the only thing small enough.
kbkchooch And yes, I did wire the lights too.
And yes, I did wire the lights too.
its a 14 v miniatronics bulb. The wiring is concealed under the running board, the headlight housing drilled from the bottom and front.
Could you post some pics of your install? I'm kind of curious as to how you did it.At my LHS the smallest 14v bulbs I saw seemed to be 2.4mm bulbs (http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/475-1801410). They seemed a little big to fit inside the fixtures provided.I picked up some smaller 1.5v bulbs. They looked like a better fit size-wise, but later I was reading that they aren't very bright, don't last very long, and require resistors in-line.The 14v would be wired directly to the decoder outputs without resistors and would be brighter - but I'm kind of curious about how you mounted the bulbs. Does the bulb on the front enter from the bottom of the fixture with a hole in the front of the fixture to allow light to escape?As for the one on the back, it looks like there is a mounting nub for the fixture that would need to be removed - and the fixture itself would have a hole drilled through it - maybe with the fixture being supported by the bulb protruding through the shell?
Karl
NCE über alles!
In which case you still want the V4 Micro, not Select Micro, so you cn actually change the individual sounds.
I guess it depends on what you are going for - authentic chuffs, or Thomas on the TV show sounds, like the theme music and Thomas 'talking'
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
No, they dont have the correct sound files. Its going to take recording the appropriate files, mixing them, putting them in the correct format them loading them into the decoder. No "off the shelf" files here, but it can be done.
I don't think the LokSound Select has a correct sound file for a Thomas, but the V4 European verson may -- there are many more sound files for the V4 available than for the Select.
This is the regular decoder in my Bachmann Thomas
One of my planned projects will be to load the correct sound files into a Loksound select micro decoder, with a Zimo speaker
This oughta fit.
Sound in a coach will work, but our Thomas is also now fitted with Kadees, and pulls ANYTHING. Whatever the boys want!
Another oldie but goodie resurrected.
Doubt the decoder and speaker will fit inside Thomas, but plenty of people have stuck the electronics in Annie or Clarabelle. The Digitrax decoders are a good choice here because you can set your own sounds to each function. Just rememebr that all the voices and music from Thomas are copywrited, and using them for a public train show likely constitutes a violation as a "public performance". If you set something like this up and just run it on your home layout to amuse the grandkids, I doubt the police will be breaking down your door though.
I wonder if this could be fit in:http://www.digitrax.com/products/sound-decoders/sdh166d/
You're on the right track with putting the speakers in the other cars. I participated in an HO module show this weekend. A fellow there had an HO Thomas with sound and DCC. I inquired a little about it and he had put part of what he needed in the coach cars and wired together. I didn't ask about other details but know it can be done. He also had a bell or horn that he though sounded pretty close to Thomas.
Tim Fahey
Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR
Phoebe Vet I vote with Mr. B. Put a sound only decoder in Annie. Unless you have changed the couplers you will not be making and breaking that train with any regularity.
I vote with Mr. B. Put a sound only decoder in Annie.
Unless you have changed the couplers you will not be making and breaking that train with any regularity.
Actually, my son got so frustrated at derailing entire trains while trying to uncouple one car that I installed Kaydee #5's on all of his Thomas equipment. It's tricky, and they hang very low without major modification to the rolling stock, but it can be done.
Two years later, he's basically outgrown it and is now using some of my castoff stuff. He had lots of fun with it, though.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
Lord knows there are tons of Thomas toys with sound, I hear them in my sleep unfortunately as we have it and just about every other toy on the market with sound in our house. I like the idea of the sound chip form a book or even take a walk through Toys R Us and see what they have to offer as sacrificial donors to the cause. One word of advice bring the kids along they don't look at you so strangely then when you start playing with the toys. 'Want to talk about a million dollar idea though, I bet there isn't a father in the country or the world for that matter who is a train guy who wouldn't buy a Thomas Sound decoder for their kids well at least thats the excuse they'll use.
The idea of the sound units from the Thomas books is an interesting one. As a variation, how about mounting the sound unit beneath the layout, and triggering it with a reed switch contact? The reed switch would be buried in the ballast, and the magnet would be on one of the cars, or perhaps the engine if there's a spot for it. When that car passes over that section of track, the unit plays. A set of 5 reed switches and magnets from Miniatronics is under $10, and the installation, while a bit time-consuming, is trivial. You wouldn't have throttle control of the sounds, but the kids would still appreciate the effect, and you can't beat it for the price.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Allegheny2-6-6-6 http://www.skingtrains.com/servlet/the-551/Bachmann-58741-HO-Thomas/Detail
Interesting-- that S. King web site has, by my count, FIVE separate prices for exactly the same thing.... take your pick I guess :-)
Allegheny2-6-6-6John,I'm sitting here contemplating what your getting yourself into and thinking well I might be doing the same thing myself. Here are a few links for DCC installs for Thomas and also a few for Hornby and Bachmann models with decoders already installed. But if I'm understanding you correctly and please excuse me if I'm wrong but your wanting the "Thomas sounds" and not so much the generic steam engine sounds correct. "Bust my buffers" and "Cinders and Ashes" yes we watch Thomas every morning while waiting for the school bus so I feel your pain...........lol The only way I could see it being done as I haven't been able to find a commercial decoder with Thomas sounds is if you has lets say something like Decoder pro or one of the other similar deals where you can update sound files etc. via PC downloads. You would need to copy the Thomas sound files from some where and download them to the decoder.I can't see why the market geniuses haven't already come out with a Thomas with sound model as kids would love it. even us big kids.
John,
I'm sitting here contemplating what your getting yourself into and thinking well I might be doing the same thing myself. Here are a few links for DCC installs for Thomas and also a few for Hornby and Bachmann models with decoders already installed. But if I'm understanding you correctly and please excuse me if I'm wrong but your wanting the "Thomas sounds" and not so much the generic steam engine sounds correct. "Bust my buffers" and "Cinders and Ashes" yes we watch Thomas every morning while waiting for the school bus so I feel your pain...........lol The only way I could see it being done as I haven't been able to find a commercial decoder with Thomas sounds is if you has lets say something like Decoder pro or one of the other similar deals where you can update sound files etc. via PC downloads. You would need to copy the Thomas sound files from some where and download them to the decoder.
I can't see why the market geniuses haven't already come out with a Thomas with sound model as kids would love it. even us big kids.
Yes, that's essentially it. I don't think any of us (my son[s] or I) care about the exclamations, the music might be fun but I could do that externally, and probably a better idea anyway or else my kid would do it constantly and drive me crazy :-)
As far as I'm concerned, the quintessential Thomas is his "Peeeep Peeeep" high-pitched, dual tone whistle. Add a generic 'chug-chug' as I suggested previously and I think that'd do it for us. Maybe also a generic bell. I can't remember if the "real" Thomas has one or not, but Mason (my kid) likes to ring the bell on our other locos.
I liked the previous poster's suggestion though about seeing if its possible to dissect one of those el-cheapo supermarket Thomas sound books... that might be just the ticket. Not too loud, easy to rig up-- as he suggested its probably possible to control off a DCC function line, so no expensive sound controller needed at all, except maybe for the chugga-chugga-- hmmm that could be a hitch.... will have to see what "books" are available and what sound options they have. Even if that doesn't turn out to directly be a viable solution, it might be enough to grab the sounds from....
Lots of good suggestions here tonight!
Thanks for the reply and the links.
John
jrcBoze John -I'd be real interested to hear if you got anything working with sound in Thomas. My own approach - one of many unfinished projects - is to put a sound unit of *some kind* into Annie or Clarabel, as has already been mentioned. Of course this means that *this* engine has to remain coupled to the pasx cars for sound to work. As someone has observed, with those Bachmann couplers, I'm not sure how much 'switching' you're going to do anyway.One idea I have is to use a regular motor decoder (TCS or other small) in Thomas, with at least one extra function lead (besides headlight). Then I have a couple of those Thomas 'books' with sound devices that sound-off when you push a button. I'm thinking there might be a way to use the extra motor decoder output to 'activate' the book-chip-mounted-in-Annie, with speaker. One could even program this function to F2, if desired.So far all I've done is disassemble Thomas and rip apart the book. Not too hard to see how it works.Dick
John -
I'd be real interested to hear if you got anything working with sound in Thomas. My own approach - one of many unfinished projects - is to put a sound unit of *some kind* into Annie or Clarabel, as has already been mentioned. Of course this means that *this* engine has to remain coupled to the pasx cars for sound to work. As someone has observed, with those Bachmann couplers, I'm not sure how much 'switching' you're going to do anyway.
One idea I have is to use a regular motor decoder (TCS or other small) in Thomas, with at least one extra function lead (besides headlight). Then I have a couple of those Thomas 'books' with sound devices that sound-off when you push a button. I'm thinking there might be a way to use the extra motor decoder output to 'activate' the book-chip-mounted-in-Annie, with speaker. One could even program this function to F2, if desired.
So far all I've done is disassemble Thomas and rip apart the book. Not too hard to see how it works.
Dick
Oh man! What a fabulous suggestion! Those sound-books can't run on more than maybe 1.5 - 3.0 volt-ish DC and not much current-- I've never taken one apart before but you know they gotta be cheap and I doubt they put much more than a button battery or two in there for power... that'd be very easy to rig up, and the push-buttons are usually simple bubble-membrane (capacitive membrane) that's easy enough to glom onto-- something with an open-collector to pull it down should work.... very, very, VERY good suggestion!
http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips4/thomas_tips.html#thomas_sound
http://www.skingtrains.com/servlet/the-551/Bachmann-58741-HO-Thomas/Detail
http://www.trainsontime.co.uk/fitted-hornby-thomas-tank-engine-p-3329.html
http://www.tonystrains.com/download/dec-installation-hout.pdf
Phoebe VetI vote with Mr. B. Put a sound only decoder in Annie. Unless you have changed the couplers you will not be making and breaking that train with any regularity.
Maybe that's the best solution.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
jwhitten All I'd really need sound-wise I think is a generic "Chug-chug" (preferably timed with the drivers just for my own sanity :-) and the little dual-toned high-pitched "Peeeeep Peeeeeeep" sound it makes when the whistle is blown. I think that would be more than sufficient.
All I'd really need sound-wise I think is a generic "Chug-chug" (preferably timed with the drivers just for my own sanity :-) and the little dual-toned high-pitched "Peeeeep Peeeeeeep" sound it makes when the whistle is blown. I think that would be more than sufficient.
Really? I'd want some conversational vocalizations because they are what make the "prototypes" distinctive.
Mark
JavelinaFIDDLESTICKS! What's all this about sound decoders. When I was a lad, after walking home from school uphill in the snow, I made my own sound effects for my train set. Kids these days, Harumph. Lou
FIDDLESTICKS! What's all this about sound decoders. When I was a lad, after walking home from school uphill in the snow, I made my own sound effects for my train set. Kids these days, Harumph.
Lou
I tried downloading "Whoo Whoo" and "Ding Ding Ding" into my Tsunami but the effect just wasn't the same... although the "Sssssshhhhhh" cylinder steam release wasn't too bad, the "Chugga Chugga" left a little to be desired...
(shrug)
What can ya do?
MisterBeasleyHow about putting a sound-only decoder in Annie or Clarabell? I don't have any of the Thomas series myself, but I'd imagine these cars would have plenty of room for a decoder and speaker. I'd recommend a SoundBug from Digitrax for this. It can be programmed easily with a PR3. For this application, you're not concerned with back EMF or fine motor control at low speed, so the expense of a LokSound or other high-end decoder isn't really worth it. What kind of sounds would you use? I don't watch Thomas myself.
How about putting a sound-only decoder in Annie or Clarabell? I don't have any of the Thomas series myself, but I'd imagine these cars would have plenty of room for a decoder and speaker.
I'd recommend a SoundBug from Digitrax for this. It can be programmed easily with a PR3. For this application, you're not concerned with back EMF or fine motor control at low speed, so the expense of a LokSound or other high-end decoder isn't really worth it.
What kind of sounds would you use? I don't watch Thomas myself.
I am considering the Annie/Claribel angle, although my 2yo kid is more sophisticated than just watching them go round and round-- he likes helping me block the yard and doing pick-ups and set-outs, and he also likes running the passenger train between the stations. So putting the sound in Annie/Claribel would probably work, the sound would only be there when they are part of the train.
Yet, on the other hand, the question remains-- how often do I have to see Thomas on the layout... my thought is "more" if I actually show it to him, and "less" if I don't....
BRVRRIf you find a decoder/speaker combo that will fit in Thomas let me/us know. I have a 3-truck Shay that has me stumped so far.
Doesn't Bachmann make a 3-truck Shay w/sound? Why not find out what they're using and do the same thing?
Try measuring the inside cab roof. A Soundtraxx TSU-750 light engine MIGHT fit in there. I managed to fit one in there on a Bachmann 0-6-0T
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
BRVRR I have a 3-truck Shay that has me stumped so far.
I have a 3-truck Shay that has me stumped so far.
Years ago, when Bachmann first released their Spectrum 3-truck Shay, SoundTraxx made a special sound decoder for it. You may be able to find one still available on e-Bay. SoundTraxx dropped the line a long time ago. IIRC, only a 1/2 inch round speaker would fit and produced very weak sound.
There isn't a lot of room inside of Thomas. I have installed a Digitrax DZ123 decoder in my grandson's Thomas. Any sound or sound and power decoder would have to be very small. Don't forget you are going to need space for a speaker tool.
I have sound decoders mounted under the layout for use with non-sound equipped locomotives. For steam sounds I use DSD100-LC Soundtraxx decoders. I MU the under table decoder to the locomotive and then select the "light steam" whistle.
This method is quite effective on my small BRVRR layout. On a larger layout it might not be as effective/satisfying.
If you find a decoder/speaker combo that will fit in Thomas let me/us know. I have a 3-truck Shay that has me stumped so far.
Good luck on your quest.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/