Which loco manufacturers currently ship locos that contain SoundTraxx sounds? I know Bachmann and Athearn.
I just checked SoundTraxx site and it looks like they sell with Tsunami. No idea if site is up to date.
Last I recall, Bowser now uses LokSound.
http://soundtraxx.com/factory/index.php
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.
Thanks, I see that list On their site.
Athearn Trains
Bachmann Industries
Bowser Manufacturing
InterMountain Railway
Rapido Trains
Walthers
Have Bowser and Rapido moved to ESU?
Bowser used to offer Tsunami decoders but has wisely migrated to Loksound. I believe InterMountain has chosen to do the same. (FYI: I just checked InterMountain's website and their homepage shows an "ESU Products" webpage link where you can purchase ESU products directly from InterMountain.)
I'm not sure who else has gone the ESU route but it seemed a number of manufacturers started dropping Soundtraxx a year or two ago; perhaps because of the overheating issues with the Tsunami decoders. (Hopefully those issues have been resolved or addressed with the new Tsunami 2s???) Loksound offers a much more flexible and updatable platform than Soundtraxx. I've been very happy with them and have yet to see a Tsunami equal the motor-control of either Loksound or TCS.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Wow. That is interesting. So it seems ESU is taking quite a bit of the market share on pre-installed sound. What about TCS? Are they a player in the pre-installed sound world (as compared to SoundTraxx)?
Haven't seen any TCS in factory sound locos yet. QSI has also disappeared.
ESU has been very agressive in working with manufacturers since establishing a US office. All new sounds and in soome cases functionality added for new locos from Rapido like the FL9 and especially the Scale Trains Turbine. ESU set out to get into the US sound market and they didn't do it halfway at all. There is an active Yahoo Group and they really listen when people say something doesn;t work prototypically. They've also gone out and captured all new sound files for many classic locos while they still can, ANd as far as I know, so far none of the OEM offerings is any sort of feature-limited special version of the decoder - they are always a fully function Loksound decoder, same as you would buy yourself.
Right on here (though it may be MRVP only content) are what MR calls 'sponsored' videos with people from various manufacturers explaining their products. By watching each manufacturer's rep demonstrate their products, you can see what each one considers their strengths (and by omission, weaknesses) of their product.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
passenger1955 Thanks, I see that list On their site. Athearn Trains Bachmann Industries Bowser Manufacturing InterMountain Railway Rapido Trains Walthers Have Bowser and Rapido moved to ESU?
Intermountain are using ESU Loksound on their loco's now, and for the last year or two.
None of my Athearn tunnel motors have sound so if I can swing it, I am thinking about getting an Intermountain SD40T-2 with sound when they are available this March, no wait, now showing June/July.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
What about Walthers? I see them on SoundTraxx's list, but when I go to the Walthers site I only see DC locomotives, and none of them appear to offer sound.
Perhaps Walther is also contemplating which direction they want to go??? I'll be surprised if Athearn or Bachmann jump ship anytime soon, if at all. No matter to me because neither one currently offers models that I'm interested in.
When I just looked, the just arrived SD70ACe models are available in DC and DCC/Soundtraxx from Walthers.
As far as Athearn, I suspect they may be stuck in a long term contract. Their owner(Horizon Hobbies) likes to get long term contracts at deep discounts. They previously used MRC sound decoders. It took some time to change to Soundtraxx, and I suspect they are not going to change unless sales drop off(like what happened with MRC sound equipped Athearn engines).
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
What about Broadway Limited and their Paragon Sound. Is that their own sound library and technology? or do they work with a sound decoder company?
It's their own propriety sound system. I haven't heard Paragon3 yet but do have Paragon, Blueline, and Pargon2 locomotives. They're good but not quite on par with TCS & Loksound. That goes for their motor-control, as well.
FWIW, I have a number of BLI, and have some specific complaints about the Paragon 2 and 3 steam. The chuff files mostly seem to have one or both of these "features": some chuffs are not evenly spaced, making it sound like the valves are misadjusted, and some chuff files have a "tic" sound in them, which at first had me looking for a cracked gear.
Also, on their three-cylinder UP 4-12-2, the pulse divider, driven from from the motor flywheel, can't do the right divide ratio because of the gear ratio, 22:1, IIRC, so it shipped with an out-of-sync chuff. No way to fix it except replace the gearbox; not nice for such an expensive engine! I took the Para 2 out and replaced it with a WOW TCS and six magnets on a driver with a reed switch pickup. These engines WERE often out of adjustment (re: online recordings) after a year or two because the mechanics hated having to work overhead in a pit on the third cylinder, so I simulated the sound to 3-3 syncopation by the spacing of the magnets.
The Tsunami 2 Steam sez it can do three cylinders, but has no sync wire. The BEMF signal hasn't in the past provided correct chuff at startup/low speed. But it does have a wide variety of bells, whistles and chuffs, as well as being the only current one with a spectrum equalizer and adjustable reverb. They're smaller and supposedly louder and smoother at low speed; I just got a couple to try out soon.
The Loksound 4 is an outstanding design. I did Pioneer Zephr and P42 soundfiles for the Lok3.5, but see that the 4 has much increased capability. The possible combinations and associations of sounds are mind-bending. I have an HO British HST passenger loco which had the loud Paxman Valenta engine (the fastest diesel ever, 148 mph). I installed a Lok4 with a Brit-developed soundfile that has a great startup/ shutdown and many additional sounds. Like the Big Blow, public opinion was negative about the noise level, and forced the substitution of a quieter engine.
Hal
passenger1955What about Walthers? I see them on SoundTraxx's list, but when I go to the Walthers site I only see DC locomotives, and none of them appear to offer sound.
The DCC version of the new Plymouth switcher has a SoundTraxx non sound decoder with their CurrentKeeper module
https://www.walthers.com/plymouth-ml-8-soundtraxx-r-control-decoder-for-dcc-painted-unlettered-black-silver
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Postscript: today I received a BLI T&P 2-10-4 brass hybrid. Aside from driving rods falling off, I noticed the same thing with the chuff sound; it has an uneven cadence, which would indicate an out-of-tune engine needing tweaking. Why BLI is doing this, I don't know, and I don't like it. It's very pretty, tho.
The only OEM TCS has managed to get was the Korea Brass U25C - which apparently wasn't overly popular.
Loksound has made huge inroads in the OEM department. Atlas, Bowser, Intermountain, River Point Station, Rapido, Kato, Scale Trains, True Line Trains, Rivarossi and Fox Valley.
And, if you've been paying attention, you'll have noticed that a few new Athearn releases have announced Loksound decoders ! Expect a full conversion by Athearn to Loksound starting with new release Genesis models.
Also, look for future releases in the Walthers Proto 2000 line featuring Loksound as well.As for Bachmann, doesn't sound like we'll see Loksound decoders in their product line any time soon ....
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ