TheRailwire

General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: UP_Phill on July 11, 2007, 09:21:18 AM

Title: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: UP_Phill on July 11, 2007, 09:21:18 AM

Pretty proud of myself tonight. I just swapped out the original MRC decoder with a Tsunami (TSU-1000). What a difference! Chalk and cheese in my book. It has excellent motor control and the sounds are much richer. If you don't mind cutting off the 2 support posts in the tender it's a pretty easy install. I also had to manufacture a new baffle from styrene. Anyway I'll put up some pics on the weekend.

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: up1950s on July 11, 2007, 09:58:08 AM

Chalk and Cheese ? New one to me . If you want to eat or write on a blackboard , each one is the best . I will assume hunger is the desired slant .

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: UP_Phill on July 15, 2007, 03:02:31 AM

Actually the term "chalk and cheese" is used to explain difference. Just a bit of slang.

Anyway, here's the fitted Tsunami:

(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1417/Tsunami.JPG)

and slightly weathered:

(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1417/Callenger_weathered.JPG)

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: kiwi_al on July 15, 2007, 04:13:20 AM

Looking good Mate! You nailed it!

 ;D

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: Scott Lupia on July 15, 2007, 08:22:04 AM

I just heard a Tsunami decoder in an HO Lifelike Berk yesterday and was stunned.  Your Challenger has to be beyond impressive.  How does the smaller speaker do reproducing all of the sounds?  Looks great.

scott

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: up1950s on July 15, 2007, 12:05:23 PM

Did all that great prototypical weathering cause you any continuity problems ?

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: UP_Phill on July 15, 2007, 06:43:53 PM

Quote from: up1950s on July 15, 2007, 12:05:23 PM

Did all that great prototypical weathering cause you any continuity problems ?

When I finished I just wiped all the wheel treads with some thinner. I did remove the driver sets from the loco tho.

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: amato1969 on July 15, 2007, 10:19:13 PM

Sweet weathering, Phil!  Makes me think twice about changing eras to the 1940s...

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: John on July 16, 2007, 03:32:43 PM

any chance you can transplant the MRC decoder into another loco?

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: UP_Phill on July 17, 2007, 08:05:59 AM

Quote from: John on July 16, 2007, 03:32:43 PM

any chance you can transplant the MRC decoder into another loco?

I don't know if I would want to. The MRC unit is pretty basic and lacks decent motor control. It does however produce good sound! At present she is wrapped in an ant-static bag in my decoder draw. 

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: SirTainly on July 17, 2007, 08:40:31 AM

Looks great, kudos for attempting to get something so pricey so dirty! ;)

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: UP_Phill on July 17, 2007, 09:17:13 AM

Quote from: SirTainly on July 17, 2007, 08:40:31 AM

Looks great, kudos for attempting to get something so pricey so dirty! ;)

I run em, I don't collect them.   ;D

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: SirTainly on July 17, 2007, 10:44:05 AM

Quote from: UP_Phill on July 17, 2007, 09:17:13 AM

I run em, I don't collect them.   ;D

Heresy..burn him!  ;D

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: tokenbrit on July 17, 2007, 11:02:54 AM

Does the decoder transplant mean you lose the DC remote control, or does that still work? Curious if you're now DCC only, or still DCC/DC...

Title: Re: New sound Decoder for Athearn Challenger!
Post by: UP_Phill on July 17, 2007, 05:35:05 PM

Quote from: tokenbrit on July 17, 2007, 11:02:54 AM

Does the decoder transplant mean you lose the DC remote control, or does that still work? Curious if you're now DCC only, or still DCC/DC...

I do loose that functionality but I'm DCC only here, so it's not an issue.