Bachmann EM-1???

[rogergperkins]

Bob, thanks for the comments.  I located someone many months ago who does this sort of custom work.
I actually heard and watched a n-scale GS-4 from Kato run via The tube.
Cost and waiting list were the big factors for me. Also I understand speakers need a vent, i.e. cut hole in the tender bottom.  OUCH!

[jdcolombo]

Hi Roger.

If you're not comfortable with doing the install yourself, then by all means hire someone - there are some great folks out there who do superb work.

BUT . . . let me suggest the following.  I've got two of these on order, and will tear into one immediately when I get it for a sound install.  Like Bob Gilmore, I typically use a Tsunami TSU750; sometimes I use a separate motor decoder, though in these models I probably won't, at least at first.

If the conversion is fairly easy (which I expect to be the case given the size of the tender and the fact that the engine is already wired for DCC), then you might want to consider doing it yourself.  I can tell you exactly what to do, where to get any parts (speaker) needed, etc.  The only thing I'm suggesting is that you hold off on a custom installer until a couple of us have had a chance to see how complicated the installation actually is.  This might end up being no more complex that building a small box around a 14 x 25mm speaker, dropping it in the tender, and plugging in a sound decoder.

As for sound egress, you might not need to cut a hole in anything, particularly the bottom of the tender.  I usually mount my speakers so that they are firing up at the coal load, then use a #70 drill bit to drill a bunch of very tiny holes in the load.  But even this might not be necessary depending on how the tender is constructed - sometimes there are plenty of holes in the tender already for various parts to fit, and you really don't need to cut or drill for the sound to "get out."  In fact, this is why using the tender shell as a speaker baffle, which some folks do, is often a terrible idea - the shell is hardly air-tight, and in most cases, it leaks like a sieve.

Anyway, bottom line here is that you might consider waiting on custom until we know how difficult it will be to add sound. 

And if you are curious, here are a few links to installs I've done for my own locos, in all sorts of different engines, down to an 0-8-0:

LifeLike Berkshire:

Not a valid youtube URL
Bachmann 2-8-0:

Not a valid youtube URL
Kato Mike (w/Bachmann tender):

Not a valid youtube URL
Walthers/LL 0-8-0:

John C.

[rogergperkins]

John, thanks for the comments.  I have chatted off line with Skipgear about several locomotive projects; since we both do B&O there is that "bond."
I am still reading the evaluations of the sounds decoders that work in n-scale steam.
They seems to be evolving as we watch. 

[jdcolombo]

John, thanks for the comments.  I have chatted off line with Skipgear about several locomotive projects; since we both do B&O there is that "bond."
I am still reading the evaluations of the sounds decoders that work in n-scale steam.
They seems to be evolving as we watch. 

Yes, the sound decoder world is evolving, with TCS about to come on board I think.  Your comment did remind me that I might try a QSI decoder in this model, since it is a mallet and I thought the QSI decoder in the Walthers Y3 was superior to the TSU in getting the sound of the compound engines right, even though I think the equalizer built in to the Tsunami is a big deal for us in N scale.

Sigh . . . maybe this won't be that simple after all . . .

John C.

[carlso]

John - thanks for the comments regarding the EM-1 and sound installs. I will be watching for results also as I have one on order and hope to put a sound unit in it. Of course, in my case, I am looking for a RW member to come up with an AC-9 boiler and tender. I really appreciated the help and advise you gave me a few years ago regarding Tsunami install in my AC-10.

One question for you - have you used any of the ESU Select Micro decoders? I have one, that has problems, but it has a feature that I wish Soundtraxx would put into the Tsunami. That is the petcock blow down of condensate when the loco first starts moving. It then fades into the chuffs. Very prototypical and just plain cool.

Oops, one more question. Is TCS going to produce their sound units for N scale?

Carl

[jdcolombo]

Hi Carl.

I haven't had great luck with the Loksound decoders, though I haven't tried the latest iteration.  But one of the reasons I was thinking about going the QSI route is that QSI also has the same feature (the open cocks sound when departing from a standing stop) - which is one of the reasons I very much like the sound on the Walthers Y3, even though the speakers for that model leave much to be desired.  I don't know why SoundTraxx left this feature out - if you've ever heard a sound tape of a steam loco, you know this is part of the steam "sound."  A significant deficiency for the TSU, but not enough to offset that EQ circuit . . .  The problem is that QSI doesn't make a "micro" version, and their decoder size is very much HO; but I suspect that I can get one of the QSI decoders in the EM-1 tender along with a good-sized speaker.  I'll have to see what's in there when it comes.

I don't know what TCS's plans are for N - I was only commenting that they are about to join the sound decoder fray.

I think that Tony Hines (Skipgear) was going to try one of the newest Loksound decoders, but don't know if he has (Tony, thoughts?).

John C.

[Leggy]

Yes, the sound decoder world is evolving, with TCS about to come on board I think.  Your comment did remind me that I might try a QSI decoder in this model, since it is a mallet and I thought the QSI decoder in the Walthers Y3 was superior to the TSU in getting the sound of the compound engines right, even though I think the equalizer built in to the Tsunami is a big deal for us in N scale.

Sigh . . . maybe this won't be that simple after all . . .

John C.

The EM-1s are actually simple articulateds so you'd need something like the Big Boy or Challenger sounds, not the Y3.

[jdcolombo]

The EM-1s are actually simple articulateds so you'd need something like the Big Boy or Challenger sounds, not the Y3.

Oops.  You're right; they were simple articulateds.  Don't know where I got the idea they were mallets.  Big Boy sound it is!

John C.

[carlso]

John - you are right. Why Soundtraxx didn't go all the way? ? ? I lived the good old days of steam. My father was a hoghead on the T&NO and back in the late 1940's and early '50's I stood by many different SP "big steam" such as cabforwards or as they called them "backup mallets", AC-9's, 2-10-2's, 4-8-4's. I think that is why I am such a train nut. My first train ride, at 6 months old, was in the cab of a steamer here in El Paso. I have been hooked ever since. Love it!

Carl

[SkipGear]

I think that Tony Hines (Skipgear) was going to try one of the newest Loksound decoders, but don't know if he has (Tony, thoughts?).

John C.

Still haven't seen mine yet. I think Tony's consumed the whole first batch into the US. Unfortunately I am tied to waiting for the distributor to ship to us.

[rogergperkins]

I have one reserved. 
I watched the YouTube videos posted here and would be happy to have one of those sound systems in the locomotive.
I am old enough to remember watching steam locomotives of a much small size, i.e. 2-8-0 during my childhood.  The sound is
still "music to my ears."  I do not expect quadrophonic/woofer/etc reproduction; just a reasonable facsimile of the sound of steam. 

[jdcolombo]

I have one reserved. 
I watched the YouTube videos posted here and would be happy to have one of those sound systems in the locomotive.
I am old enough to remember watching steam locomotives of a much small size, i.e. 2-8-0 during my childhood.  The sound is
still "music to my ears."  I do not expect quadrophonic/woofer/etc reproduction; just a reasonable facsimile of the sound of steam. 

I think sound in steam locos greatly enhances the operating experience - I find myself and my operators running the locomotives at much closer to scale speeds when you can hear the chuffs, and the sound just makes the whole thing seem more "alive."  Interestingly, I don't feel the same way about diesel sound, though the horn and bell would be nice.  Maybe in a switcher, where you hear the prime mover ramp up and down a lot it would make a difference, or if you're doing mountain railroading and want to hear the dynamics screaming on a downhill grade - I'm anxious to see how Atlas' S2 with sound turns out, and I've got 4 of the NKP PA-1's from BLI on order with sound.  These will be my first diesels with sound, so I'll have to see what I think after they arrive.

John C.

[rogergperkins]

John C. et. al.,
Not many mountains in Illinois.   Though there is skiing near Galena, Ill.
My interest and modeling focus is central Illinois where one can see 9 or 10 miles across the flat plain.
In a "good" location, one can see all the country grain elevators in 360 degree view for many miles.
I will take some poetic license and have my EM-1 pulling a coal train from one of the Illinois coal fields which
was the source of coal from the B&O..  So two points of departure made: 1. no EM-1s in Illinois, 2. Most of B&O was hauled
from mines by C&IM. 

My interest in sound for n-scale has developed since the first purchase of BLI E-series locomotives with sound installed.
From my view point, the entire sound package adds to the experience of running the locomotive and trains.
I have not run any of them anywhere but my home, spare bedroom, layout.

[jdcolombo]

Roger,

I live in Champaign (well, actually, in Savoy, just south of Champaign).  Model the NKP largely as a result of my wife, who grew up in Neoga, IL on the Clover Leaf division of the NKP.

If you're reasonably close by and would like to come by some time and see the basement layout and hear some of my steam locos in person, let me know (jdcolombo at gmail.com is my regular e-mail address).

John C.

[rogergperkins]

It was worth the wait and I am delighted I purchased a second one as well.