Locksound Micro inside the last run of Intermountain EMD F7A or B

[babbo_enzo]

Hi all,
Has anybody installed a Locksound Micro inside the last run of Intermountain EMD F7A or B ?
I have read somewhere, but I forget where that there is no need of cut or make a hole on the chassis, (at least on the B unit)but don't find any picture in the net.
Where you've mount the speaker? Any chance to hide it inside the under body tanks?
I want to order a couple, so some pics are welcome.
Cheers

[reinhardtjh]

It was in the latest issue (July-Aug? The 25th anniversary issue) of N Scale magazine, IIRC.  The A and B units use the same frame so you put the speaker in the B unit where the cab would be.  You make modifications to the circuit board and put the decoder on top of that.  I have the issue I'll have to go back and re-read for details.

I was wrong.  It was in some magazine but I can't find the issue yet.  I'll post it as soon as I do unless someone else finds it first.  Sorry.

[babbo_enzo]

The A and B units use the same frame so you put the speaker in the B unit where the cab would be.

Ha-ha! That's why here ( http://www.spookshow.net/imf37.html ) have no picture of "B" unit  frame!
So, you say there is space between PCB and internal roof to hold a Locksound decoder: great news!
I want install a "non sound" ESU V.4 on A and the Select sound on B.

[reinhardtjh]

Found it.  It is in the May/June 2014 of N Scale Railroading and written by Bill Denton aka Skytop35 
The installation is for the B unit because of the cutout that the speaker fits into.  He hadn't worked out a sound install for the A unit.

So, you say there is space between PCB and internal roof to hold a Locksound decoder: great news!

What Bill did was make a cut out in the IM DC PC board the size of the ESU decoder and put it in there.  That saved enough space to allow the decoder to fit on top of the chassis.  Then the Knowles Donau speaker (11mm x 15mm x 3.5mm) and a home made speaker box went in the cab cutout.

I want install a "non sound" ESU V.4 on A and the Select sound on B.

That would work using a LokPilot micro V4.0 or the LokPilot micro V4.0 DCC if you only need NMRA DCC compatibility.  It's small enough you might be able to just put in on top of the IM DC board (with some modifications to the DC board).

Note that Bills article uses the earlier release of Intermountain F7 that has the DC board with motor tabs.  The latest release replaces the tabs with wires.  See  New Intermountain F's and DCC.  Probably not a huge difference if you have the newest version, but just a heads up.

[babbo_enzo]

- It is in the May/June 2014 of N Scale Railroading and written by Bill Denton aka Skytop35 
- Knowles Donau speaker (11mm x 15mm x 3.5mm) and a home made speaker box went in the cab cutout.
- That would work using a LokPilot micro V4.0 or the LokPilot micro V4.0 DCC. It's small enough to just put in on top of the IM DC
- Bills article uses the earlier release of Intermountain F7 that has the DC board with motor tabs.

Thanks John! All is clear. I don't have the article here, but ...
The ESU micro on A unit was just to "maybe" simplify the speed match using same brand on both units.
I already have some of this: ESU 54687 LokPilot Decoder Micro V4.0, MM/DCC/SX, some Locksound Select Micro (I've also a Lockprogrammer to load EMD sound file ) and a wide selection of speakers (including some small Zimo Sugar boxed ) so... I'm armed enough, I believe. I've an NCE DCC system on the layout (and JMRI)
I'm aware of the IM new board too ( from Spooks website as usual, THANKS Mark for your useful tool!)
I don't see any problem to modify it, but check when the loco is here.