Intermountain SD40-2

[CBQ Fan]

Why?

I'd say it's about inline with inflation when compared to what the SD40-2Ts originally came out at, if not a little less.

Simply a comparison to the competition.  For the number of roads available and the detail & quality concerns stated in this thread seems high. Not being critical just trying to see what others think. Too new for my layout so I am not a buyer but always a big fan of the SD-40

[bnsfdash8]

To me the logo seems a bit big and I don't think 3399 wore that particular scheme (I haven't been able to find a prototype photo of it), but I think it sounds pretty good. I have a GATX one on order that I'm excited to get and tinker with.

[mu26aeh]

To me the logo seems a bit big and I don't think 3399 wore that particular scheme (I haven't been able to find a prototype photo of it), but I think it sounds pretty good. I have a GATX one on order that I'm excited to get and tinker with.

A quick look on archives shows 3399 in horsehead scheme from get go, so looks like they got that number wrong .  Other 3 numbers announced for NS show correct scheme. 

[jpwisc]

You might be able to replace them with Kato wheelsets.  That trick worked on my BLI E7.  I intend to do my IM SD45-2 next.

DFF

You just swapped out the axles?

[davefoxx]

You just swapped out the axles?

In my Atlas SD50s I did, so I should be able to do so on the IM SD45-2.  On the BLI E7, though, I pulled the wheelsets out of the axles and swapped them to the BLI axles.  I had to do this because the Kato gear on the axle does not line up with the BLI gears in the truck.  The Kato wheelsets fit perfectly in the BLI axles.

DFF

[jagged ben]

The axle length on the Kato wheelsets is longer than the Atlas, so they cause extra friction on the brass pickups and the trucks don't roll as free.  However, they do work, and eliminate occasional problems with the stock Atlas wheelsets (e.g. 'axle hop' on the middle axle).   And the newer Kato wheelsets look better too. 

[peteski]

You just swapped out the axles?

On those wheelsets the half-axles stay with the wheels.  Dave's post explains what he did: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39989.msg503300#msg503300

[drgw0579]

I'm not interested in the SD40-2 either, but more interested in what this means for N scale.  Sound will be a viable option for all diesels.   I suspect you will see other vendors start to offer the same basic sound components for their products.  Just like it seems that most N scale locomotives use the same drive train, I think the basic speaker/decoder design will be used by everyone. 

I had forgotten to turn the headlight back on a couple times, as I was using my "SamSung throttle" and had to restart EngineDriver a couple times.  I was having a great time with the Drive Hold feature, but it appears I was going too fast in a couple spots.  You can set a slow speed, hit f9, the notch out and the engine will sound like it is rev'ed up, but the speed will stay constant.  Just remember to turn off Drive Hold when you want to stop! Probably not the way you'd run during an op session, but something fun to show off in a video.

It sure sounded great in person.    A hell of a lot better than the HO stuff I run at Greeley.  Better than the conversions I've done before on Kato SD40s.  If it was mine, I'd probably cut the volume in half. It was too loud!  And run with multiple sound units in a consist.  Maybe throw in a GE with an SD40-2, like we use to see on BN coal trains.

Go to Youtube and search for real SD40-2s. I don't know why real SD40's sound different between them. maybe it depends on their age, the atmospheric conditions, or maybe how well the unit is maintained. Yes, some definitely sound deeper, with less turbo.  But others have just as much turbine sound.  Would be neat to understand how Matt does the recording, like where he has his microphones.  But then again, until the laws of physics are repealed, you aren't gong to get the subwolfer in an N scale locomotive. 

Now, if they did a SD40 or SD45, I would be very interested in those locomotives.

Bill Kepner

[peteski]

If it was mine, I'd probably cut the volume in half. It was too loud!  And run with multiple sound units in a consist.

That is pretty much the norm for factory-installed sound decoders - they are set way too loud.  That might be good for running them in a noisy environment (like an NTRAK layout at a train show), but on a home or quiet club layout the sound starts get annoying rather quickly. Thankfully, the sound volume is adjustable. 

[Brian M]

I had the opportunity to play around with this NS engine last night (Bill and I know some of the same people), and it is a very nice model.  I'm not an expert on SD40's, so I can't say if the prime mover sounds are completely accurate or not, but it sounded pretty good to me.  I think I would play around with the sound settings to reduce the higher pitched turbine sound, if possible.  And certainly decrease the overall sound volume.  But in general, I think this model is going to be a trend setter in N scale, and I'm excited to see what other locomotives will be offered with sound installed.  Namely, I figure it will be a matter of time until GP-7's, RS-3's, etc, are offered with factory installed sound.  And I agree with Bill, the Full Throttle feature is a lot of fun to use.

And the first batch should be showing up at InterMountain very soon....

-Brian.

[Mark5]

Atlas needs to step up their game on loco wheels (I assume these are Atlas trucks).

That said, the IM SD40-2 shell potentially is vastly superior to the Kato shell (lots of errors that got a pass in the 1990s) - can't wait to see the IMR SD40-2s.

[ednadolski]

But then again, until the laws of physics are repealed, you aren't gong to get the subwolfer in an N scale locomotive.

Or perhaps at least some kind of Bluetooth radio link.    Of course there is always the question of how much bass should be heard from a tiny model, but that is more about personal preference.

The ESU sound does seem really well done.

Ed

[jdcolombo]

While the SD40-2 is too new for my transition-era layout, I'll be anxious to see a "tear down" of one, particularly with respect to the speaker components.  I read somewhere that IM decided to mount the speaker/enclosure in the fuel tank area, and if so, I'll be interested to see how they did it.

The recipe for "good sound" in N scale is pretty simple these days.  For diesels, use an ESU LokSound decoder, which has the best-sounding diesel files out there IMHO (and the only one with the "Full Throttle" feature, if that floats your boat).  Then use the biggest cell-phone type speaker you can get away with (8 x 12 or 9 x 16 are the two usual options for hood diesels; cab units might fit an 11x15 or even a 13 x 18 in case of a B unit) in a fully-sealed enclosure that has AT LEAST 500 cubic mm of interior volume.  For an 8 x 12 speaker, this would be an enclosure that is 6mm high, wrapped around the speaker, after subtracting internal volume loss for the speaker parts (6 x 8 x 12 = 576).  Do this, and you'll get pretty darn good sound every time.  Don't do this, and the sound will be too "thin" with very little lower-midrange to help simulate bass (none of our speakers can reproduce real bass; most have a useable frequency response cutoff around 500hz, though a few can go down to 300hz in a good enclosure.   For reference, 300 hz is roughly the "D" above "middle C" on a piano.).

So far, I haven't heard a factory sound installation that is as good as what I've been able to accomplish with my DIY installs (I haven't heard them all, mind you).  Of the ones I've heard, the Atlas S-2 comes closest, I think, and the BLI PA-1 isn't too bad, though it is seriously hampered by what I think is a very weird decoder with a not-very-good rendition of the ALCo 244 prime mover. The Rapido GMD-1 was decent, too.  So was the sample UP Turbine that visited my layout, but I didn't have enough time with it to really evaluate it.  But all these factory installs suffer from an insufficient speaker/enclosure design.  Maybe Intermountain has done better - anxious to see a production unit with the shell off.

And yes - the volume level usually needs to be turned down at least by half.  For those who find the turbo grating, usually this can be adjusted independently by turning down the volume of that particular "sound slot," but you have to know which slot that is and ESU isn't always very transparent about that (it's not that they are hiding anything; it's just that their manuals are old and the newest sound files have long since departed from the manual's information).  I strongly suggest joining ESU's Yahoo group, which provides a treasure trove of useful information and a direct pipeline to Matt Hermann, who runs ESU's US operations.

John C.

[peteski]

Of course there is always the question of how much bass should be heard from a tiny model, but that is more about personal preference.

Or for how long you can stand the noise before muting the model!   

[basementcalling]

I had to mute the video. Great looking layout but the sound, not so much. Nowhere near enough base. I'd be happy just with horn and bell effects, which are cool, but I still think the high pitched nature of N scale sound would drive me from the train room faster than dust, cat attack, or about anything else.