Intermountain SD40-2

[asarge]

The Wheeling and Lake Erie's are due in May. Happy Birthday to me!

[Rossford Yard]

Maybe a bit OT, but I am happy with mine, to the degree that I probably won't buy another Atlas or Kato until they come out with similar (or slightly improved) sound systems.

Wonder if others feel the same, and if mfgs are going to feel the pinch in the market until they market similar sound systems in all locos, even re-issues?

For those here, who bought the sound units and consider them game changers?  And, who didn't buy sound?  Would be interesting to know the percentages of each, via informal survey here.

[peteski]

Maybe a bit OT, but I am happy with mine, to the degree that I probably won't buy another Atlas or Kato until they come out with similar (or slightly improved) sound systems.

I suspect that in today's world you are a minority. There are still plenty of N scalers out there who do not want either DCC or even worse, DCC with sound.  You might have to wait a long time.  They don't want the features or the extra expense.  But then again, looking at what Bachmann does, you might get your wish in the next few years.

Atlas S-2 has a pretty good sound (also ESU decoder).  The biggest problem with N scale sound is the speaker and enclosure. Many manufacturers don't seem to realize that, so their sound-equipped models sound crappy. Once they properly engineer the speaker/enclosure you will see improvement in sound quality.   But if you really like sound in your models (not played through remote speaker like BLI Rolling Thunder) then you have to go to H0 or larger scales.  Because of laws of physics, you will never get a really good rich sound out of tiny speaker/enclosure in N scale models.

For a good example of what I said, look at https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=41220

[Rossford Yard]

Peteski,

Well could be. I have read all the chatter on these boards about how N scale sound could be better now and certainly in the future.

However, I am not the rivet counter that some are, and I probably fall in the same category of whatever the sound equivalent of rivet counting is.  We probably need to come up with a term?  Decibel doubters? Sound snobs?

I like the IM sound fine.  More importantly, the grand kids find it amazing, and if that is all it takes to get them model railroading with me, its good enough......sometimes the rivet counters forget there are many ways and reasons to enjoy model railroading. 

At the same time, you may be right that my particular take on model railroading, while seemingly right down the middle, may still be representative of no one and their buying habits.

[sundowner]

More SD40-2 announced.

What is up with IM obsession with ex-conrail CSX units, i mean it not like CSX had ex-Chessie, LN or SCL units.

http://www.intermountain-railway.com/currentflyers.html

[C855B]

Dammit. More post-1990 UP. The prospects of one of these ending-up on my layout grows dimmer with each release.

[Englewood]

Nice to see the UP SD40N paint scheme. I'll need about 3 of them. Now to cook up a suitable gray ghost for remote operations.

[Philip H]

Dammit. More post-1990 UP. The prospects of one of these ending-up on my layout grows dimmer with each release.

And no KCS ghosts ever apparently.

That said they do plan a "US" under version

[reinhardtjh]

Undecorated "kits" in "US" and "Canadian" versions due Sept/Oct.

I wonder what the US vs. Canadian differences are.

Never mind. Found the flyer and read it. 

[unittraincoal]

How about Milwaukee remote sd40-2s #16-30.... Us Pacific Extension guys would love it! 

[asarge]

I suspect that in today's world you are a minority. There are still plenty of N scalers out there who do not want either DCC or even worse, DCC with sound.  You might have to wait a long time.  They don't want the features or the extra expense.  But then again, looking at what Bachmann does, you might get your wish in the next few years.

Atlas S-2 has a pretty good sound (also ESU decoder).  The biggest problem with N scale sound is the speaker and enclosure. Many manufacturers don't seem to realize that, so their sound-equipped models sound crappy. Once they properly engineer the speaker/enclosure you will see improvement in sound quality.   But if you really like sound in your models (not played through remote speaker like BLI Rolling Thunder) then you have to go to H0 or larger scales.  Because of laws of physics, you will never get a really good rich sound out of tiny speaker/enclosure in N scale models.

For a good example of what I said, look at https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=41220

I would have to say that the balance has bias has moved towards DCC at the very least. In my last year at an LHS in 2014, we definately were selling a lot more DCC loco's, decoders for N scale loco's and doing quite a few installs on existing equipment for people. I have to believe that now, it has gained even more momentum. After I left, one of the clowns there decided that most people didn't want DCC equipeed locao's and stopped ordering them and they still have a lot from that fiasco.

Sound is a different story. At that time most n-scalers were on the fence about sound for various reasons. Most of the newbies or potential newbies wanted sound though and if the scale is to survive and thrive, both dcc and sound will be a requirement.

[davefoxx]

I realize that I would be in the minority, but after owning two N scale locomotives with sound, I really don't enjoy running my non-sound units as much.  I've been patiently awaiting the IM SD40-2s decorated for my roads, and, although they're pushed back until late Spring 2017 at best, I am still tempted to eBay just about all of my "stealth" motive power while there may still be some demand for them. . . or figure out how to add sound to my locomotives.  I don't know that I can ever develop that skill, though; I definitely don't have the milling tools.

DFF

[AKNscale]

I realize that I would be in the minority, but after owning two N scale locomotives with sound, I really don't enjoy running my non-sound units as much.  I've been patiently awaiting the IM SD40-2s decorated for my roads, and, although they're pushed back until late Spring 2017 at best, I am still tempted to eBay just about all of my "stealth" motive power while there may still be some demand for them. . . or figure out how to add sound to my locomotives.  I don't know that I can ever develop that skill, though; I definitely don't have the milling tools.

DFF

The nice thing is that you really don't need a lot of tools, though they would be helpful. All I needed for my SD50 install was a good soldering iron, file, and a pin vise I think it's called.

[John]

[ednadolski]

^^ Nice engine, but very distracted by those freight cars doing the 'pogo' ...    

Ed