Author Topic: Inside the new Atlas SD35  (Read 2724 times)

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AKNscale

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Inside the new Atlas SD35
« on: December 12, 2018, 12:04:45 AM »
+1
So, I’ve wanted some more SD35s to add to the fleet. I also want to add sound to them. When I noticed the new, sound ready models were available and cheap I splurged and got 3 of them. I decided to tear one apart tonight as I’ll have to clean it before break in anyways, plus I figure some of y’all may be interested in the new design that I’m guessing they’ll be rolling out across many models. Here is what I found:



I’m surprised that it looks so similar to IM’s design, but not so surprised. I do like that it will make it easier to install the decoder in the tank. What really surprised me was the fact that there was a speaker already installed in the loco.

peteski

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2018, 01:51:48 AM »
+1
It doesn't surprise me at all. Atlas and IM shared parts between their models in the past, so why not now. I don't know if the sharing officially happens between the actual American companies, or just inside the Chinese factory (which has contracts for making models for both companies).  But either way, parts and sub-assemblies are shared.

I see what looks like ESU sound decoder in the lower left of the photo. Will you try to shoehorn it into that model?

Spookshow (Mark) also has a good write-up about this model, with some closeup photos of of the new design features.
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/sd35ln.html
« Last Edit: December 12, 2018, 01:58:54 AM by peteski »
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AKNscale

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2018, 02:05:18 AM »
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Hence why I am surprised, but not. However, I didn’t think about it involving the factory. I just figured that Atlas probably coerced with IM.

Yes sir. I’m going to go for the fuel tank install, especially since the frame is much stronger with this new design. Although the clip that holds the two frame halves together in the front may give me trouble when installing the nose headlight.

Ike the BN Freak

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2018, 02:21:38 AM »
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Why not just use the ESU board replacement and keep the speaker in the fuel tank?  Seems like a lot of unneeded work to shoehorn that decoder into the fuel tank area

peteski

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2018, 03:24:31 AM »
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I'm with Ike here.
Why try to reinvent the wheel, when an exact-fit ESU decoder is readily available. Plus the benefit of having a larger speaker in a larger enclosure (which means better quality sound) in the already-hollowed fuel tank?
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AKNscale

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2018, 04:08:03 AM »
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Which board is direct fit? Does that board have 2 auxiliaries(one will be used for the nose light, the other for a beacon)? The speaker I’d normally run is a 9x16 with a baffle, which is larger, though I would like to see how good this speaker is. The logic is sound as long as the drop in will match the wire in.

peteski

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2018, 05:06:11 AM »
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ESU 73199 decoders are designed to fit these models.  That is the decoder Atlas would use for the factory-installed DCC-Sound version (same decoder IM uses).  That decoder has 6 function outputs (2 are headlights), so you have 4 left for other things.

See https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=44324.0
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Steveruger45

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2018, 07:43:23 AM »
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Which board is direct fit? Does that board have 2 auxiliaries(one will be used for the nose light, the other for a beacon)? The speaker I’d normally run is a 9x16 with a baffle, which is larger, though I would like to see how good this speaker is. The logic is sound as long as the drop in will match the wire in.

Hi.  I’m also with the other guys. If you can get the 73800 in the tank then you can get a 16x9 speaker in the tank in an enclosure that fills the space.  I have found that, to my ear, the optimum enclosure size of 750-800mm3 works best for the 16x9 speakers and going larger than that doesn’t really sound all that much better. Have the speaker aiming/firing up into the shell and not down toward the track.  No need to drill any holes in the tank to let the sound out.  The 73199 board is what is factory fitted in the IM SD40-2 and Atlas GP39-2 and SD35.  In short if you have a sound ready SD35 and it already has the speaker in the tank then all you need to do is fit a slide in 73199 esu decoder.  Job done.
Merry Christmas all
Steve

carlso

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2018, 10:19:14 AM »
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I would certainly echo the above posts. Purchase an ESU 73199 decoder, slide it into mechanism, download sound file, operate a sound unit. It takes 5 minutes or less. BTW, if you do not have an ESU Lokprogrammer, then the  dealer can load the file for you.

As always, have fun,
Carl
Carl Sowell
El Paso, Texas

tehachapifan

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2018, 01:59:53 PM »
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I would certainly echo the above posts. Purchase an ESU 73199 decoder, slide it into mechanism, download sound file, operate a sound unit. It takes 5 minutes or less. BTW, if you do not have an ESU Lokprogrammer, then the  dealer can load the file for you.

As always, have fun,
Carl

You mean the slide-in decoder installation itself takes 5 minutes or less and not the file download, right? I've found it takes about 45 minutes for an ESU sound file to install/upload(?) into a decoder. Is this not the case with everyone else?






« Last Edit: December 12, 2018, 02:02:08 PM by tehachapifan »

Jbub

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2018, 02:43:45 PM »
0
You mean the slide-in decoder installation itself takes 5 minutes or less and not the file download, right? I've found it takes about 45 minutes for an ESU sound file to install/upload(?) into a decoder. Is this not the case with everyone else?
You are correct. The file upload takes 35 to 45 minutes at least.
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peteski

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2018, 03:52:44 PM »
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You are correct. The file upload takes 35 to 45 minutes at least.

That is hands-off time, so you can go work on your layout, or your weathering project,  while the sound project is downloading to your decoder.  :D
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MK

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2018, 03:55:26 PM »
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Or read the new posts on TRW.  That will easily take up 35-45 minutes.   :D

peteski

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2018, 03:57:24 PM »
+1
Or read the new posts on TRW.  That will easily take up 35-45 minutes.   :D

Yeah, or you can probably post 7.6 posts during that time.   :)
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AKNscale

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Re: Inside the new Atlas SD35
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2018, 05:56:31 PM »
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Fair enough. There will still be extra wiring as I will add a nose light, working beacon(like the one on my B30), and the capacitors. But I can agree with the logic, I’ll order one and do the write up.

I haven’t been working on my layout much lately as I’ve been working on getting my business up and running so I’ve been fairly out of the loop. Thank you for the decoder rec y’all.

@tehachapifan : I know every time I upload sound files it takes around that amount of time, if it works right the first time...

@Steveruger45 : Yes, but I have yet to build a custom sound chamber though and the 9x16’s I like come with a sound chamber that’s just a little too tall to fit in the hole as is. However, if I can customize an earlier version motor mount/cage to fit properly which will provide a little more clearance, then the speaker and baffle, as you said, should fit without issue. If the speaker that’s already in it sounds good though, then I can bypass worrying about that altogether.