Adding sound to HO scale Bachmann 4-4-0 steam engines

[lightfb2]

I have acquired two HO scale Bachmann steam engines - - a Jupiter and an American. Can sound be added to either or both of these? If so, How? and who manufactures the sound equipment?

[richg]

A Micro Tsunami will fit as will a LokSound Micro. The problem will enough room for a speaker.
Removing the stock motor and installing a flat can motor will give a little more room but probably still not enough room for speaker and baffle.
I have installed a non sound decoder in these tender drive locos but never sound.
This will not be plug and play.

Rich

[Doneldon]

light-

Just a hint: You'll generally get better, quicker and more responses to questions about HO if you ask them on that board.  Richg's advice is just fine, of course, but sometimes an array of ideas is desireable.
                                                                                                            -- D

[simkon]

It is next to impossible, the speaker & baffle would be very difficult to get to fit and even if you could get one to fit the speaker would be so small that the sound would be terrible thus defeating the point of installing sound. But before you give up, wait to see if Mr. Banner has any positive input (he usually does).

[richg]

Harold tried that a couple years or so but was not too happy about the results as I recall. His page is gone. I know he converted the coal load to a wood load to cover the speaker.
Harold M is in these forums so he might comment. I saved the complete install page in case I was going to try the install but the page belongs to Harold so I cannot post anything here.
You will need soldering and loco/tender modification experience in this project.

Rich

[hminky]

I never found a way to put an adequate speaker in a tender drive locomotive. No sound is one of the reasons I abandoned the "HO in the 1870's" project.

I did a preliminary in an IHC tender drive 4-4-0 that didn't work well. I could not get the Tsunami  to sync with the drive because of the small can motor and had to add a sound cam. That is probably the article Rich is referring. The IHC locomotives are not HO but OO scale and are 10% too big.

An IHC as an 1870's locomotive in HO/OO merged with a Roundhouse 4-4-0 chassis:



The little guy on the running board is HO and the other people are OO scale. The Bachmann is the same prototype locomotive in HO scale.

I use an outside speaker system now with the Bachmann OldTime 4-4-0's and am happy with the results.

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/soundbox/

I picked up a new series in the blue box Bachmann Oldtime 4-4-0 and were suprised that it has small flanges now. Still runs crappy due to bad electrical pickup but at least small flanges are a step forward. That can be fixed by adding wipers:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/bachmann_4-4-0/wipers/

With the new wheels all that have to be added are the pickups. I will be updating the article shortly eliminating the wiring.

Harold

[Terry Toenges]

Would a speaker in the stack be doable/worthwhile?

[hminky]

Would a speaker in the stack be doable/worthwhile?

A speaker that small won't overcome the noise of the locomotive. Been there done that.

Harold

[Terry Toenges]

Thanks Harold. That answered my question.

[Doneldon]

A speaker at the maximum diameter of the diamond stack might be worthwhile; not so for a straight stack.  Also, you can try one firing up from under the fuel bunker and I know some folks have put them firing down from the roof of the cab.  There's not much room for a baffle there, of course.
                                                                                                                 -- D

[hminky]

A speaker at the maximum diameter of the diamond stack might be worthwhile; not so for a straight stack.  Also, you can try one firing up from under the fuel bunker and I know some folks have put them firing down from the roof of the cab.  There's not much room for a baffle there, of course.
                                                                                                                 -- D

Nope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harold