need advice on diesel with sound purchase

[Grandpawmoses]

I'm looking for recomendations & think most highly of the opinions of the members of this site. I'd like to add a DCC (with sound) diesel engine to my HO setup & I'm using the E Z Command system. Not being that savvy to decoder installation, I'd prefer to get a factory setup and not put a sound decoder in my present engine (at least with my current knowledge level). Line name is not extremely important but prefer "Southern Railway".
Will other manufacturers engines be re-programable to different addresses with the E Z Command system? Will they be factory set (as bachmann's are) to address 3?
Does Bachmann have any plans in add sound to their DCC diesel engines?
Thanks for reading the long post
David

[CNE Runner]

To the best of my knowledge, Bachmann does not offer a diesel unit with sound and DCC. I have two of their excellent Spectrum American 4-4-0s (one has DCC + sound, the other is only DCC) and cannot say enough about them. OK...you are interested in diesel - so I would recommend Atlas locomotives. I have had excellent luck with Atlas over the years and currently run their MP15DC when moving trains out of the 1890s (every once in a while I just have to get my diesel fix).

All DCC-equipped engines come with address 3. This isn't a problem - unless you intend to run more than one locomotive at the same time. My Bachmann 4-4-0s have a Soundtraxx decoder which, with the MRC Prodigy Advanced DCC unit I have, requires a separate programming track and programming booster. This is an easy unit to set up requiring only a short piece of track that is connected to the booster which, in turn, is connected to the MRC base unit. Piece of cake.

Every other Bachmann diesel (DCC only) or Atlas diesel can be programmed "on the main" or in ops mode. In other words, you can put the locomotive on the rails and program it through the MRC cab...do not have another locomotive on the layout when you are programming in ops mode! David, I am not familiar with the E-Z Command system so I will stop here. There is a rumor that Bachmann is going to introduce some diesels with DCC & sound...that would be great wouldn't it?

By the way: ALWAYS turn off the track power when putting on a locomotive...or taking it off. This is extremely important and you can save yourself a lot [readers: please notice that "a lot" is two words...NOT one] of trouble.

Ray

[pdlethbridge]

Steam engines have the advantage of a tender for fitting the decoder and speaker, lots of room there.  But a diesel, unless its an old athearn has no room. they are all weight. Unless you can dremel out a space, diesels should have the sound installed from the factory. I just put a decoder in a bachmann h 16-44 spectrum diesel. All weight and very little room for a decoder. I had to cut the light board to get it in.

[WGL]

  I also use EZ Command.
  I bought Intermountain F7A-B diesel units, both DCC with sound & re-programmed them to Address 1 to run in consist.  They come with a "wand," a magnetic rod that, moved along the top of the locomotive in a specific spot, turns the volume of sound up or down--a handy feature for users of EZ Command, because it can't program the volume of sounds.  Intermountain's prices for DCC with sound are cheaper than most brands.

[Yampa Bob]

Hi David
I have found the Soundtraxx Tsunami for diesel very easy to install, providing there is enough room in the shell.  It's kinda expensive, about $120 for the TSU-1000 and speaker setup, but the sound is great.

Unfortunately I have many Bachmann GPs, not enough room for a separate sound decoder and speaker.

[Grandpawmoses]

Thanks everyone for the advice. It's still on the "wish list" right now so I'm not in a hurry.
David

[bobwrgt]

I have several sound engines and love them all for various reasons.
The Athearn F7 F3 are very easy because they use a seperate controler for sound.
The Atlas, Broadway (older models) and Proto engines with QSI sound alot  better than the Athearn but are more complex.
The Broadway Blueline have very good sound but you will have to add seperate DCC.
If you shop around you can find very good deals on factory installed sound.
None of my QSI sound engines cost more than $125.00.
Bob