Hmmm. Don't know about a PnP version, but I added a Tsunami Mini Light Logging to a Shay with hardly any fiddling (including the "stay alive" capacitor), and as there is more room in the Climax bunker it should be an even easier undertaking.

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Australia

Hi Whitty

The jerkiness on descent is well known, it is due to play in the Shay's drive system. The addition of a thrust washer should clear this.

For full description, probably best to join the On30 Conspiracy group on Yahoo groups and do a search. The procedure (IIRC) was detailed there.

Regards

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Australia

Pretty much agree with Tim's recommendation, but the High Bass 1.57" speaker complements (IMHO) the larger size of the 2-8-0, I have used this in both the 2-8-0 and the old 2-6-0. The tender may require a bit of modification (remove the mounting posts, replace with 1/4" Plastruct or whatever blocks at the side of the tender, screwed into from beneath.

Lovely sound though :-)

BTW, if you use a Tsunami 750, it is also possible to use a Hi Bass 1.22" dia in the tender of the inside frame 4-4-0.

Regards

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

If we take a whole world approach to this, one of THE guiding lights in the hobby was John Ahern. He was building fully sceniced layouts in the 1930's and they would be quite acceptable today.

His Madder Valley branch is displayed at Pendon museum in the UK - and Pendon is a work of art in itself. Have a look at John Aherns layout at:

http://www.pendonmuseum.com/maddervalley/index.html

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Australia

You might also like to consider QSI which came with a speaker that happily matches the opening in the bottom of the tender. I installed mine quite easily, it all plugs in. I mounted and sealed the speaker with BluTak, and used the whole tender shell as an enclosure (or baffle if you will). Sounds pretty good.

The sound files I used was some sort of chuff (ie, I forget which) but the whistle I used was that from a French Mikado. Sure makes it stand out from the other locos. :-)

What would I do next time? Hack into the tender PCBs and give myself space for a QSI 1.57" Hi Bass - I have these in my 2-8-0 and 2-6-0 and they are a step above any other speaker combination I have tried. And am yet to put one in my articulated to replace the MRC speaker, which is on a par with the better Soundtraxx.

Regards

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

Hi Paul

Just thinking outside the square for a moment, if the lights in your roundhouse are bulbs, not LEDs, have you thought of using the motor circuits to power the bulbs? This way they can not only be turned on and off, but the brightness can be adjusted to suit ambient lighting, day/night operation, etc.

I used an old Lenz decoder in a Spectrum heavyweight car to try this out some time ago, and it worked out OK. You can even use the lighting outputs to provide, say, LED lighting over a workbench - or in an inspection pit for a really nice effect :-)

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

Oops. Sorry, that is for DCC.

Steve Magee

There is another solution, called the Frog Juicer, that may help.

Have a look at: http://www.handlaidtrack.com/hex-frog-juicer-automatic-frog-polarity-switcher-p-8579.php?zenid=ouqmg0vcavllvovlftnorbfdi4

Regards

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Australia

Yep, some form of permanent wiring and the ability to store the loco in its packaging coupled would be very handy.

Can I add two more things for the design stage? A chuff cam on DCC sound equipped steam locos so that putting chuffs in synch is made a lot easier, and also a speaker in the boiler, preferably the smoke box, to overcome the "sound from the tender" effect.

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

I have installed an ESU Micro with the speaker that came with it in my Davenport. Like ElLoco I cut out the plastic grill and inserted a brass mesh one, with the speaker against it held in place and sealed by BluTac. It is a tight fit, but you leave the cab open for crew, details etc. I downloaded the Catepillar sound files for it. Now I know the Cat is for the 44 tonner, but it sounds good, though there is a another file that looks interesting - klein(little)diesel or summat - that I might try next.

I also added a pair of sliders (0-4-0 pick up is definitely NOT the be-all and end-all) and replaced the rather odd-coloured yellow LED with a sunny daylight LED. Nice little unit now.

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

The long pipe is the conduit for electrical feed to a light attached to the stack. The purpose of this was so that the engineer/fireman could check how she was burning at night. There is a hole on the straight stack for it, but for some reason the hole is 90 degrees out of kilter when installed properly. The mounting lugs have to be removed for the stack to be mounted so it mates up to the pipe. The other end of the pipe goes into the cab.

Separate tenders are an excellent idea - sound could be an option. BUT. I would much rather see a steam loco designed with the idea of sound from the get-go, with the speaker arrangeent in the boiler. It stil sounds odd to me to listen  to the sounds coming from the tender.

And on the subject of articulateds, yes I want one, and its a biggie - nobody yet does a 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone, and unlike the Big Boy, was in service on 3 roads that I know of. So DM&IR, Rio Grande and B&O fans, lets get with the action!! :-)

Steve Magee

Um. I'm not sure this should be posted here, but it is figures in HO from a respected European model manufacturer. Especially as these figures are animated. I have chosen one page with the least salacious example ....

You have been warned:

http://www.viessmann-modell.com/en/produkte/sorte.php?id=8&sprache=2&gr_nr=2&typ=bewe

Train Control Systems M1 - a bargain, and you get back-EMF control.

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

Not so much a song, but Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs "Orange Blossom Special". Cannot count "Locomotion", even if Kylie Minogue sings it. :-)

Steve Magee