3 Truck Shay, Battery Power, Sound and Aristocraft Revolution

[Model Tug]

Backman,
What sound system comes with the new 3 Truck Shay?
Can the engine and sound  be controlled using battery power and the Aristocraft Revolution controller?

Thanks
Rod

[Jon D. Miller]

What version?

There are two.  Most 3-truck Shays are DCC ready. They do not have sound. Usually these are the ones that folks use to install RC, batteries, and after-market sound.

There is also a version, not too many of these around, that comes with DCC installed along with factory sound.  These will run in the DC mode but the full range of sounds would not be available.

I have no experience with the factory sound equipped version. 

The more common version without DCC and sound installed are easy conversions to RC, battery, and added sound.  Just completed an installation of RCS Basic 3, batteries, and Phoenix P5/P5T sound system.

All will fit in the tender, but it's a tight fit.

A number of our club members have the DCC ready version equipped with the Revolution. Some are using the P5/P5T Phoenix with a couple of Shays having the newer Phoenix PB9 sound installed.

One of the "Enthusiastic Children"

JD

[Tony Walsham]

JD.

You wrote:  ... Just completed an installation of RCS Basic 3, batteries, and Phoenix P2/P2T sound system.

The BASIC-3 is not really big enough for the 3 truck Shay. 

Did you mean:  ... Just completed an installation of RCS Basic 5, batteries, and Phoenix P5/P5T sound system.

[Model Tug]

Jon,  The version I am considering buying is the DCC and Sound equiped. From what I can learn the Sound is the "Spectrum for Bachmann DCC sound equiped locomotives, featuring Tsunami by SoundTraxx"

From what I have learned this DCC equiped engine will work from Analog DC. I am making the assumption that it will also work from battery power DC.
I plan to control it with my AristoCraft Revolution system.

MY current system is a two truck Shay with battery power and the Revolution. This system works very well.

I also have a Bachmann Annie 4-6-0 with track or battery power. The battery portion is controlled by a RCS system and a Sierra sound System. This system also works very well. It is too bad that Sierra discontinued the Sierra sound units for "G" scale

Rod

[Tony Walsham]

Rod.

The Shay equipped with a Tsunami DCC sound decoder should not be powered by an ESC that uses a PWM output.
That includes pretty well every R/C system made.

DCC decoders do not like PWM and can get "confused" such that they may cease to function on DC at all.
Also, you will have no control of any other functions at all.

[Jon D. Miller]

Tony,

Did you mean:  ... Just completed an installation of RCS Basic 5, batteries, and Phoenix P5/P5T sound system.

No, I did not mean a Basic 5.  I'm still able to read and understand the printed word.

Guess you an Don don't agree on what RCS is required for the 3-Truck Shay. Don sold my fellow club member a Basic 3 for the Shay. That's what Don supplied and that's what I installed.   So far the Shay is running just fine with the Basic 3.

One of the "Enthusiastic Children"

JD

[Tony Walsham]

I certainly do not recommend a BASIC-3 for a three truck Shay.
Running light maybe, but not pulling a train.

So did you use  Phoenix P2/P2T?  Where did you get those parts?  Not listed by Phoenix.