Spectrum Light Mountain with DCC Question

[darticus]

You are making this much more complex than it needs to be.

#1 - Up to this point, all N scale Bachmann loco's with DCC have the decoder soldered in. None of thier installs use a plug.

#2 - There is not room in the tender for two decoders and a speaker, especially considering the huge thing that Bachmann call's a decoder in their DCC loco's.

#3 - The light mountain is designed for a small decoder to be installed in the boiler. The heavy mountain is designed so that the decoder installs in the tender.

#4 - Adding sound to the light mountain will require either dual decoders (a small one in the boiler and a sound unit in the tender) or a sound unit in the tender and wires from the tender to the loco for headlight and motor control.

I know the tutorial shows the light mountain getting a small decoder in the boiler. Is the Micro Tsunami two big for the boiler? If so that must be why your saying to put a smaller one in the boiler and one in the tender to do both jobs.
I think your saying the Heavy mountain has its decoder from the factory in the tender and this would be replaced with the tsunami. Don't have either to look at yet but it will get clearer when I get them. Thanks Ron

[axle17921]

Take it from one who knows about N scale sound, you would be better off using the two decoder install.  for one using just a tsunami will require drilling holes in your tender and locomotive and running wires between them and even if you do this successfully it usually makes the front of the tender to ride high.  Dont insult your engines with a digitrax sound decoder, the sound is garbage.  Go with a Lenz silver mini in the boiler for motor and headlight control and a Micro tsunami 750 or a Loksound decoder in the tender. 

[skipgear]

I know the tutorial shows the light mountain getting a small decoder in the boiler. Is the Micro Tsunami two big for the boiler? If so that must be why your saying to put a smaller one in the boiler and one in the tender to do both jobs.
I think your saying the Heavy mountain has its decoder from the factory in the tender and this would be replaced with the tsunami. Don't have either to look at yet but it will get clearer when I get them. Thanks Ron

Light Mountain - The micro Tsunami is much too big to fit in the boiler, not to mention the stay alive cap and the speaker.

Heavy Mountain - You would remove the factory decoder and install the sound decoder.

Take it from one who knows about N scale sound, you would be better off using the two decoder install.  for one using just a tsunami will require drilling holes in your tender and locomotive and running wires between them and even if you do this successfully it usually makes the front of the tender to ride high.  Dont insult your engines with a digitrax sound decoder, the sound is garbage.  Go with a Lenz silver mini in the boiler for motor and headlight control and a Micro tsunami 750 or a Loksound decoder in the tender.

There is nothing wrong with running wires between the tender and the loco. All new Bachmann loco's are coming that way as well as just about any loco with sound. You just have to use good judgement when routing the wires and use good wire. Standard decoder wire is too stiff for the job.

As far as Digitrax sound decoders. You don't know what you are talking about. The sound from the digitrax sound decoder is good. They have some of the best algorithms for modifying the chuff change from slow speed to fast and the drifiting effect are much better than the Tsunami or Loksound. The problem lies in the sound files they provide, they suck. If you take the time to create your own sound files and take advantage of the features of the decoder, they sound very good. My only problem with the digitrax decoder is that the BEMF doesn't work and you can't get the loco to match chuff timing without a cam. Digitrax sound decoders are just not a drop in and forget it like the Tsunami. You have to make a little effort to make the sounds you want but that is why they are 1/3 of the price of a Tsunami.

[axle17921]

I just find there to be something off about digitrax sound, Ive used many of them and didnt keep them very long.  If you like them then thats great, I personally dont.  A tsunami has one throwback as does the digitrax.  A capacitor.  especially the tsunami.  ESU loksound doesnt require a capacitor.  their sound files are excellant but some of the diesel horns seem to end abruptly.  For diesels you dont even need to monkey with the cv values to get the sound to go with the locomotive cuz it senses the motor speed not the voltage.  with steam sometimes you have to adjust them a little.  I will give Digitrax one bit of credit.  They are the only ones that have an accurate sound file for an RDC budd car in a decoder small enough for N scale.  Top Hobby just posted a video of a loksound installed into a kato budd car it sound nothing like a real RDC.  There is a guy on youtube that did a digitrax install in one and it sound awesome.