DCC sound decoder for Shay/Heisler loco's; DCC ready?

[Geardriver]

Dear Bach-Man, I have G scale Shay and Heisler loco's. What sound decoders recommended by Bachmann? Confused on what I read on websites especially about amp rating of decoders. Just want a drop in unit. What size of speakers recommended.
EZ Riders work great for testing purposes, bought some for HO too! Is there existing diagrams of both wiring diagrams and physical diagrams of factory installed units of said loco's?

[Kevin Strong]

There are no "drop-in" DCC units for the Shay or Heisler. Technically for the Shay--if it's the 3-truck version--then installation of a DCC decoder is much easier compared to the Heisler or 2-truck Heisler, but neither come with the "plug-n-play" socket. For the 2-truck Shay and Heisler, you get to go in and figure out what wires go where for all the functions. For the 3-truck Shay, Bachmann has wiring diagrams here on the site you can use as a guide. The 3-truck Shay comes with a DCC decoder already, though if you run track voltages north of 21 volts, it will go into shut-down mode. You can use its connection diagram as a guide to install an alternative decoder. I can't find wiring diagrams on the site for the 2-truck Shay or Heisler.

In terms of specific decoders and capacities, you'll want something designed for "large scale," i.e, something with a continuous current rating around 3 amps or greater. Lots of folks seem to like the QSI Titan. I've got two myself, including one in my B'mann Climax. I saw a demonstration of the ESU LokSound 4.0 at a show; they had the sound installed in the Shay and it ran and sounded very good as well. I haven't had a chance to do more than just play with that at the show. Zimo and Massoth also make well-regarded sound decoders for large scale, though I've not heard them personally. Soundtraxx is working on their 4-amp board for the C-19, which can be installed in any other loco as well. There's also an outfit that makes "beefed up" Tsunami boards that can handle 3 amps that they say will work well for large scale. There's also the Phoenix sound-only decoder that you can use with a motor/light decoder from Lenz, NCE, Massoth, etc. I may be missing someone, so if anyone can think of other possibilities, chime in.

The "key" with sounds for geared locos is to find one with a chuff that still sounds reasonable at high speeds. I've got the QSI Titan installed in my Climax. They make a specific "Climax" board, but the only difference that I can tell between that and their other steam boards appears to be the deafult sounds on the Climax board come from geared locos (though not necessarily Climaxes.) The 5 "chuff" sound files are the same for both the "Climax" and "steam" boards. (I use the "medium" chuff file on mine.) You can change the sounds to other bells, whistles, and chuffs via their programmer or by changing the CV values for the specific sounds.

My suggestion would be to go to the web sites and listen to the sounds. Then look at the other features of the decoders and figure out if there's one that gives you specific features that appeal to you. At the most basic level--how the motor responds to changes in the throttle--they'll be mostly identical. The differences will be in the details.

Later,

K