Hi folks.
Before the excellent BLI PA-1's (which are more excellent with their Paragon decoders replaced by LokSound), there was the Life-Like PA-1. Though the LL was a bit primitive in construction (plastic frame with two hulking lead weights in front and back), it was (and still is) an excellent runner, and I did a lot of work on mine: replacing the numberboards with Kato parts to mimic the NKP's front numberboards; adding a headlight and making the old headlight into a Mars light, etc. As a result, I'm still pretty fond of my old LL PA-1's, and wondered if it would be possible to put sound in one.
Yes, is the answer:
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The LokSound Select micro is in the back; an 8x12mm speaker with the "double deep" enclosure from Streamlined Backshop is in the front. I had to do some significant cutting of the lead weights (outside, with eye protection and a breathing mask), but I added a bit of that back in the front with tungsten putty. Routing the wires was a bit of a challenge, but it all got done, and there are two 220uf, 16v tantalum chip caps for keep alive hidden below the decoder under the back weight. I used electrical tape to secure everything, because my kapton tape just wouldn't adhere well to the lead weights.
Here's how it sounds:
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My BLI units with the LokSound transplant actually sound a bit better because of the larger speaker I could use in those, but this one sounds pretty good - nice Alco "I'm falling apart" cadence in the prime mover. If there was a way to make black smoke come out of the stack, it would be perfect!
John C.
