Which Loksound Decoder For MT SW1500

[BCR751]

Looking to install a DCC sound decoder in my newly acquired Micro Trains SW1500.  Which Loksound decoder should I use?  If anyone has done this install, I'd love to hear from you.

Doug

[Steveruger45]

Calling Tehachapifan.
Russ has done some really great stuff on SW1500’s but if IRC for a sound install he changed the motor for a cordless one to make room.

[MK]

Calling Tehachapifan.
Russ has done some really great stuff on SW1500’s but if IRC for a sound install he changed the motor for a cordless one to make room.

@tehachapifan to help a little.

[tehachapifan]

Thanks for the mentions, however my LokSound-equipped SW1500 wasn't built from an MT SW1500. It was a complete custom job with scratchbuilt frame. The shell isn't even MT. The closest I've done to an MT SW1500 install was a LL SW9/1200, as it is basically the same exact frame and drive as the MT SW1500. Even then the motor had to be replaced with a coreless one to make room for the decoder. To make matters even more complicated, the venerable 73800 board from ESU that used in my SW1200 install is no longer produced. There is the newer LokSound 5 "nano", but it is thicker than the 73800 board. The best reference for your install might be this thread from @Jim Starbuck, where he used the "nano" board. Unfortunately, the Tomix worms he used are seemingly out-of-stock everywhere right now...

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=50425.0

Another option might be to utilize the Zimo MS500 sound decoder. It measures in at 14 x 10 x 2.6mm and might fit in the cab, although I have not tried it.

[peteski]

Another option might be to utilize the Zimo MS500 sound decoder. It measures in at 14 x 10 x 2.6mm and might fit in the cab, although I have not tried it.

That is one tiny sound decoder!  While I absolutely love ZIMO decoders and their superb motor control (and I have used them for European locos), their sound library of American diesels is not very extensive, and the sound fidelity is not up to today's standards.  I installed one in Kato E8 and the E8 sound project was so bad that I'm considering replacing it with ESU LokSound.  Haven't tried the EMD 12-567 file, but maybe it is better. It was made in 2016 where the E8 file is back from 2011.

[tehachapifan]

That is one tiny sound decoder!  While I absolutely love ZIMO decoders and their superb motor control (and I have used them for European locos), their sound library of American diesels is not very extensive, and the sound fidelity is not up to today's standards.  I installed one in Kato E8 and the E8 sound project was so bad that I'm considering replacing it with ESU LokSound.  Haven't tried the EMD 12-567 file, but maybe it is better. It was made in 2016 where the E8 file is back from 2011.

Yes, there catalog is limited and some of their sound files leave a lot to be desired. That said, I have a couple of their files that sound about on par with ESU's.

[Jim Starbuck]

It can be done but it will take scratch building a mechanism like @tehachapifan did in order to use an ESU decoder.
In the thread @tehachapifan referred to I used a 58823 Loksound V5 Micro. The problem is still sourcing the mod 4 small diameter worms to work with your trucks.
You might be able to use Bachmann s4 trucks and their smaller diameter mod 3 worms however I haven’t compared those to the LifeLike/ Walthers/MT trucks to see if the gear towers are the same or shorter. The Bachmanns also have an entirely different mount. The whole idea is to use a 7mm coreless motor and small diameter worms to lower the drive enough to make room for the decoder. Another low profile option may be Kato NW2 trucks and adapt to their driveshafts.
A Loksound Nano would probably be the decoder to use and it can be made a bit thinner by arranging the wires on the adapter board but even then it’s still thicker than the 73800 v4. A Loksound 73100 or the upcoming equivalent might work being a single layer board. Unfortunately, the components we used in the past to convert these chassis to sound are no longer available so new avenues will need to be explored.
Instead of thinking installing a sound decoder in your engine, it would be more like start with your shell and a decoder and build the mechanism to fit the remaining space.
For non sound there are multiple good decoder options that will let you use the stock mechanism.

[peteski]

Yes, there catalog is limited and some of their sound files leave a lot to be desired. That said, I have a couple of their files that sound about on par with ESU's.

Which ones are decent?  Like I mentioned, the E8 sound is unusable.  The engine sound has only 3 or 4 "notches", and the recording is really poor quality, and very quiet.  The horn sound has fixed length, so even if you hold the horn button, it ends.  I was really disappointed.  I tried couple other projects with 567 engine and they were not much better.  I suppose I could try to edit and  modify those sound projects, but that would require some serious work and I'm not ready for getting into that part of the hobby.  I'm already stretched too thin.

[tehachapifan]

Which ones are decent?  Like I mentioned, the E8 sound is unusable.  The engine sound has only 3 or 4 "notches", and the recording is really poor quality, and very quiet.  The horn sound has fixed length, so even if you hold the horn button, it ends.  I was really disappointed.  I tried couple other projects with 567 engine and they were not much better.  I suppose I could try to edit and  modify those sound projects, but that would require some serious work and I'm not ready for getting into that part of the hobby.  I'm already stretched too thin.

It's been a while since I explored Zimo sound files, but I think I have their 12-567 file and their 15-567 file that are listed on the site and another, revised 16-567 file that isn't listed but was one I got thru Bryan at SBS. The revised 16-567 file sounds fantastic, IMHO (see video below). I have that file installed in 2 Atlas N MP15DC's and in another (unfinished) custom N scale SW1500, as it sounds similar to a 12-645 (at least to my ear). The 12-567 I have installed in a Kato NW2 and it sounds very good. Zimo sound files also have a nice (optional) feature where the engine RPM's automatically ramp up or down depending on load. This is a neat feature with solo loco/switcher operations. Regarding the horn issue, that revised 16-567 file has a full-playable air horn like you'd find in an ESU file. For the other files, I was able to find CV's that can make the horn more playable. I think there's one CV that makes the horn sound longer and another shorter, but I'd have to research those (it's in the manual but not easy to find). This only works with some of the horn selections, as some have a terrible loop marker on a longer horn blast. Here is a video that @jdcolombo posted that compares the Revised Zimo 16-567 file with one from ESU....

/>
One other thing to remember is that Zimo decoders don't have the "full-throttle"/"drive-hold" feature like with (later) ESU decoders, so MUing can add some limitations.

[BCR751]

Considering the amount of use this loco will get (switches only one industry), I don't think it would be worth the effort to modify it extensively enough for a sound decoder.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't hesitate to do it but I just can't justify it at this time.  I'll put my efforts, and money, into a loco that will see more use.  Thanks for the responses.

Doug

[Jim Starbuck]

The Digitrax DN126M2 is a direct light board replacement and very easy to install. Simply desolder the motor leads, unplug the light board from the chassis, plug the decoder into the chassis and solder the motor leads back on. There isn’t even a need to disassemble the mechanism.

[peteski]

The Digitrax DN126M2 is a direct light board replacement and very easy to install. Simply desolder the motor leads, unplug the light board from the chassis, plug the decoder into the chassis and solder the motor leads back on. There isn’t even a need to disassemble the mechanism.

While the install is easy, Digitrax motor control is not as good as either  ZIMO or ESU. If this model will be used for switching then a good slow-speed motor control is important.  I also seem to recall that @Ed Kapuscinski had some problems with that decoder shorting out to the frame.  There was a thread about it, but I don't recall if there was a solution.

[jdcolombo]

FWIW, I thought the revised Zimo V16 567 file was excellent.  I worked with Bryan and the sound editor at Zimo to get that file as good as it could be.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get Zimo interested in doing similar files for other first generation diesels, particularly the Alco 244 and 251B, which were essential for my motive power roster.  As a result, I stuck with ESU, even though the Zimo decoder was a better fit for the Atlas GP9 body and I think Zimo's motor control is just a tad better than ESU's (and both Zimo and ESU run rings around US suppliers like Digitrax).

I don't think there is an ESU decoder that will fit the LL/MT chassis without very extensive modification.  It would probably take a custom board, a la the Atlas S-2, for very small switchers to have a sound option.

John C.

[Jim Starbuck]

While the install is easy, Digitrax motor control is not as good as either  ZIMO or ESU. If this model will be used for switching then a good slow-speed motor control is important.  I also seem to recall that @Ed Kapuscinski had some problems with that decoder shorting out to the frame.  There was a thread about it, but I don't recall if there was a solution.

When reinstalling the motor leads make sure not to push the wires too far into the holes that they touch the frame halves.
On my LifeLike switchers I prefer Lokpilot hardwired but do have a couple Digitrax. They can be made to run nicely. CV57 is BEMF with a default value of 6. Set it down to 1 or 2 and you’ll see a huge improvement in slow speed control. You may even want to turn BEMF off completely for a switcher.

[peteski]

John and Russ: thanks for the info about the sound file.  I'll contact Bryan at SBS.