Well, I just paid for my ScaleTrains SD40-2 Preorder

[chessie system fan]

I have a question for those with Chessie units.  I just inspected my two, and both have drooping bells on the side of the hood.  One isn't as bad as the other.  Does anyone else have the same issue?  I'm suspecting that the packaging isn't giving them enough clearance.  If this theory is correct, then this should be a universal problem.

The peppermints in the shipment were a nice touch.   

[C855B]

I know that when I buy a Scale Trains engine, it will be very detailed but adding decent sound will require a lot of work re: speaker overhaul and enclosure.

And a lot of work it shall be. I removed the fuel tank last night, and found that the enclosure is cast into the metal frame. It looks to me they were trying to strike a balance between accommodating a speaker and losing frame weight, and the speaker lost. Adding insult to injury, two larger screws through the enclosure bulge seem to be structural (holding down the motor?), so just machining off the enclosure is fraught with its own challenges.

OTOH, I'm inclined to look for small lead shot (can you still get it?) to fill the enclosure. I cut some hunks of plumber's solder (modern, not lead-bearing) and put those into the cavity, and there was a slight but observable improvement per my testing.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Has anyone noticed on the motherboard that there appears to be a place to connect a keep alive? Looks like a TCS KA-N1 could be placed under the nose directly behind the class light glass.

I still think it should be against some federal law to sell N scale sound decoders without keep alives.

[C855B]

I still think it should be against some federal law to sell N scale sound decoders without keep alives.

Ah. You're focusing on a specific solution, not the problem. There are at least two problems as sound decoders are implemented. First, they consume far more current than they should. This stresses the wheel-rail contact under even normal surface micro-oxidation into a dropout situation. My direct observation is consistently big improvements in reliability and smooth operation by substituting a non-sound decoder.

Second is the apparent need to almost reboot the sound synthesizer on every dropout. It should be able to "flicker" just like the headlights do, resuming where it last left off. If that happens with what we understand is keep-alive, then that memory preservation method should be on the board, as you sort of suggest. BUT NOT for the entire decoder - just the sound processor.

EDIT: A third problem is the sound decoder world is HO-centric. Heavier locomotives mean better wheel-rail contact. They don't have the same problems, and since that is the lion's share of the business, there's not a lot of priority given to solutions for N scale. Then there's the speaker cavity penalty of less weight making the contact problem worse in an already light locomotive.

At least we're past the point where the slightest dropout doesn't result in a restart sequence. If I were to have that and not know the solution (a sound-ectomy), I would likely have tested how well the damn thing flew.

[basementcalling]

I still think it should be against some federal law to sell N scale sound decoders without keep alives.

Fixed it for ya. N scale sound should be consumer fraud, IMNSHO.  It's the least prototypical part of any N scale model that comes with a sound decoder.

[greenwizard88]

I got my two peppermints in the mail yesterday, they came with some nice Norfolk Southern units. They perfectly match the first run of HO scale SD40-2's down to the sand piping. If anything are nicer - less glue spots and the like, although they are noticeably lighter than most of my other N scale diesels. All things being equal though, I doubt the weight issue will ever be a problem for me.

I ran them on the only N scale setup I could get - two pieces of Kato unitrack powered via alligator clips from my HO layout. Mine have a hum, and it takes a while to get them to move, but decoder issues aside they are absolutely fantastic. No fuel tank droop. My light boards might not be pressed in completely, but from about a foot away I was having trouble telling, so I'm not sure that it matters.

The sound wasn't as horrible as I was expecting after reading this thread. I have an HO scale Bachmann Sound Value diesel on my layout right now, and it starts making noise every time I turn the power on. It sounds awful. It makes the N scale SD40-2's sound good.

Overall, I'm really really impressed with how many lights they crammed into this thing.

[Jbub]

I received my csx unit this morning (4 days earlier than estimated) I was able to run it around a simple oval and did notice a slight jerkiness at low speed steps. I ran it few times around the loop and realized my handheld was set to 28 speed steps and I like to run in 128. I switched it to 128 and tried slow speed again, no stutter at all, just a smooth slow crawl. I don't know if the difference from 28 to 128 made the difference but another oddity I noticed between the two was in 28 speed steps, the increase in speed seemed linear. In 128 there seemed to be a plateau between 30 and 90 and the top speed seemed slower. This was just an initial observation with no other testing.
But I can confirm these are absolutely beautiful models. Bravo to Scaletrains! Also I noticed that Kato announced a rerun of their early model sd40's.

[jagged ben]

.... There are at least two problems as sound decoders are implemented. First, they consume far more current than they should. ...

Why do you think that is and how would you fix it?

[peteski]

Why do you think that is and how would you fix it?

I was thinking the same thing.  Sound or no sound, the main power consumer in the model is its motor.  When stopped, in my experience sound decoders can consume from about 30mA (silent, which is similar to a non-sound decoder) to about 60-100mA when the sounds are active and depending on the sound volume.  That seems quite reasonable to me.

Seems to me that this off-topic subject would be a good candidate for a separate thread.

[Mike C]

  @C855B   You can still get lead shot , just look for shotgun cartridges . You can also get lead sheet from Amazon . As for the restarting after a dropout , Soundtraxx has a CV that adjusts the speed at witch the loco will restart . I would think it should be a feature in all decoders , but I only do Soundtraxx .     Mike

[C855B]

  @C855B   You can still get lead shot , just look for shotgun cartridges . You can also get lead sheet from Amazon . As for the restarting after a dropout , Soundtraxx has a CV that adjusts the speed at witch the loco will restart . I would think it should be a feature in all decoders , but I only do Soundtraxx .     Mike

I'm solving the problem with powdered tungsten intended for re-balancing golf club heads. It will work well in this instance. While the density is ~70% less than solid tungsten, I think volumetrically it will still be better than granular lead.

[wmcbride]

I have a question for those with Chessie units.  I just inspected my two, and both have drooping bells on the side of the hood.  One isn't as bad as the other.  Does anyone else have the same issue?  I'm suspecting that the packaging isn't giving them enough clearance.  If this theory is correct, then this should be a universal problem.

The peppermints in the shipment were a nice touch.   

My Chessie bell was fine -- no damage.

[GM50 4164]

7a. Pulling power - 20 cars (mixed 40' & 50') good on 1%; 2% doable with a running start and lots of wheel slip (I think I can I think I can I think I can!).

I suspect adding weight will improve this. Not a personal concern since I expect to run mine as a brace of four to recall UP's SuperVAN in its final days, their Super C expediter competitor.

There appears to be some wasted space inside the removable fuel tank. I was looking at adding something there in its place but unsure what that will be yet.

[Ike the BN Freak]

OTOH, I'm inclined to look for small lead shot (can you still get it?) to fill the enclosure.

people still reload shotgun shells, so you can buy shot.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Shot/departments/63/ quick google search, aka first one that came up, but they also have tungsten shot available

[jagged ben]

Got my BN model.  Looks great, runs smooth.   Top speed is a little low for my liking but still exceeds 70 scale mph.

Wish the LEDs were a little more golden but they look good enough.
Wheels seem to be in guage enough.
Sound quality seems par for the course with factory N scale.  At least for an EMD model the 'whine' is not too unrealistic.
The sanding hoses look nice but I'm worried they may get caught in the trucks get damaged.  Not sure that detail is worth it; but if they have to be removed no big deal to me.

My only real complaints on first look:
- The shiny copper contact strips showing through the truck frames.  Gonna need some paint.
- separately applied brake cylinders are popping out of place on the truck frames.  Gonna need some glue.

Overall judgement is I'm probably gonna pre-order an additional tunnel motor.