Decoder with Sound and Speaker for LL N Scale FA-2’s?

[NorthWestGN]

Hi guys,

I have a LL FA2 plastic chassis A and B set and body swapped the dummy B shell onto another powered A chassis years ago to power both. I was cleaning the wheels on the B unit at full throttle  and cooked the motor…..dumb I know.

My plan before this was to cut down the weights and add DCC and sound and MU them together, decoder in the A and speaker in the B. I could remoter the B but need to find a motor or leave the B as a dummy, remove both its weights and have it contain both the decoder and speaker. That would make for an easier decoder install and I don’t think I need to have both powered for the short train lengths on my layout, these things pull like crazy. Any idea what decoder with sound and speaker I could use to get the right 244 Alco sound profile into these units.

These have sentimental value and would really love to save them…

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Brent

[bbussey]

I recently sound-digitized the later split-frame version of the Life-Like FB2, so the plastic frame version shouldn’t be difficult. I don’t remember what fills the fuel tank region on the plastic frame version, but that is the logical location for the speaker. I would re-motor the B unit and digitize both. I used ESU LokSound Micro in mine. I used the enclosed cube speaker from the Atlas FA1, but you can use any high quality cube speaker and enclosure that fits in the fuel tank area. ESU has the appropriate Alco 244 sound file on their site.

[jdcolombo]

I sort of did what you are contemplating with a set of LifeLike plastic frame PA-1 units for a friend.  I made one unit into a "dummy," removing the motor and gear towers, and stashed the decoder and speaker there, with wires running to the front PA unit to power it, run the headlight and route pickup power back to the second unit.

I used an ESU Loksound 5 micro; a Soberton 8x12mm speaker in a custom enclosure made of .030 styrene, and the Alco 12-cylinder 244 sound file from ESU (there is no surviving 16-cylinder 244, so the 12-cylinder will have to do).  Sadly, I didn't take photos of all this, so I can't show you where I stashed all the components, but my recollection is that I put the decoder in the back, speaker in the middle, and keep-alive caps in the front.  The units were coupled back to back, so wiring ran from the back of the decoder unit to back of the front unit.  I found that running pickup wires from the front unit to the decoder unit was a necessity, because once you strip out the weights, power pickup on these things is marginal at best. 

John C.

[jdcolombo]

Actually, I think I used an 11x15mm speaker, not an 8x12.  Crap.  I wish I'd taken photos of this.

John C.

[NorthWestGN]

Thanks Bryan and John, great advice and gives me a direction to go…

I’ve been trying to find a Life-Like parts engine from the same era to give me a replacement motor but no luck so far to find one at a reasonable price. The search will continue…

Brent