Better sound from an ATlas N scale GP40

[skytop35]

Hello All,

I just posted a new video to YouTube about getting better sound out of an Atlas N scale GP40. I bought three of these and was disappointed as the sound was not what I typically get out of my own installs. With a little work, a big improvement can be made. Check it out.

[Jim Starbuck]

Thanks for the video Bill.
Fantastic improvement from the stock version!

Jim

[John]

Bill .. Great video .. I don't have one of the new frames -- would you do something similar for the old 1995 type frames?

[peteski]

Very nice.
Yes, the Atlas design where the speaker enclosure is integral in the motor cradle results in a very imperfect enclosure cavity with very little air volume  It likely even isn't air tight.  You basically got rid of the stock Atlas speaker enclosure and went with a more conventional speaker install.

Bill, I like to mention a small clarification to your video. Metallic lead is quite conductive.  Most electrical solders contained lead, and lead-acid batteries in cars use lead as one of the electrodes.  Moldable lead is made from some sort of putty or clay with lead powder mixed into it. The clay makes it non-conductive.  Also, since moldable lead is not as dense as metallic lead, if someone wanted to go through the extra trouble of filling the speaker space with metallic lead, it would likely result in an extra gram or two over moldable lead.

[GGNInNScale]

Bill .. Great video .. I don't have one of the new frames -- would you do something similar for the old 1995 type frames?

Hi  Yes.  By milling, or filing (tedious) off each end of the frame, you can easily fit in an 8x12mm speaker with a ~2mm deep back case (I just did this on a 1995 frame).  HOWEVER, be really careful with handing the frame- I managed to crack the bottom areas where the fuel tank fits.  I checked with Atlas- no spares.  So, gel-type superglue and patience, and everything is OK now.  When I finish, I will post pictures of the conversion.  I added an ESU 58923 decoder, with an OWS speaker and a 2mm deep backcase that I printed.

[skytop35]

Bill, I like to mention a small clarification to your video. Metallic lead is quite conductive.  Most electrical solders contained lead, and lead-acid batteries in cars use lead as one of the electrodes.  Moldable lead is made from some sort of putty or clay with lead powder mixed into it. The clay makes it non-conductive.  Also, since moldable lead is not as dense as metallic lead, if someone wanted to go through the extra trouble of filling the speaker space with metallic lead, it would likely result in an extra gram or two over moldable lead.

Noted. Thanks