The "Official" Atlas S2 announcement is out... Gold Series w/ Sound

[Bob Bufkin]

There were a couple assigned to Renova sometime during the 60s.   Bunch of them were assigned to NJ about the same time.

[CrazyLynx]

Two Southern engines, with sound!  It's Christmas!!!  What a great surprise.

[craigolio1]

Now how do I bash it into an S13?

[sirenwerks]

'Gonna have to wait for the simplified GN or grab an undec for the paint shop.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Undec w/ sound for me & our "Alameda-Belt-in-a-Box" layout.
Woot!

Wait: Could take a Santa Fe and patch it out for the Oakland Terminal RR!

Hmm... sound's expensive 

[MVW]

Wonder what the street price will be. I'd love to jump on one of the sound units ... but the listed price will keep me on the sidelines. Too many other needs ... like maybe a PCM E6 or E7 with sound. Still, awful glad to see Atlas rolling this one out. Sooner or later I'll be a buyer.

Jim

[SkipGear]

Will be in deep when something like this is announced.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo9024dsa.jpg

Until then, PRR or not???? Haven't quite decided yet.

[Bob Bufkin]

Anyone make standard AAR trucks to convert them to an S4?

[Hornwrecker]

I hope it uses the same decoder board as the VO-1000.  I seem to have bought an extra one.  I wonder if there is going to be a big hole in the frame for the speaker or is it going into the cab.

Now to decide if I want to buy the Pennsy or the EL one; maybe both. 

[Puddington]

Two CPR units will find a home here; the first two listed as the third is a MLW built unit and has very, very, very slight differences to the Alco unit.

No sound; I make better loco sounds than theose $ 100.00 chips... 

[Chris333]

I really can't believe the cost of sound. If a decoder is ~$35 why would a sound decoder cost much more? They are mass produced and speakers aren't that expensive.

Not a big complaint I guess as I will just buy a DC version, but it would be sweet to have some sound locos.

[jdcolombo]

I really can't believe the cost of sound. If a decoder is ~$35 why would a sound decoder cost much more? They are mass produced and speakers aren't that expensive.

Not a big complaint I guess as I will just buy a DC version, but it would be sweet to have some sound locos.

An aftermarket sound decoder like a Tsunami TSU-750 costs about $120 street price.  The sound version of the S-2 will probably street for something like $189, not at all unreasonable after considering the price of the sound decoder, speaker and engineering needed to cram this into something like the S-2.

If this thing sounds at all good, it is a major breakthrough for N scale.  If it can be done well in an S-2, it can be done for anything, and one can imagine that soon every diesel will be engineered with a sound option.  I love sound in my steam locos; I'm not a huge fan of diesel sound because the "drone" of the prime mover gets on my nerves after a short while, but the idea of factory-installed sound in something like an N scale switcher is major, major, major news.

John C.

[packers#1]

If Walthers copied this apporach and offered sound in the sw1200 I'd be royally screwed; however, the STMA could just as easily wound up with a pair of S2's...ugh...so...much...win...so...little...$$$ for MR

[slickwillie]

Stupid question: is the sound version dual-mode (DC/DCC) like the Athearn Chaallenger/Big Boy? If not, why not? Just askin'...

[peteski]

Stupid question: is the sound version dual-mode (DC/DCC) like the Athearn Chaallenger/Big Boy? If not, why not? Just askin'...

I guess we'll have to wait and see.  Have you ever seen N scale sound decoder which was not a dual-mode decoder?