Atlas GP7 w/ESU LokSound (photos and video)

[craigolio1]

Does BLMA make a fan appropriate for a GP9 - I would have thought they were for more modern diesels.

Tim

No Tim they don't. Good Medal Madels does but they are flat and very difficult to bend to shape. To be done properly you would need a mandrel and a press.

Craig

[davefoxx]

Thanks for all the positive feedback.  I really hope that by doing this, I can push the manufacturers to get better at what they are doing.   We'll see.

So here's a list of stuff you will need.

1.  Soberton 8x12mm speaker.  http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/soberton-inc/SP-1208/433-1130-ND/6099104
2.  Enclosure for Soberton speaker (available only in 4-packs): https://www.shapeways.com/product/5L4ZXWA28/8mm-x-12mm-soberton-speaker-enclosure-4pk?optionId=60853776
3.  Two 16v, 220uf AVX tantalum chip capacitors, 10% tolerance: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/avx-corporation/F931C227KNC/478-8257-1-ND/4005713
4.  Either two standard carbon resistors, 1K, 1/8-watt, or if you want to do my circuit boards with smt resistors, you will need the following PCB board and 1K, 1/8-watt smt resistors:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/stackpole-electronics-inc/CF18JT1K00/CF18JT1K00CT-ND/2022742 (standard axial resistor) OR
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/panasonic-electronic-components/ERJ-6GEYJ102V/P1.0KACT-ND/42833 (chip resistor) AND
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/mg-chemicals/586/473-1008-ND/559708 (PCB board, non-perforated)
5.  Two warm-white 603 LED's.  Rather than try to wire them yourself, I suggest getting them with wires already attached from Streamlined Backshop: http://store.sbs4dcc.com/sbs4dcc0603smdwarmwhiteledpre-wired38gamagnetwire.aspx
6.  A Loksound Select Micro (from Streamlined Backshop) with file #73436 installed:
http://store.sbs4dcc.com/ESU73800LokSoundSelectMicroNMRADCCSoundDecoderNEM6528-PinWiredP.aspx

For tools, you'll need some gel CA; a Dremel with a heavy-duty cutoff wheel and various sizes of carbide cutters (or a milling machine) to mill the frame; a 15-watt soldering iron with the smallest pencil tip you can find; rosin-core solder for electronics, 1/32" diameter (or 1mm); kapton tape; 1mm and 1.5 or 2mm heat shrink tubing; small wire cutters, and patience.

John C.

@jdcolombo,

I haven't lost interest in this project, but I'm still amassing the parts list.  Digikey back-ordered the tantalum caps and a new soldering iron tip, and I still need to buy a Dremel.  In the meantime, is there a video or even a website with a good description on how to put all of these parts together without releasing the magic smoke?

DFF

[peteski]

There is another equivalent cap available at Digikey. Look for part# 478-8258-1-ND

[jdcolombo]

@jdcolombo,

I haven't lost interest in this project, but I'm still amassing the parts list.  Digikey back-ordered the tantalum caps and a new soldering iron tip, and I still need to buy a Dremel.  In the meantime, is there a video or even a website with a good description on how to put all of these parts together without releasing the magic smoke?

DFF

@davefoxx

1.  The part number in Peteski's post above will work.  It's a 20% tolerance instead of 10%, but it won't really matter for our purposes.  This Kemet cap also should work:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/kemet/T491D227K016AT/399-10429-6-ND/3907786

It's .1mm thicker than the AVX, but I don't think that will matter.

2.  In terms of how to do it, there's no video (at least, no video of ME doing such an installation).  But I've posted "how to" threads on TRW in the past.  I'd start by looking at this thread, where I do a full tutorial on an installation in an RS11.  This was from over three years ago, though, so remember that I've altered my techniques a bit (for example, I don't drill holes in the shell any more for sound egress and you won't need to modify the rear light/numberboard plastic insert), but it will give you a general idea of how to go about doing this (note that I did the frame modification with a Dremel):

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31391.0

You might also want to look at my RS3 install (also did frame mods with a Dremel):

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31953.0

Then, take a look at the following three messages, where I describe how to do this for the GP7:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=41220.msg513506#msg513506 (description message)
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=41220.msg513525#msg513525 (photo of frame mods)
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=41220.msg513417#msg513417 (photo of capacitor "sandwich" for keep-alive)

If you need help along the way, just e-mail me (jdcolombo at gmail) or send a PM here.

John C.

[MK]

Warning OT:

With all this talk about Digi-Key and because I never win anything, last week was National Engineering Week.  As part of the celebration, Digi-Key was holding a contest with geeky nerdy word puzzles.  Every day for a week they would pick a daily winner for a prize.  What the heck, might as well do the puzzle.

Yesterday, a HUGE box shows up at my door.  Very odd as all my orders from Digi-Key come in a padded envelope or tiny box and I didn't order anything.  And it weighs a ton too...I don't remember ordering 100,000 SMD LEDs!   

Open the box and I see this:  http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/american-hakko-products-inc/FX888D-29BY-P/1691-1083-ND/6228839

Now I really have no excuse to try a sound decoder install! 

[jdcolombo]

@davefoxx

By the way, you're going to need a lot of thin cutoff wheels, so order a 36 pack:

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-409-Cut-off-Wheels-thick/dp/B00004UDGX

And you'll need some carbide cutters.  I used the #9901 1/8" cutter a lot; a set of different shapes/sizes would probably be a good investment.

Most of my frame modification was done with a thin cutoff wheel, starting with a thin line and then just cutting through wherever I needed.  The carbide cutters were generally used for cleaning up the initial cuts.

John C.

[davefoxx]

@jdcolombo,

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I would never even attempt this without your tutelage.  Not only will I need a sh!tload of cutoff wheels, but I better order some good eye protection! 

DFF

[jdcolombo]

@jdcolombo,

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I would never even attempt this without your tutelage.  Not only will I need a sh!tload of cutoff wheels, but I better order some good eye protection! 

DFF

Yeah, eye protection is a must.  And keep a box of band-aids handy, because eventually the Dremel will slip while you are making a cut and nick your finger where you are holding the frame.  You won't do any serious damage, but it will be annoying.  At the end of my pre-milling-machine era, I got to the point where I'd pick up a frame half, look at how I was holding it, judge where the most likely nick was going to be when the cutoff wheel slipped, and "pre-bandaged" that.  I was right about 99% of the time, and doing this saved numerous small nicks.    

John C.

[peteski]

Yeah, eye protection is a must.  And keep a box of band-aids handy, because eventually the Dremel will slip while you are making a cut and nick your finger where you are holding the frame.  You won't do any serious damage, but it will be annoying.  At the end of my pre-milling-machine era, I got to the point where I'd pick up a frame half, look at how I was holding it, judge where the most likely nick was going to be when the cutoff wheel slipped, and "pre-bandaged" that.  I was right about 99% of the time, and doing this saved numerous small nicks.    

John C.

WHile I'm just as guilty of hand-holding stuff while grinding/cutting and getting hand injuries, a small Panavise vise with adjustabel base can hold the frame securely at any angle while working on it, saving yuor fingers.

So now I own:


But with the smaller base:


And a portable bench mount:


The fact that you can mix/match accessories is really nice about Panavise.

[Hornwrecker]

I recommend using a full face shield.  I've had a cutoff disc shatter and embed a piece of it into my cheek.  Not very pleasant pulling it out.

[jdcolombo]

The Panavise is a great tool for holding almost anything.  It's "user discipline" (e.g., actually using it) that's my problem!   

John C.

[MK]

I recommend using a full face shield.  I've had a cutoff disc shatter and embed a piece of it into my cheek.  Not very pleasant pulling it out.

I use this.  Works well, pretty inexpensive and doesn't give you that claustrophobic feeling.  Polycarbonate, thin and strong.

http://www.harborfreight.com/face-shield-with-flip-up-visor-62995.html

[davefoxx]

WHile I'm just as guilty of hand-holding stuff while grinding/cutting and getting hand injuries, a small Panavise vise with adjustabel base can hold the frame securely at any angle while working on it, saving yuor fingers.

A really good piece of advice.  Thanks.

I recommend using a full face shield.  I've had a cutoff disc shatter and embed a piece of it into my cheek.  Not very pleasant pulling it out.

Another good idea.  Thank you, too!

[davefoxx]

@jdcolombo,

I finally received the backordered tantalum chip capacitors today from Digikey.  I believe that I now have everything that I need to get started on my first attempt to add sound to an Atlas locomotive.  Unfortunately, it's been so long (and I've been messing around with On30) that I need to go back and research how you did the installation.  To say I'm a little nervous is an understatement.

DFF

[davefoxx]

@jdcolombo,

Going back over the threads, I think I have a gist of where all of the wires go, but I don't understand where the tantalum caps get wired in.  Also, do you solder to the motor tabs without taking the motor apart?  Do I need to worry about melting something in the motor, if I attempt to solder to the tabs?

Thanks,
DFF