N Scale Sound F Units from Intermountain

[Cajonpassfan]

This is what the release says:

Reading carefully, you will notice they only talk about the MRC decoders with respect to the FP7/FP9.  When talking about "future production" of the F3/F7 they just say "with sound as an option".  Since they already are specifying ESU as the sound decoder in the upcoming SD40-2's hopefully, they will also do the same with the F3/F7.  With the advance reservations they might have time to change the frame for an ESU decoder (if that's even necessary).

And maybe they are using the sales with MRC decoders vs the pre-sales with ESU decoders to gauge which are used in the future.  There's only one way to know and I doubt Intermountain will say.

John, you are right, if one reads it carefully. It makes me wonder whether the writing is sloppy or crafted to be misleading to move existing MRC inventory If ESU Loksound Micro is indeed the new IM choice, I'll be thrilled!
Otto K.

[Mike Madonna]

Really curious as to "how" they are going to fit a sound decoder and speaker in an "A" unit???

[peteski]

Really curious as to "how" they are going to fit a sound decoder and speaker in an "A" unit???

Should be rather easy considering how wide the body shell is.

[Bob Horn]

Current chassis has a recess for a speaker. Bob.

[drgw0579]

Not that its going to change anyone's mind, but a friend had me replace one of the MRC decoders in a FP7 with an ESU LokSound/Knowles Fox decoder combo.  The MRC decoder sound wasn't very impressive  (to be polite) and he said I could keep it.  I was curious if it could be improved upon by replacing the MRC speaker with a Knowles Fox, mounted in s proper baffle.  The difference was quite significant! Maybe more work than it was worth, but if you already had some of those decoders, that might be one way to make them sound better.

Bill Kepner

[Cajonpassfan]

Not that its going to change anyone's mind, but a friend had me replace one of the MRC decoders in a FP7 with an ESU LokSound/Knowles Fox decoder combo.  The MRC decoder sound wasn't very impressive  (to be polite) and he said I could keep it.  I was curious if it could be improved upon by replacing the MRC speaker with a Knowles Fox, mounted in s proper baffle.  The difference was quite significant! Maybe more work than it was worth, but if you already had some of those decoders, that might be one way to make them sound better.

Bill Kepner

No question, a good speaker, properly baffled, is extremely important. Still, considering the amount of work it takes, starting with a great decoder, married to a great speaker/baffle combo, can't be beat....
Otto K.

[peteski]

Not that its going to change anyone's mind, but a friend had me replace one of the MRC decoders in a FP7 with an ESU LokSound/Knowles Fox decoder combo.  The MRC decoder sound wasn't very impressive  (to be polite) and he said I could keep it.  I was curious if it could be improved upon by replacing the MRC speaker with a Knowles Fox, mounted in s proper baffle.  The difference was quite significant! Maybe more work than it was worth, but if you already had some of those decoders, that might be one way to make them sound better.

Bill Kepner

MRC decoders (at least the previous generation as I have not bought any of the recent products) were inferior not just in sound reproduction.

[jdcolombo]

I tried a current-generation MRC decoder with a Fox speaker (in one of my typical sealed enclosures) in one of my Atlas Geeps before embarking on my ESU LokSound sound installations.   The sound actually wasn't bad; it was the TERRIBLE motor control and general lack of adjustment of nearly anything important that led me to toss it in two days and begin my ESU LokSound odyssey.   And I'm very, very happy I did, even though the LokSound micro is just a tad too wide for these applications and requires thinning the inside of the shell a bit.

Given that LokSound is supplying the OEM sound boards for the Atlas S2 and the Intermountain SD40-2, I'm optimistic that there will be a new LokSound decoder of slightly smaller width that can be used in other N-scale diesels.   Meanwhile, I've installed LokSound in 16 diesel units, including Atlas GP7's/9's, SD9's, RS3's, GP30's, RS11's, one VO-1000, and one GEVO.   I can do a complete LokSound install in an RS3 starting from scratch and including the frame mods, in 3 hours.  Worth every minute, IMHO.  I don't own any cab units except for PA-1's, which I bought already sound-equipped from BLI, but given the width of those units, a LokSound install should be doable.

John C.

[nstars]

I talked to Intermountain today at the NSE convention and the plan is that the F-units will get Loksound decoders.

Marc

[reinhardtjh]

I talked to Intermountain today at the NSE convention and the plan is that the F-units will get Loksound decoders.

Marc

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120705231207/harrypotter/images/6/6e/Applause-harry-potter.gif

Well that got old after about 3.5 seconds.

Good news on the ESU decoder choice though.

[skytop35]

A little addendum to my article on adding sound to Intermountain F units (May/June 2014 N Scale Railroading.) I thought the A units would require frame milling but I came up with a better way. I just removed the cab interior and stuck a Zimo 12x8mm "Sugar Cube" speaker up front in its place. I painted the speaker box black and it's not noticeable thru the windows. The LED wiring runs under the speaker for the dual headlights. Mars on top and regular headlight below. Sweet !

 

[jdcolombo]

VERY nice work, Bill!

John C.

[skytop35]

VERY nice work, Bill!

John C.

Thanks John.  It means a lot coming from the N Scale sound master !

[Bruce Bird]

Thanks John.  It means a lot coming from the N Scale sound master !

And State of Illinois pension plan legal expert- at least according to the Sun-Times!
Thanks for the photos, Bill.  I have my first Lok-Sound decoder on the workbench and was planning on putting it in an IM F7.

Bruce

[OldEastRR]

Doesn't MicroScale make decals for this WM paint scheme?