Converted an old Kato U30C to ESU LokSound

[GGNInNScale]

Hi to all   I converted my Kato U30C to ESU 58923 LokSound.  I milled out the frame on each end with my drill press and Dremel end mill bit.  Filed a bit here and there.  I cut off one of the bronze motor springs and soldered it to the other to extend the flat contact from the bottom of the motor brush cap.  Soldered the leads from the PCB.  I put Kapton tape on the inside of the frame on both sides to isolate the motor leads.  I added an OWS 9x16mm speaker (DigiKey) with a 3D printed 2mm backcase.  Power leads were attached to the bronze pickup straps, with the wires set into grooves filed into the sides of the frame.  The lights are LEDs, 0402 with a 2.2kOhm SMD resistor.  The lights slip-fit into the plastic lenses at each end- easy for maintenance later on.  I loaded sound file S0545 from ESU.  All of the unneeded wires were remove to help with interior clearances.  Starts creeping at "1" on my NCE PowerCab.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Lets see some video!!

[jagged ben]

Can you show more detail on how the lights slip fit into the lenses?

[GGNInNScale]

Hmmm, this is going to be a tough one-  the clearances are very small, so not possible to get a camera in there.  I will try to figure out something.  Basically, there is a small slot above the lens pieces in the shell.  The light unit is a 0402 SMD LED soldered to a 2.2kOhm SMD resistor.  The wires attach at each end as you can see in the picture.  The wires kind of form a loopy pantograph.  As I put the shell on, the wires slide along the inside top of the shell and stop at the lens.  Works every time.

[GGNInNScale]

Lets see some video!!

Hi  I will give it a try.  I finally got past the YouTube goblins, and opened a video account.  Would have been easier if it were not google...  Long story.  Stay tuned.

4-26-24 update
I tried to get a camera shot as the shell is mounted- no good.  Just gets a fuzzy image.  Sorry.