Adrian

2 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

Looks good .......

but where's The Boss going to put her whirlygig clothes line now?

Maybe you bought her a tumbler dryer as an early Mother's Day present.

Lol, the Boss and myself have a deal, I get this Railway Cabin and she gets stables built later this year, so she doesn’t really care about the loss of a clothes line

All done - 3 coats of stain on the #railwaycabin

That's really interesting ^^ thanks for sharing

That's very interesting information @Sean an @murphaph  Thank you!

That logic of having different speakers handle different parts of the sound totally makes sense but is beyond my capabilities for now  And I agree with Phil, that I do like the sound fading over distance as well. To answer your question, the speaker do have their own enclosures and are simply mounted on the chassis using black tack - again as Phil said there's not enough space to do anything else in most OO locos, to say nothing of the narrow CIE bodies on these models!

Just posting this here in case it's useful for someone in the future - it's a set of comparisons of various different speaker types for the 141 including:

* double iPhone

* twin sugarcubes

* slim sugarcube

* bass enhanced

* twin megabass

* EM2 bass (knew it wouldn't fit but had to try it out )

* Direct comparison of double iPhone and combination sugarcube & megabass

* The winner (IMHO): Combination of 1 x Sugarcube & 1 x Megabass

Enjoy!

And last but not least, here's a full tutorial for the 141s if you are fitting your speakers and need to file down the chassis to make them fit - might be helpful!

Just sharing this in case it's useful for anyone following or new to this thread - continuing the sound for class 141/181 themes, here's a full start to finish video of fitting both a sugarcube and megabass to the loco, with details on how to modify the chassis as well Hope someone finds it useful!
 

The depot is sounding great these days  The last few weeks have concentrated on sound and getting it right. The LokSound decoders for 141/181 from Roads & Rails are great and come with a double iPhone speaker which is good...but I wasn't 100%, so decided to buy a load more speaker types and test them out. Also the iPhone speakers wouldn't quite fit without modifying / filing the chassis, which I didn't want to do without testing other speakers first, so the testing began.

Speaker Testing

Here's the full playlist with all speaker tests so you can see for yourselves if you like

Speaker Installation

I eventually settled on a combination of a sugarcube with as deep an enclosure as I could fit into the loco and a megabass speaker which just about fit, with some modification of the chassis. I found various posts on this topic (especially getting the body off) but no videos so created a full start to finish tutorial over in the tutorials section - hopefully it might help someone in the future

The Winner

And here's the final result!

Double Heading

And last thing I was doing this week was getting to grips with double heading and how to arrange CV values so as to be able to control loco functions while in the double header - got it running nicely and here's some 181 and 121 examples - enjoy!

New Railway

Last but not least, I am excited to launch Charobyn, a new large layout
 

Over the last few months, I've bought four class 141/181s and as I love having sound, I wanted to fit DCC sound chips and speakers to each. I hadn't fit speakers before to anything so this was a new challenge, even just getting the body shell off the loco was something I had to look up. I also found two good posts on this topic on this forum https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/8434-dcc-sound-for-locos-in-2020/ and https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/4568-dcc-sound-speaker-comparison/ to get me started and give some idea of what needed to be done. 

After testing a bunch of different speaker types (watch the tests here if you like) I eventually settled on a combination of a sugarcube with as deep an enclosure as I could fit into the loco and a megabass speaker which just about fit, with some modification of the chassis.

I never found a start to finish video tutorial on how to do this, so decided to create one and add it on here - hopefully it helps someone else in the future

Wow! This is not something I need to do, or would ever attempt, but that's some serious machinery and equipment you have there and it's obvious you know how to use it. Thanks for sharing all that

32 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

I hope it's gonna be very secure!

Locks on everything and it's in the middle of nowhere

17 minutes ago, flange lubricator said:

Looks fantastic a fabulous space for a model railway. 

Thanks a lot!

Hey all,

This is it, the big one that'll do me to retirement! After modelling Depot #8 for the last 18 months to test feasibility, I took the plunge and bought an insulated outdoor cabin to house the new model railway. I'll still keep Depot #8 alive as the test bed for new skills and also to have something to run during the long construction phases of the new railway. 

The cabin is fully insulated top and bottom, double glazing and rubber seals, up off the ground with damp breaks between block and wood and is 6m x 4m, plenty of space First job is to stain and weather-protect it, hopefully this weekend if it's fine. Then run some electrics to it, with lighting and electric radiators to follow. Plenty to do - here's some pics:

Gotta move the dog and cat sheds...

Ready for stone

Ground work and levelling complete

Cabin built

Interior shots

Rough planning begins (with wool and masking tape )

I've so many ideas of what to do - obviously it will be 80s Ireland (that's a given), I've always wanted to do a terminus station, with long meandering country sections, a viaduct, two levels, a depot and a quarry. Probably include a variation on Carlow as a small station on the way since that's where I'm from originally. 

And it's named after my two daughters if you were curious

Watch this space!

One thing I found really useful is a videographer / YouTubers lightbox source. I got it free from work and almost got rid of it but then realised I could use it for modelling. Comes with a telescopic tripod which is really handy for lighting the whole layout or close in work, and also bend upwards so can be used when working under the baseboard

Also the light tone can be made warmer or colder - super handy!

3 hours ago, mmie353 said:

Besides the iPhone speakers, would you happen to have links to the other speakers that you used in your testing? I am grateful once again for the trouble you went to.

No worries! All the speakers I bought are on Roads and Rails and have the same names as I used in the video titles  

Also if you are using a single speaker it’s needs to be a 4 or 8 ohm. If you are using two speakers they need to be 8 ohm. Using double 8 ohm speakers wires in parallel will give an impedance of 4 ohms which the chip can handle. If you use two 4 ohm speakers in parallel you get an impedance of 2 ohms which will let too much current through the chip and blow it!

The speakers on Roads and Rails all display their ohm rating so it’s easy to buy what you need

3 hours ago, irishthump said:

The EM2 bass speaker sounds incredible! Have you managed the minor miracle of fitting it inside the loco?

Unfortunately no, I knew it would never fit was just curious to hear it, it’s about 2/3 the size of the loco chassis and half again as wide so it just ain’t gonna happen

On 14/10/2020 at 8:07 PM, controller said:

Thanks IT, for that information. I am using a Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance, a Gaugemaster capacitor and Gaugemaster PM4 points. Do I need a decoder to operate these,  or will they work without one ?.

Thanks Again,

Controller.

Just saw this @controller - that's a negative, you can use DCC for the track but don't necessarily need to use DCC or an accessory decoder to control points. You can set these up as previously done for DC layouts using a suitable DC power supply (an old DC controller will work nicely), a capacitor, and momentary contact switches (or push buttons) to switch the point.

Hope that helps!

@mmie353 I literally just finished sound testing a load of different speakers on my 141/181s - I get them from Roads and Rails as well. You might find this useful...

1. The playlist of different speakers tested is here and you can judge for yourself (I found a combination of a sugarcube and megabass worked best for bass and higher freq sounds): 

2. There's a direct comparison video of double iPhone vs sugarcube & megabass in that playlist as well - second last vid

3. Here's a few pics of how to file off the lugs (4 metal on the chassis, 1 plastic inside the roof of the loco) and fit the speakers (get some black tack from Roads & Rails if you are ordering, it's class):

You can get a set of files from Woodies for a few quid

Make sure and mask up to stop the filed metal falling into the motor

Metal lugs filed off

Cut / file off the plastic lug on the right in this picture

Black tack is very handy for sticking down the speakers - I covered over chassis with black tape as a speaker base - left a gap in the tape for air to circulate around the motor (not sure if needed but was being cautious )

4. And the finished result is here
 

Hope that helps your decisions!

On 24/2/2022 at 6:28 PM, irishthump said:

I'm in the same camp as Adrian. I love the DCC sound aspect of the hobby and now almost all of my locos are sound equipped. 

I'd also recommend the ESU Loksound decoders but I went a little further down the rabbit hole and purchased a Lokprogrammer which allows me to buy blank decoders and upload files to them myself and/or tweak factory installed decoders to function how I like them to. 

Yeahh...I also bought a LokProgrammer but haven't used it yet - got it mainly because it was available when I was ordering something else and they can be hard to get  I plan on a lot of sound locos as well so it makes sense. Apart from that I'm a software developer in my day to day so also just curious on how it works

On 23/2/2022 at 2:36 AM, Sean said:

Are the sound decoders limited runs or are they in constant production? since after all the actual decoder itself is going to be in constant production.

They are generally available all the time on Roas and Rails - looking earlier I can see you can get an 071 there too. 

If you look on Marks Models / IRM, most of the sound decoders for older locos remain sold out and come in sporadically. AFAIK Roads & Rails buy in blank LokSound decoders and have the sound files so they just add them to the decoders, add a speaker and sell them that way - hence they are always available

@raymurph I was in the exact same boat a few months ago - looking to build up a fleet and nothing in production. Best bet is keep an eye open on this forum, get in touch with the contacts above and watch eBay  

I would definitely grab a couple of 121s from Marks before they are gone too - I’d even ring up and buy them as opposed to depending on a visit. At least then you’ll have something to play with  Also they had some 071 sound decoders last week so perhaps grab one of those even before you find a loco, as they sell out quickly too

Lastly Roads & Rails in the UK do quality sound decoders for 121s (two different engine types) as well as the 141/181 - I’ve bought a few and would recommend them

Best of luck, these locos do come available from time to time so patience is needed, bear in mind though you will likely need between €200-€400 per loco though, so start saving!

No worries, best of luck Sean

You guys rock! I love that you are taking the market by storm and both your companies have become the new gold standard for what quality looks like. I watched two Hornby employees review the A class recently and the two lads were almost embarrassed by how good it was, how many features were in it and how easy it was to open and add the decoder. 

Keep up the great work! I adore my two (count ‘em) A classes !

Slightly different opinion to some of the replies on this thread but I absolutely love having DCC sound and lighting and am a total convert. You do have to get a decent DCC chip and speaker but it’s well worth it - check out the vids below, you’ll know if it is for you

Avoid the Hornby select like the plague, it’s very basic, for a little extra spend you’ll get a more reliable controller with more functionality. And if you buy a Hornby DCC sound loco, the basic speaker they add is not a good reflection of proper DCC sound, so just be aware

Personally I use a Lenz LZV100 unit with a LH100 handset and find them powerful yet easy to use.

You can go digital with points or leave them as physical switches which I have done and it’s cheaper, up to you

If you want cheap but good decoders just for running without sound, grab a Zimo MXR600, there about £20-25 Sterling. If you want sound go for an ESU LokSound V4 or 5 they’re about €100-125.

I buy from Roads and rails in the UK as they include speakers for free and have good service. They also do sound chips for the MM121s (both engine types) and MM141/181. Marks Models currently have sound chips for the MM071. I get the IRM A class sound chips direct from IRM.

In my opinion it’s worth the investment. 

Here’s a few examples to give you a good idea (throw the headphones in and turn it up, especially for the last one!) So you can see if it’s for you  Bear in mind that they sound even better in real life as well!

IRM A class & MM071

MM071

MM121 old and newer engine

MM141 with double iPhone speaker

MM141 with EM2 bass speaker (this speaker is way too big to fit but I just had to try it out for a laugh cos I have one spare - it’s a pity they don’t fit in the 141)

There’s lots to learn with DCC and it can be confusing to start, so if you have more questions keep em coming. I wish I’d had someone to ask when I started with it two years ago!

Nice work Sean, I like working with DAS too so I’ll be interested to follow along and see how yours turns out! 
 

Also, DCC sound is definitely worth it - grab yourself a LOK sound decoders with double iPhone speaker for the 141 from Roads and Rails and you’ll be very pleasantly surprised

Gorgeous work Kevin, and welcome to the forum - looking forward to following your progress