I currently hav a 18 year old Aristo Craft 4-6-2 Pacific and shopping for a power supply. I am assuming that because the motor is directly wire to the track with no electronic interface that I can only use an Analog power supply to run it. Is this correct.
If I go with analog what are my restrictions with upgrading my sound card. I was looking at a Phoenix Sound Systems but it seems to only work with DCC.
I am on a tight budget so blowing $300 is not a great option…lol
Jason,
almost any locomotive is able to be converted to run DCC. It simply requires isolating the moter terminals from the track power pickups, plus some simple modifications to the lighting/smoke circuits if some level of DCC control is required over them.
In so far as sound then I have just completed installing a LGB digital sound unit (#65001) into a Pacific 'long' tender. The task was extremely simple. I also fitted the #65012 sound function trigger switch to activate the bell/whistle sounds. I flashed the onboard CV's of the sound unit and now have more than acceptable chuff synchronisation (voltage sensed rather than axle triggered chuff), with chuff commencing within a half revolution from stationary. A very simple wiring lead connected to a 9 volt battery handles the stationary sounds. All this for half the price of a Phoenix sound system.Jason Brown said:
I currently hav a 18 year old Aristo Craft 4-6-2 Pacific and shopping for a power supply. I am assuming that because the motor is directly wire to the track with no electronic interface that I can only use an Analog power supply to run it. Is this correct.If I go with analog what are my restrictions with upgrading my sound card. I was looking at a Phoenix Sound Systems but it seems to only work with DCC.
I am on a tight budget so blowing $300 is not a great option…lol
In Mine, I used a Digitrax DG583S decoder in the loco and a Digitrax SFX064 in the tender
Wiring it up is simply a matter of following the generic wired instructions in the Digitrax Decoder manual. The hardest part is taking the loco apart. Once the boiler is off access to the track pickups and motor is pretty easy. The speaker, chuff input and backup light can all be wired to the SFX064D in the tender so the only two wires needed between the tender and loco is to tie the track pickup together for better power pickup. The street prices are about 55 for the motor decoder and 50 for the sound decoder. You will probably want to spend another 20 for a relay for the smoke and a few resistors and new lights.
B0B
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The Phoenix 2k2 board is designed to work with just plain ordinary track power.
I have installed many on just about every brand of large scale track powered engine.
jb
Jason,
Stan Cedarleaf has done a lot of installs with the LGB sound card for steamers running on analog. Just click on his name and that will take you to his web page which contains his email addy. He has been very gracious with helping folks get started in Large Scale railroading, and I suspect that he will provide of his time to help you. You could probably do this for around $100.00, lock, stock and barrel.
I am electrically challenged, or I would offer more assistance. It’s been said of me that I am not to be trusted with a light switch. :lol:
You can also use the 2k2 sound for DCC. has a provision to change in the programing. You can also use the QSI board with the adapter to wire up the older Pacific which I have done. Later RJD
Battery.
( Don’t hit me! SOMEBODY had to say it 
)
Steve Featherkile said:
...........I am electrically challenged, or I would offer more assistance. It’s been said of me that I am not to be trusted with a light switch. :lol:
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:Steve Featherkile said:
...........I am electrically challenged, or I would offer more assistance. It’s been said of me that I am not to be trusted with a light switch. :lol:
Oh, oh! Dim bulb in Deer Park?
QSI is good and has many options (DC, battery, DC, remote), reasonably priced