David Russell said:so basically.... a good speaker in a Porsche sounds better than a speaker in a Rambler.... :)
I'm not sure how in depth you want to get and by no means have I experimented with sound systems but ya' know I have never seen a split system with separate's meaning a woofer and a tweeter. Back in my car stereo building days highs were fired up or out and lows were fired downward. However these were set up and tweaked on a pink noise generator. Ok I'm rambling but just a thought that may increase your depth would to be line the shell with automotive car stereo soundmat or kevlar batting ...but if ya' really wanna be cheap pillow batting works but it can't take the internal heat. As for the highs ...whistle ect....why not a split system with a crossover. I really cannot believe none of the manufactures have tried this or maybe they have and failed? You could be the first to blow out your neighbors windows here Jon! A good speaker is only as good as the enclosure it resides in theoretically... Just a thought ;)
LMAO…yes
David Russell said:In other words, build a rail riding boom box.........;)
I'm not sure how in depth you want to get and by no means have I experimented with sound systems but ya' know I have never seen a split system with separate's meaning a woofer and a tweeter. Back in my car stereo building days highs were fired up or out and lows were fired downward. However these were set up and tweaked on a pink noise generator. Ok I'm rambling but just a thought that may increase your depth would to be line the shell with automotive car stereo soundmat or kevlar batting ...but if ya' really wanna be cheap pillow batting works but it can't take the internal heat. As for the highs ...whistle ect....why not a split system with a crossover. I really cannot believe none of the manufactures have tried this or maybe they have and failed? You could be the first to blow out your neighbors windows here Jon! A good speaker is only as good as the enclosure it resides in theoretically... Just a thought ;)
“In other words, build a rail riding boom box…wink”
I think Jon already did that with his “cheezy sound car”
didn’t someone on MLS port a speaker in the tender of a large loco in hopes for deeper resonance?
Ric Golding said:
“In other words, build a rail riding boom box…wink” I think Jon already did that with his “cheezy sound car”
Yup. Been there, done that. Thought I had a better picture on-line but this will have to do…
instantly recognized those as Realistic shelf units…oh, the Glory Days of the Shack…
Yup. Minimus 3.5’s…
(http://photo.cvsry.com/SoundCar-9-640.jpg)
The fit perfectly inside an Aristo Classics box car or reefer. Testing your Shack knowledge… Can you read/decode the date code?
C. Nelson said:I think Mike O Malley discussed it here. Ralph
didn't someone on MLS port a speaker in the tender of a large loco in hopes for deeper resonance?
An insulated properly sized enclosure will make a difference I can assure you of this as for porting them on this application …I doubt it. Separates with crossovers aimed correctly will also IMO…someone needs to try this and I thought Jon’s build would be the perfect platform.
I doubt it…my Shack time was spent 10-12 grade +…focused more on the ladies than stock…David; funny same time was also spent working many nights and weekends on the 18 and 10" Rockford and Kicker Subs in rear of S-10 Blazer.
Yes, this is a really old thread, dating back to October 2010. Rather than start a new thread on completing this project I thought I should keep it with the original build, so here goes.
My Porter project stalled around 4 years ago once it was operational. I guess I was just too lazy to figure out how to properly mount the couplers. Not sure what motivated me to get back at it other than a crappy weekend stuck inside. I didn’t think to take progress pictures of the rear coupler mount, but I did of the front.
The Bachmann Spectrum Porter is sold as a 1:20 scale model, but it is basically an update of an older 1:22 model. As such it’s stock couplers line up with truck mounts on their 1:22 rolling stock, but are way too low for their 1:20 stock. Unlike other models, they do not include any method to off-set the couplers to 1:20 height. Kaydee sells an offset shank coupler that is supposed to work, but I’d rather have a straight shank set to the proper height.
Here’s a repeat shot of my temporary fix for the front. The coupler is mounted to the top of the frame where the pilot would attach…
And here is a shot of the rear with no coupler in the mount…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post2/FirstRun2011-7.jpg)
I chose to use the Accucraft AP-11730 couplers. On the rear, in order to get the height I needed, the top of the 11730 draft gear box needed to be above the existing cab floor. My solution was to mill out an opening in the floor for the draft gear then raise the floor about 5mm to cover the hole and make a place to attach the 11730. If you look at the fireman’s side of the floor in this shot you can see that it has been raised in the center…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-12.JPG)
The 11730 had to be modified to remove the top two screw holes so the floor didn’t need to be raised further. A piece of styrene covers the old mounting hole. It is glued only to the chassis so the cab can be removed if needed.
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-13.JPG)
Inspired by this success, I moved on to the front. I didn’t want to build a new pilot as was my original plan, So I looked at the existing pilot to see what might work. Like the rear, the top of the 11730 draft gear needed to be even with the top of the pilot. Using a razor saw, Dremel and hobby knives I opened up a hole for the draft gear in the pilot…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-01.JPG)
Unfortunately, the screw mounts for the pilot prevent using most of the existing depth. This would require making the pilot about 8mm thicker at the center and about 6mm taller to accommodate the draft gear. First I shaped a piece of 6mm PVC board to match the pilot and included an extension at center…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-02.JPG)
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-03.JPG)
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-04.JPG)
Next, a piece of styrene was cut to be the face plate and backed with 6mm PVC board. A hole for the draft gear was cut to line up with the one milled in the pilot…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-05.JPG)
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-06.JPG)
Gravity was used to hold everything together for a dry fit test…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-07.JPG)
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-08.JPG)
I decided to replace the stock grab iron with a working cut lever, so I bent one up out of brass rod and soldered on some flat stock…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-09.JPG)
I have some craft store eyelets that fit the 1/16" rod perfectly. Here is the completed pilot painted up and mounted using the existing mounts…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-11.JPG)
And finally, a roster shot…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/post4/PorterPilot-10.JPG)
So, after only 4 years, this project is pretty much done!
Looks great! 
Sheesh, bout time…
finally getting mine back together as well after about 5 or 6 years of sitting. looks great btw (now to decide on what kid friendly couplers to run on the RR)