Adding Legacy Sound

Following this. I bet it's probably possible. 

Probably but looking at the pricing to make it happen you will be in for at least a couple hundred bucks.

All, thanks for the replies.  Per the instruction manual, this powered B-unit has everything but sound:

LEGACY Control System equipped—able to run with the new LEGACY Control system, in the TrainMaster Command Control environment, or in the conventional environment with only a standard transformer • Odyssey II Speed Control with ON/OFF switch • ElectroCoupler on rear • Dual powerful maintenance-free motors with momentum flywheels • Four traction tires • Fan driven smoke unit.

It seems like you should be able to buy the sound board, if available, and connect it to the existing Legacy board.  I never could understand why Lionel did not install sound in their powered B-units when they installed everything else.

How can I find out if the E7 sound board is available?  Lionel's parts site and I don't get along very well.

CAPPilot posted:

All, thanks for the replies.  Per the instruction manual, this powered B-unit has everything but sound:

How can I find out if the E7 sound board is available?  Lionel's parts site and I don't get along very well.

 

Well you may want to compare the non-powered (no sound) parts vs powered parts (with sound) parts.  I think you will find you may need a few additional parts including a Legacy mother board.  At least that's the way it appears for the PW Scale F3s.

MartyE posted:

CAPPilot posted:

All, thanks for the replies.  Per the instruction manual, this powered B-unit has everything but sound:

How can I find out if the E7 sound board is available?  Lionel's parts site and I don't get along very well.

 

Well you may want to compare the non-powered (no sound) parts vs powered parts (with sound) parts.  I think you will find you may need a few additional parts including a Legacy mother board.  At least that's the way it appears for the PW Scale F3s.

So you need a setup similar to this. 

Ron, I missed the point that this is a powered B. In that case you would still need the audio board, audio power board, and motherboard to plug the other two boards into. Save you a few bucks but still pricey. Lionels new Legacy used a single audio board but that one is not for sale yet.

Pete

Rats.  I guess I'll keep the wires.  Alex did a good job of connecting the 2nd speaker for the B-unit and it sounds great, so might as well keep it.

Thanks for the replies.

Trainlover9943 posted:

So you need a setup similar to this. 

Yep. 

You also need the R2LC/R4LC radio board too

The hard thing that you'll have to watch out for is the serial plug in the picture below. After that you can use a motherboard from a powered unit. 

Matt Makens posted:

You also need the R2LC/R4LC radio board too

Ron's B unit is powered so the R4LC is already there. 

Pete

You might be able to use this. I say might because it's for a TMCC Breakdown B unit with sound. It's the TMCC part that makes me unsure if it'll work. Since you'll probably use a Legacy sound card which Lionel has the E7 A #5848 card that you can buy. 

A friend who has done many Legacy control installations has been able to use TMCC Railsounds boards but says only a few of the sounds work. This is well before Lionel began selling their early Legacy sound cards. I am not sure if it makes any difference if you program the Legacy engine in TMCC mode if the radio board transmits only 8 bits. I doubt it but never tried it. If a TMCC board would work then the least expensive way to pull this off is to use an ERR Railsounds board. It would take up the least amount of space. 

Pete

Norton posted:

A friend who has done many Legacy control installations has been able to use TMCC Railsounds boards but says only a few of the sounds work. This is well before Lionel began selling their early Legacy sound cards. I am not sure if it makes any difference if you program the Legacy engine in TMCC mode if the radio board transmits only 8 bits. I doubt it but never tried it. If a TMCC board would work then the least expensive way to pull this off is to use an ERR Railsounds board. It would take up the least amount of space. 

Pete

Interesting.  I wonder what sounds work?  I'm only interested in the prime mover sounds in the B-unit, all other sounds I want (whistle/horn, bell) will come from the lead A-unit.

Norton posted:

You could add the sound board(s) but still need a wire for serial data. I assume the existing wire(s) are for the speaker. To eliminate all of the wires you would need a Legacy R4LC radio board as well as the audio boards. I think Lionel is only selling the early Legacy modular audio boards. So for no wires you would need an R4LC, motherboard, Audio Board, audio power board. This will add up $$$$$$$.

 Pete

Since he has a powered unit, he already has the Legacy R4LC receiver, assuming the powered B is a similar vintage as the A-A set.  All he needs is the powered RailSounds motherboard and the appropriate RailSounds audio board.  A couple of wires to lash it together and he should be set.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Norton posted:

You could add the sound board(s) but still need a wire for serial data. I assume the existing wire(s) are for the speaker. To eliminate all of the wires you would need a Legacy R4LC radio board as well as the audio boards. I think Lionel is only selling the early Legacy modular audio boards. So for no wires you would need an R4LC, motherboard, Audio Board, audio power board. This will add up $$$$$$$.

 Pete

Since he has a powered unit, he already has the Legacy R4LC receiver, assuming the powered B is a similar vintage as the A-A set.  All he needs is the powered RailSounds motherboard and the appropriate RailSounds audio board.  A couple of wires to lash it together and he should be set.

The wires needed would be to provide power to the MB correct? What pins on each board would you use to connect them together?

You need serial data and power.  As for the specific pins, you can look at the older ERR RailSounds Commander for the powered motherboard, it's the same board.  For the engine motherboard, without having it in hand I'm not sure as I don't know what motherboard it has.  That's what I use my ohmmeter for.

Have another idea, I was looking at the Legacy SuperBass AC6000 which is a non powered unit with sound. While it uses a MB from a legacy steam engine, it has a separate board for the sound system, which could work.