I might have a sound addiciton problem...

Oh yeah! Sounds very nice.

Needs more partners in consist! 

Sounds great. Do you happen to know which Tang Band Speaker module is used here?

Pete

Joe: You read my mind! It'll be in between these two shortly (upgrading them next).  

Pete: It's a TB1942s.  See details in the notes under the video on YouTube.  I use the TB1925s mostly but occasionally one can squeeze in a 1931 or a 1942.  

Thanks John!  The ProtoThrottle has really got me going in the hobby again. For Diesel era modelling with a focus on operations it's really engaging. Makes the engineer's job as involving as the conductor/brakeman at ops sessions.  I've had lots of positive feedback at recent sessions too.  Of course the HO guys jaws drop first time hearing the loco sounds anyway, never mind the PT! 

Pete, and all they want to talk about is the sound!  Oh Well!

Pete M posted:

Here's a couple of clips of my latest adventure, a P&D F7B with a complete drive-train upgrade from Jay Criswell that enables the use of an HO decoder leaving room for a serious speaker! 

Turn up the volume (well as long as you're not at work)!  I run about 1/3rd of this volume for ops sessions.  Also, ignore the hiss, that's from my stupid phone. 

I have a P&D F7 that doesn't look anything like that one. My F unit has one center mounted motor, brass trucks and doesn't run worth a darn. Food job.

Jay C posted:

Pete, and all they want to talk about is the sound!  Oh Well!

LOL Jay, those HO guys eh? I'm telling them about coreless gearhead motors, 1:1 ratio belt drives, coasting gearboxes, ball bearings throughout, smoothest quietest drive ever, and all they wanna know is how do I start it up again!      

But all in all it's an excellent package thanks to your engineering!

CBQer posted:

Pete M posted:

Here's a couple of clips of my latest adventure, a P&D F7B with a complete drive-train upgrade from Jay Criswell that enables the use of an HO decoder leaving room for a serious speaker! 

Turn up the volume (well as long as you're not at work)!  I run about 1/3rd of this volume for ops sessions.  Also, ignore the hiss, that's from my stupid phone. 

I have a P&D F7 that doesn't look anything like that one. My F unit has one center mounted motor, brass trucks and doesn't run worth a darn. Food job.

Yes, mine were like that too.  But now thanks to Jay's great work, this one runs better than anything else on my roster!     

OK, I'll say it. Jay, that's a spectacular drive rebuild. Wish I could afford them!

Great sound, too... The vid is motivating me to get started on an ABBA set using Tang Band T1-1828SD modules. For those I'll have to mill a hole in the frame for the passive radiator.

Dick: As for the F7 that doesn't run well, check for cracked axle gears, drive sprockets, and the universal piece attached to the motor. Definitely add wheel wipers all around. The factory arrangement only picks up on half the wheels and is dodgy at best. I have an F3 ABA set that runs like a Swiss watch with Loksound V4L decoders. People ask to run them at operating sessions on the A&O.

Bob

Thanks Bob.  The little Faulhaber gear heads are pretty cool.  Biggest drawback is, these things won't pull a 100 car train.  Luckily, Pete isn't going to try doing so...I hope.

Jay

That is one sweet sounding (Pete) and sweet RUNNING (Jay) F chassis, there. And this from an HO guy.

So, a single F won't pull 100 cars? Nor were the prototypes called upon to do such under typical mainline conditions. In fact, the mainline grade I worked up to retirement was historically rated for 770 tons for ONE F-type (or GP7). That's only about 7 LOADED cars of their era.

Andre

Andre,

Yes, that's true but most guys don't care.  I think it's some sort of macho thing, or something.  Maybe over compensation for something else.

Jay

Jay:

Having to handle 100 cars (even empties) on typical mainlines (i.e. track speeds of 35+ MPH and grades) with ONE 1500 HP ROAD unit would be miserable.

Andre

Andre,

You're preaching to the choir!  I totally agree.  I'm just saying, many modelers want their models to do more than the prototype.

Jay

Thanks Andre!

Yeah Jay, I'm keeping it down to 95 cars now... 

But seriously, this setup weighted to about 2.5lbs will pull at least 15 x 1lb cars (with stock Atlas and Weaver trucks and NWSL wheels, no roller bearings) on level track.  And it draws under 0.3A total while doing so!  I generally run 2-unit consists and my max train length is only 25 cars so all's good in Pete World!   

Sounds great. I've been looking at the TB1942s as a replacement to install in the empty B-units of a couple of MTH F-unit sets. Will fit nicely, but the width is a tight squeeze.

Nah, ain't preachin' at you Jay... aimed at those that have an unrealistic expectation of a model.

Generally, a model pulls LESS than the prototype on level track and MORE than the prototype on an equivalent gradient.

Andre

riogrande491 posted:

OK, I'll say it. Jay, that's a spectacular drive rebuild. Wish I could afford them!

Great sound, too... The vid is motivating me to get started on an ABBA set using Tang Band T1-1828SD modules. For those I'll have to mill a hole in the frame for the passive radiator.

Dick: As for the F7 that doesn't run well, check for cracked axle gears, drive sprockets, and the universal piece attached to the motor. Definitely add wheel wipers all around. The factory arrangement only picks up on half the wheels and is dodgy at best. I have an F3 ABA set that runs like a Swiss watch with Loksound V4L decoders. People ask to run them at operating sessions on the A&O.

Bob

Hi Bob,

As you say, a spectacular upgrade! I came to realize I just don't have the skills or tools to make those chain drives run the way you do. And thanks to you I learned about Tang Band speakers to complement Jay's work. Best sound ever!  By the way, I think a 1942s might fit in a P&D F Unit with an end tower drive and still leave room for the cab interior. If you put a coreless motor in there above the speaker you could use an HO decoder for more space, and save milling the chassis. Only 3 Hz difference in FO - 75 vs 78.

Budget wise the upgrade works for me. I sell off my Pittmans and chain drives (unless I just killed the used market with this post ) and save cost on HO size decoders instead of O.  Plus overall track power consumption of my fleet will drop by about 80% at full load, requiring fewer boosters and they can be 5A not 8 or 10A. The savings add up to help cover the upgrades. 

Pete