Lionel MPC sound of steam

If there is a wire going from the engine to the tender, then i would look in the tender for a circuit board.   It was probably at one time mounted to the tender floor ( metal), using double sided foam tape.  Over time, the foam usually disintegrates and the ckt board shorts out to the tender's metal frame.

I had the small Hudson with Sound of Steam. I gave up finding parts. I think only a few most likely still work. Sound is not that good anyway. You would be much better off with a new sound system. Don

Check out this thread from the Sultan of Scrounge on a different MPC steamer with the Mighty Sound of Steam...

https://ogrforum.com/...eam-sp-4449-daylight

The Sound of Steam boards are all through hole off the shelf hole components and easily refreshed with minimal soldering skills. You will be hard pressed to find a functional replacement board.

As to working with them, first, before anything, remount the board if the existing foam insulator is weak and disintegrating. Then, test the sound out - does it work and chuff? It will sound staticy, but that's what it is. If not, spend a few bucks on the capacitors (the most likely component to fail) and replace. There are some who tweak capacitor and resistor values to "tune" the sound to their liking.

Here are some examples (not mine) of the results:

Thanks for the replies guys, is there anything better to put between the board, and tender frame, if that indeed is the case? Also if the board is touching and shorting, will that fry it?

Also, I know the sound wasn’t that great. But i just want to see if it even works. 

AVR conductor posted:

Thanks for the replies guys, is there anything better to put between the board, and tender frame, if that indeed is the case? Also if the board is touching and shorting, will that fry it?

Double sided Tape - 3M is the name brand that comes to mind.

Shorting may fry the components requiring repair via replacement as described above.

Ok well I’ll try that. If it works, great. If not. Has anyone ever tried putting a board from ERR in something that old? My other option is just run it like it is without worrying about sound. Again if it don’t work. I’m not really all too worried about it

Shorts fry them. You want two sided FOAM. Not just tape. Tape alone isn't thick enough. The old foam was thin and crappy, and became dust.  

If you want to get fancy  you want spacers, also called standoffs (Legs) .  Many hardware store will have them. Basically a plastic bushing with a #4-#6 bolt thru it. Stand offs tend to be threaded or have push in stud/clips.

The last one I got with Sound of Steam The board was gone. I put a whistle in the tender. I got the whistle from a tender I bought at the Lionel warehouse sale off the $10 grab table.

UPDATE: I took the tender shell off. And yes the foam was pretty much shot. However when power is applied, there is a very faint sound (static) just not amplified coming from the speaker. What could it be? I haven’t messed with the board yet. Please let me know thanks. 

The Sound of Steam tenders I have ALWAYS emit static emulating hissing steam, but it the volume/intensity is boosted when the chuff switch is activated.

If it is VERY faint even when chuffing, you probably need to look towards replacing capacitors.

Ok sounds good. I’ll play with the board in the next couple days and see what happens. Stay tuned...

These boards work on the principle of transistor junction johnson noise; sort of a hiss which is amplified to make the chuff. I've had good luck replacing all of the electrolytic capacitors. 

Lou N

AVR conductor posted:

Ok well I’ll try that. If it works, great. If not. Has anyone ever tried putting a board from ERR in something that old? My other option is just run it like it is without worrying about sound. Again if it don’t work. I’m not really all too worried about it

I purchased an mpc Hudson #8406 which is identical to the postwar one. It had sound of steam but didn’t work well at all. Since I got a good deal on the engine I went and purchased an ERR kit and installed it on the Hudson. The sound was an outstanding improvement. The err kit came with everything, board, speaker, reed switch and easy to read instructions. (Board was small also) You can choose between three sound boards. It is a bit more in cost (95.00) but since i got a great deal on engine. The investment was well worth it. I would recommend and may do it again.

Jsulli21 posted:

AVR conductor posted:

Ok well I’ll try that. If it works, great. If not. Has anyone ever tried putting a board from ERR in something that old? My other option is just run it like it is without worrying about sound. Again if it don’t work. I’m not really all too worried about it

I purchased an mpc Hudson #8406 which is identical to the postwar one. It had sound of steam but didn’t work well at all. Since I got a good deal on the engine I went and purchased an ERR kit and installed it on the Hudson. The sound was an outstanding improvement. The err kit came with everything, board, speaker, reed switch and easy to read instructions. (Board was small also) You can choose between three sound boards. It is a bit more in cost (95.00) but since i got a great deal on engine. The investment was well worth it. I would recommend and may do it again.

 

I haven’t done anything with it since my last post. Except get a house full of sick people including myself. But was it hard to swap the old Lionel stuff with the new ERR stuff?

AVR conductor posted:

Jsulli21 posted:

AVR conductor posted:

Ok well I’ll try that. If it works, great. If not. Has anyone ever tried putting a board from ERR in something that old? My other option is just run it like it is without worrying about sound. Again if it don’t work. I’m not really all too worried about it

I purchased an mpc Hudson #8406 which is identical to the postwar one. It had sound of steam but didn’t work well at all. Since I got a good deal on the engine I went and purchased an ERR kit and installed it on the Hudson. The sound was an outstanding improvement. The err kit came with everything, board, speaker, reed switch and easy to read instructions. (Board was small also) You can choose between three sound boards. It is a bit more in cost (95.00) but since i got a great deal on engine. The investment was well worth it. I would recommend and may do it again.

 

I haven’t done anything with it since my last post. Except get a house full of sick people including myself. But was it hard to swap the old Lionel stuff with the new ERR stuff?                   If you are handy it is not hard. The boards are made by 3rd rail. Go. To ERR by 3rd rail for selection and ordering,  go to Railsounds sound kit-3rd rail for the instructions.  Read the instructions to see if applicable to your skills. It involves removing the s.o.s. Steam board and speaker. The wires are already there coming from your steam engine to run into tender to connect, otherwise you would need pick up rollers on the tender. If you go slow each step it is fairly simple. If you can solder, drill a hole to mount speaker (or glue) you shouldn’t have any problem. The new boards are small and fit in the tender easily. The enclosed reed switch is why you need ca glue or glue gun. You need to glue magnet to wheel also installing reed switch. The reed switch is for chuffing if you desire, otherwise you can leave out. Like mentioned, go to the web and read the instructions thoroughly to give you an idea.                                                                                                                      

Jsulli21 posted:

AVR conductor posted:

Jsulli21 posted:

AVR conductor posted:

Ok well I’ll try that. If it works, great. If not. Has anyone ever tried putting a board from ERR in something that old? My other option is just run it like it is without worrying about sound. Again if it don’t work. I’m not really all too worried about it

I purchased an mpc Hudson #8406 which is identical to the postwar one. It had sound of steam but didn’t work well at all. Since I got a good deal on the engine I went and purchased an ERR kit and installed it on the Hudson. The sound was an outstanding improvement. The err kit came with everything, board, speaker, reed switch and easy to read instructions. (Board was small also) You can choose between three sound boards. It is a bit more in cost (95.00) but since i got a great deal on engine. The investment was well worth it. I would recommend and may do it again.

 

I haven’t done anything with it since my last post. Except get a house full of sick people including myself. But was it hard to swap the old Lionel stuff with the new ERR stuff?                   If you are handy it is not hard. The boards are made by 3rd rail. Go. To ERR by 3rd rail for selection and ordering,  go to Railsounds sound kit-3rd rail for the instructions.  Read the instructions to see if applicable to your skills. It involves removing the s.o.s. Steam board and speaker. The wires are already there coming from your steam engine to run into tender to connect, otherwise you would need pick up rollers on the tender. If you go slow each step it is fairly simple. If you can solder, drill a hole to mount speaker (or glue) you shouldn’t have any problem. The new boards are small and fit in the tender easily. The enclosed reed switch is why you need ca glue or glue gun. You need to glue magnet to wheel also installing reed switch. The reed switch is for chuffing if you desire, otherwise you can leave out. Like mentioned, go to the web and read the instructions thoroughly to give you an idea.                                                                                                                      

I’ll look into it. Might replace the capacitors first and see where it lands me

I hit a brick wall, which capacitor(s) need to come out and where am I able to get replacement ones?

Here are the 70s steam sounds you will here once you get your engine fixed. That is what I grew up with,I still enjoy hearing it.

First time I’ve heard the early MSOS Whistle!  His engine won’t have that though...

Jon  

AVR conductor posted:

I hit a brick wall, which capacitor(s) need to come out and where am I able to get replacement ones?

Lou N posted:

These boards work on the principle of transistor junction johnson noise; sort of a hiss which is amplified to make the chuff. I've had good luck replacing all of the electrolytic capacitors. 

Lou N

each barrel shaped capacitor should have a uf and a voltage listed on it and a + - marked on it.  Id suggest marking the orientation of + - with a marker dot before beginning incase the board is not marked for it. Check the numbers before you pull   Capactors are usually wrapped in plastic , some a plain "can".   Look at inline componants too, solid green or brown barrels like an m&m shell. (% &ohm are resistors ) and wraps.  If its not a resistor or diode (black, or brown glass) look for printing of part/crossover number or of "uf" or variants of "uf" to know they are a capacitor.  

Gather a list , Maybe make a simple overhead map or numbered/spec schematic of the board if you have found one. Then list build from that.

    Unless it is proprietary bulk industrial parts, your going to see markings on everything. That info has great potential in identifying most items if it is simply a universal part number( like most) or if just symbols or units themselves, they tell a story what they are, even size shape and color help.  Never a 100% gaurantee. Ive accidently used a thermal break in a metal reed switch postion from not looking closely enough at what I'd picked up. My assistant put it there  

  They aren't costly and this was built during an age of lots of poorly made caps. I'd swap them all too. With working like a battery, capacitors are gonna go on a  board before anything else, its the nature of the electro chemical reaction that we create. Chips might forget things, some cant be woke up again, some forget everything/cant talk, some forget a little, some remember. Long term without occasional power up or even 100% loss of power (battery). It takes an impressively low amount of power for most hibernation circuits.

Any supplier is likely fine today, shopping around is always a good idea. Digikey & Mouser; plenty of others.

Thanks so much