Protosound in a Weaver SD40-2?

Imho I like standards. Since Weaver models went with the Lionel sound system.i would get the err cards with the sd40-2 sound card. that turbo while is clear and unmistakable! All you need extra is s 50 mm or 2" 8 ohm speaker from all electronics and you are set with a direct replacement. Oh btw, you also want to get the mth scale of 40/45 fuel tank too it does wonders for the looks!

Will the ERR work with DCS?  I'm leaning towards DCS as most of my engines are Protosound.

And thanks for the fuel tank recommendation, that'd finish it off nicely.

Weaver did make it with ProtoSounds.  I have the SD40 and SD40-2 assemblies if you want to upgrade.  G

I upgraded a Weaver SD40-2, circa 1992, to PS2 about 15 years ago.  One of the best, if not the best, running locos I have.  The narrow body made it a tight squeeze.

I was tinkering with it and a few MTH GP40's last night and the Weaver SD40-2 is by far the best running, smoothest engine of the lot. Just runs awesome. 

Mine has an early QSI sound system in it.  Great engine noise and an excellent horn.  And here it comes down

the track!!!

Nice. I have UP 3532. Picked it up NIB on EBay a couple of years ago for $80. I really like it. 

Hi, this seems to be the right thread for me to jump in, as I just bought three Weaver SD40-2's on ebay with MTH electronics.  Can someone tell me what vintage these may be and what I need to run them?  They came with no boxes, I thought I may be getting TMCC as I saw the electro-couplers in the ebay pics and took a chance.   I have a large all TMCC collection and have also done a lot of ERR upgrades to my fleet, but am I am not MTH/Proto savvy.   Thanks.

Looks like original qsi electronics  Superb locos.  could be from early 1990s

Thank you, the three I bought have identical internals.  They are heavy locos with crisp details, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality.  Will they run on MTH DCS?

They will run in conventional mode only, unless you upgrade to ps3.  The Weaver SD40-2 is one of the best locos I own, regardless of vintage. I upgraded tp PS2.

I had several of the Weaver early 90's SD40-2s with the QSI sound that I installed. I agree they were some of the best running engines. Maybe because they were made in Korea by I believe Samhongsa.  

Thank you to RJR and Paul for the replies, quick additional question from a tmcc guy, how are the electro couplers on these activated?

Yes, another good Samhongsa product. I have one - never upgraded to ERR. I want to, but I run mostly steam, so... 

I have a Lionel Legacy CSX SD40, and it is nice, but picking up that Weaver SD40 offers a feeling of solidity that the Lionel does not have (purely my perception, I'm sure). 

As diesels, that Weaver SD40 is one of my favorites.

D500, your perception is accurate, these vintage Weaver SD40's are very robust.  I was pleasantly surprised when I received them,  as I had bought a batch of earlier weavers years ago that had flimsy plastic railings and shaft drives that reminded me of cheap HO locos.  These are the opposite of that.  I should have grabbed some more of these, as a whole bunch went real reasonable on ebay from one seller, but he was selling them as-is, untested.  some others also got some great deals too.  I think I'm going to ERR upgrade two of the three that I got and sell the other as it is after cleaning and testing it.

I can't answer your question about couplers, because the old Weavers I bought new only had horns or whistles.  I didn't spring for the noisemakers, so my couplers were thumbtacks until I upgraded them to PS2.  I believe that there was a code you could punch in with whistle and bell buttons, but I'm not sure.

If you upgrade, do be aware that the bodies are very narrow and therefore cramped.

Samhongsa made fine locos.  Wish they still made them for US "manufacturers."

I thought MTH owns the dies for theses now ?

Clem, dies only cover appearance.  The Samhongsa guts were the secret to these.

Thats true but then why do the Scale high rail guys don't like them? As far as I know these are scale dimension ?

Beats me.  They are a law unto themselves.  Doesn't bother me an iota if a rivet head is missing.  But each to his own, and like myself, everyone has their owns tastes.

If these have the guts you guys are describing, I bet upgrading to the new PS3 would put these off the charts. The engines I have upgraded, perform even better afterwards. Motors run better with command boards. Adding all "the bells and whistles", puts "icing on the cake".

 I upgraded a 3rd Rail Allegheny from an old early TMCC control, to PS2. The engine became a great runner. Before that, it stuttered and struggled.

Joe, mine is PS2 upgraded.  I have no better locos, even though it's 25 years old, and stil has original traction tires.

I have 6 of the MTH, sold the one Weaver I had, mine are all 2/3 rail with now fixed pilots. all six are nice smooth power. the 2 newest ones (yellow stipe) do switching duties. I like them.

Clem

Interesting topic! I just happen to have a couple of old Weaver SD-40's that have not seen the rails in probly 15 years or more. Think they have the basic DCRU boards in them is all. What ERR kits do I need to convert them to TMCC?

Rod

Rod Stewart posted:

Interesting topic! I just happen to have a couple of old Weaver SD-40's that have not seen the rails in probly 15 years or more. Think they have the basic DCRU boards in them is all. What ERR kits do I need to convert them to TMCC?

Rod

Cruise CDR. G

How can you tell if a Weaver was made by samhongsa

All the Weaver SD40-2 models were made by Samhongsa. If is says made in Korea and was produced prior to 2000, it was made by Samhongsa.

Also, for everyone posting, don't get lazy when typing. Weaver had an SD40-2, not an SD40. The Dash 2 line had different dimensions, different trucks and different spotting features.

Where any of the MTH SD40-2 made by Samhongsa ?

Clem 

Yep. Until Samghonsa went out of business, the SD40-2 MTH models were produced there, as were most of the Premier locomotives.

I'm gutting three of these with identical electrical guts to install ERR in two, and dummy the third.  Is there a market at all for the guts?  They all run and make noise in conventional, pics are in an earlier post by me, now getting around to the upgrades. Was wondering if someone will be wanting the leftovers, just curious before I post in the FS section.

In my short experience here on the OGR, there is a market for just about anything.  For that matter, I am already interested in the guts from the one you are going to dummy as I'd love to install them in a Premier GP-38 that is currently a dummy.

It just so happens that GunrunnerJohn installed PS2 into my Weaver Soo Line SD40-2 just this past year.  I love it.  The only thing he couldn't do was fit a smoke unit into it.

RJR posted:

Clem, dies only cover appearance.  The Samhongsa guts were the secret to these.

RJR,

Thanks for the insight. I have a Sam Hong Sa era Williams Alco PA that runs dead silent.   Always wondered why. 

Lou N

Back in the day I installed the basic QSI diesel sound system in several Weaver SD40-2s. They ran identical to my MTH PS1 engines.

Weaver had a relationship with MTH, and those engines have the MTH version.  No third power board.  G

Two sets of electronics just listed in classifieds.

They were just as George stated.  Bob Weaver was a great guy.  I loved spending time with him in the Yellow hall.  Bob was also a Corvette guy and we had some great conversations.   Bob had a huge layout that was 2 rail and mostly Union Pacific.

As some of this older vintage control/lighting/sound gets upgraded, note that speakers of poor quality and the wrong resistance happen.  Lamps, at the least need to be 18 volts, or more. The LED option now exist.  May be change out some of the early 1990 inefficient can motors to more modern, smaller, cans with flywheels.  Electro couplers also need to be evaluated.   (Complete) upgrade.     20 or more years of change in a rapidly changing hobby. IMO, Mike CT.

clem k posted:

Thats true but then why do the Scale high rail guys don't like them? As far as I know these are scale dimension ?

Undersized fuel tank even with the upgrade and a massive gap between the trucks and pilots. This probably explains why MTH never offered a scale wheel SD40-2. I know Weaver did, however.

Despite the toy-like appearance of Weaver/MTH SD40-2's I can say from experience that the MTH SD40-2's with ProtoSound 3 that I owned when I was in 3-rail ran exceptionally well, so well that I'm converting one to scale wheels/2-rail.