Help wanted to fit sound to my smokey Joe locomotives

[Jim1707821782]

I would like to fit sound to my Smokey Joe locomotives. How do I go about it. what decoder do I use and which speaker is the best,

Jim. New Help wanted to fit sound Zealand

[ColinB]

I converted my Smokey Joe to DCC using a 6 pin DCC concepts lead and socket (they seem to be the most robust lead). I would recommend you use a relatively high current DCC decoder, the "CAN motors" fitted to those seem to draw quite a lot of current. Because of the high current I would suspect that puts any of of the TTS decoders out of bounds as they cannot source sufficient current. I would fit a 6 pin Zimo sound decoder with a Sugar Cube speaker that would probably fit in the available space. You are talking serious money for a Zimo sound decoder, so I don't know if you still want to fit it.

[96RAF]

If you want to fit the cheaper TTS then there is room for an 8-pin socket in the 0-4-0s but finding room for a cube speaker will likely mean it sitting in the cab on show. Problem is most TTS decoders are for large locos not the tiddlers, so the sound would be wrong.

Picture shows a standard decoder installed with a NEM652 socket in an 0-4-0 variant.

[ColinB]

That is why I use the 6 pin socket, it fits on top of the motor, as you need no headroom as you do with an 8 pin socket.

[ColinB]

This is the setup as fitted to Percy, I would have shown you my actual setup with smokey Joe, but I could not easily get the loco apart.

[Traincliff]

I seem to remember an article about sound fitting to Hornby 0-4-0s in Hornby Magazine by Paul Chetter. Probably around end 2013 and beginning of 2014. I will try to find out. That is if my memory is correct of course.

The Zimo chips are more expensive than TTS but would give you a little loco that would be quite a talking point. You can always strip it out and reuse on another loco if you get bored with it or the loco wears out.

[Traincliff]

I have browsed through HM backnumbers and in October 2014 edition there is an article by Paul Chetter covering sound and stay alive fitting to all the low range Hornby 0-4-0 locos both steam and diesel. Well worth a read. Digital back numbers are available on Pocketmags for £4.99 each.