Graham Farish N Gauge Class 47 with SWD DCC Sound Decoder

They said it couldn't be done! Actually it's quite simple. The 21 pin decoder is fitted underneath the baseboard via an ESU adaptor with the red and black "Track" leads connected to the controller (Bachmann EZ Command) and the orange and grey "Motor" leads connected to the track. The decoder is then connected to a standard HiFi loudspeaker, which gives a much better sound than the small speaker which comes with the decoder. You control the loco is exactly the same way as if it were fitted inside the loco.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• SWD
• South
• West
• Digital
• Class
• 47
• Train
• DCC
• Graham
• Farish
• Bachmann
• EZ
• Command
• controller
• Gauge
• Scale
• Sound
• Railway
• Trains

[Irish982]

Hi Beautiful layout and lovely rolling scenery. Very nice sound I like what you have done. As to the comments it cannot be done..."I beg to differ" I have added sound to 6 or 7 class 47s with no issue. Look up Irish982 and you will find some n gauge class 47's with DCC sound added. Excellent job, I really like it.

[fiskersham]

Hello there,

Many thanks for the kind words. You're quite right, of course, about putting DCC sound into N gauge locos. You and many others have already done this. As I said in response to an earlier question, it was putting the decoder underneath the layout and not inside the loco which the various DCC sound suppliers said couldn't be done.

[pyronathanpyro]

@fiskersham hmm if i had the right stuff and didnt want to continue in 00 id go n and model american freight as its nice in n is us freight but i like modern image uk in 00 as can appriciate the detail a little more maybee when im an old man i will get n gauge and build a smacker of a lyout :)

[fiskersham]

Yes, four times! As you rightly point out, N is half of OO, but that means half the length and half the width. So an equivalent layout in N is 1/4 the size of OO or, to turn it on its head, an equivalent layout in OO takes up four times as much space as N. Or to look at it yet another way, you can make a layout with four times more track in N than OO.

[pyronathanpyro]

@fiskersham ?? four times ? n is only half 00 so id have thought it would be twice the space ? my only problem is i have lots of 00 gauge points and track already an wagons and trains if ib were to sell them i wouldnt get mutch n gauge for my money as its like £90 a loco where as 00 is £70 a loco thx

[fiskersham]

You'll certainly get four times the space!

[pyronathanpyro]

@fiskersham im changing to n gauge becaus i cant be bothered with sound anymore got bored of it and want a bigger layout so n is a better option

[fiskersham]

Agreed - that's why my layout is OO!

[pyronathanpyro]

@fiskersham :) im withh 00 for the exact reason apart from the fact that n you can fit more in a smaller space :)

[fiskersham]

Yes it is and we're certainly not suggesting that this is a better method. In the loco will always be the preferred option. The point of this exercise is mainly to demonstrate that it can be done - and easily too. Therein lies the benefit of this method, it's much easier to do - N Gauge is so small and so it's a fiddly job to get the decoder and speaker inside the loco. This method is so simple anyone can do it. You can, of course, have the sound for any loco you want to run on your layout.