Adding DCC and Sound to an Athearn Blue Box Locomotive

Update on the Athearn blue box locomotives, adding sound to my GP38 and GP-40s. Not a lot of space to work with on these, so have to be creative in getting everything to fit. IPhone speakers work excellent for the cramped spaces in these units.

[@sugarcubeaudio152]

Nice I like your Bracket that's some good Engineering

[@keatonsparksvideoproductions]

I've always liked the pairing between esu loksound and digitrax

[@kanishirosouthwester]

Nice job on the decoder bracket. It's about Tim someone has come up with that for older units and especially the Blue Box versions. I do have a few of those that I have tries to restore with decoders and is near impossible cause of the room in them as u have explained. Curious would you be willing to sell some as I would be interested in buying a few. What would u be willing to sell them for. Would love to hear from you on this. Again exceptional work. Nice job

[@joeraderblackrockcentralrr]

you should be selling that bracket !!!!! Very nice design

[@mikemunley9563]

Like d your video on your Athearn Blue Box GP40 install. I was interested in two things: 1) Your design for the 3d printed frame. 2) Wanted a video to hear the sound of the GP40 with the Iphone 5 speaker. Thanks.

[@vincebreen3-55]

Awesome bracket. My question would be why not extent the other end as a speaker support? Hope your marketing them bybtime i get my new layout up cause i have a bunch that need coversion that i so want to run DCC

[@Eclipse1988]

You going to sell the brackets? Thats a great idea!

[@jpkarenko6952]

Lots of interest in your bracket. Any plans to market either the part or the code to make it? Putting DCC in Athearn Blue Box locos has been an exercise in McGuyvering at my house. Factory add-on brackets with the pigtails are just too d@mmn clunky and big.

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

Don't see other video listed concerning the led light mounts

[@klbird]

I checked thingverse but did not find the bracket. Could you just supply a drawing for those without 3d printers. I could use styrene to make one?

[@TolgaEastCoast]

Great video! I had 6126 as my first engine but it got so old that it probably became impractical to do a DCC upgrade. But I turned to this for an FEC unit I found for next to nothing. This bracket is awesome. I'd love to get a hold of the 3D print of it, but see no links. Can probably do something similar with styrene though. Now my question is how did you wire the iPhone speaker in, and do I need to be careful about it drawing certain amounts of amperage from say a Decoder Buddy? Thanks

[@mimodelrailroading]

There are two small tabs on the top of the speakers you can easily solder wires to. I don't know the actual impedance of the speakers but the decoders have absolutely no issue driving them. Thanks for watching!

[@siliconghost]

Can you share the .STL for the bracket? If not, I’ll just make my own, but don’t want to reinvent the wheel

[@leeracine7266]

I'm also interested in the install bracket. Have you set up marketing them as of yet, or is the software available to print out the bracket?

[@cecilv.becksteadjr7604]

First off thank you for doing these videos also I'd be interested in buying a few of those brackets you built for the DCC but I'm interested in did you do any videos on the old blue box 1500 locomotives I run southern Pacific and I want to convert them all over to DCC I like to know what you would recommend but I also want sound thank you very much I look forward to your reply

[@chucksatterfield9847]

I just found your videos. Good information. Do you have the decoder bracket for sale anywhere on the internet? I have 15 - 20 blue box locos..

[@jkrueger-y9r]

U have stl on thingyverse for decoder mount?

[@robertdacus1810]

Great Bracket. You selling them on Ebay yet? I would be interested in the brackets. I also have a shelf full of the ol' blue boxes that I need to convert to DCC. I hope you copy-right annd sell idea back to Athearn :)

[@canadianlocomotivelogistics]

Will you share the 3d print file?

[@MoAnwar]

Would you kindly post the model of the decoder used? Thanks

[@mattw9667]

Great video and tips. Can we hear the XL decoder with an iPhone speaker? Have you done that combo?

[@mimodelrailroading]

Thank you, I'll get a video up comparing sound with various decoders and speakers soon.

[@jkrueger-y9r]

Video of stl?

[@irishfaire]

Nicely done...What decoders did you say you were using? Excel? Also curious where to get those decoder holders you presented. Looks nice! Thanks for sharing.

[@mimodelrailroading]

Thanks, the decoders are made by XL Systems. They manufacture the MRC decoders and are identical, just sell them under their own name / brand. xlsystemsdcc is the website.

[@stephenwissel7902]

Any interest in selling a bracket/light kit? That seems to be the best adapter I’ve come across.

[@mimodelrailroading]

Thank you, I could throw some up on eBay if there was interest. I'll probably throw the parts up on thingiverse as well so those with a 3D printer can just print them.

[@XavQCFarmer]

@@mimodelrailroading hi jais 14 years its been 3 years that I have been doing railway modeling I am very interested in your decoder support I would like to have the link to print with my 3d printer would be nice jet a lot of athearn blue box to convert and its brilliant as an invention thank you for your help Xavier

[@XavQCFarmer]

@@mimodelrailroading your name in tingerverge svp ???

[@VintageRoadRail]

@@mimodelrailroading I am about to convert an Athearn BB loco to DCC Sound and would love to get that bracket and light kit. Do you have an ebay link? Or you can join my Walthers Facebook page and sell it directly. facebook.com/groups/351601579564424

[@vista598]

@@mimodelrailroading lGreat idea please let us know when available on Thingiverse or ebay Thenks much.

[@donaldmoore8920]

Any possibility of selling brackets for athearn blue box SD and GP units? Because I have some Blue box Athearn units that I would like to convert to dcc sound.

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

How thick is the mount/shelf you created to place the decoder on?

[@greenerresultsllc.lawncare2981]

Hey can I purchase 6 of those brackets from you. Please

[@badboy10350]

Do you sell those brackets?

[@douguyehata7062]

The iPhone 5 , where did you find this speaker. Does EBay have this? Did it come from overseas or was it from state side. In the near future I plan the start going to DCC and sound to me is important.

[@mimodelrailroading]

They are plentiful on eBay for just a few dollars each. Iphone 6,7,8 speakers work very well, you can find US based sellers for faster shipping. Thanks for watching!

[@XavQCFarmer]

hi jais 14 years its been 3 years that I have been doing railway modeling I am very interested in your decoder support I would like to have the link to print with my 3d printer would be nice jet a lot of athearn blue box to convert and its brilliant as an invention thank you for your help Xavier

[@MrJunkerpat]

Can you share your stl please.

[@andyrusten5748]

Do you sell the brkt?

[@toddpilcher3804]

You should sell them! a I would buy them and I'm sure many others would too

[@jkrueger-y9r]

So op never ul a stl of bracket

[@KimboH55]

Please sell your printer code - my locos are all bluebox - they just keep working and working with little maintenance. I have access to 3d printer at work but no cad skills at all. Can I buy the code for the adapter and brackets, please? Cheers. Kim Australia

[@jkrueger-y9r]

Not the one in the video

[@vancestrains]

I designed my own bracket like this for athern blue box trains. Ill post the .stl files on thingy verse under "athern decoder mounts"

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

Never mind previous comment. Found the video