How to install an ESU Loksound 5 nano into an N scale SD24

[@PrinceStreet]

Thank you. I always find your tutorials so helpful. The pace you work at and how you show the work being done is just right. I appreciate being able to see how you clamp and hold tiny parts or subassemblies of them as that’s almost always where my frustration begins and having these as reference ideas is wonderful. Thank you again. Chris

[@pacificcoastminiatures]

Very good tutorial. I definitely want to add sound to a few of my locos so will refer back to this video when I do that.

[@SpringfieldAndWestern]

Hi. I watched several of your videos now and it´s really cool how you are able to rebuild your locos with sound and some other specials - even in N scale. Unfortunately I´m completely untalented in electronics, so I thought about just buying a new engine with factory sound installed for my tiny N scale switching layout, but 250 Euros or even more is just to expensive for me at the moment. So I looked for options to install sound in my existing old Atlas GP38 (motorframe says 1997), hoping this would cost considerably less. I found out there is a drop in decoder with speaker by XL System Inc. for GP38 on ebay for around 63 USD which makes it around 90 Euros incl. shipping from USA to Germany. I understand the sound is rather mediocre, though (you get what you pay for). Then I saw there is the likely much better ESU 58751 for 90 Euros or more which is supposed to be for "older Atlas engines" but I understand you need to add the sound file yourself of course and for this you need another device which is another 130 Euros. So I guess my question is, is there any other way to easily add sound to my one and only American engine without high costs? Vielen Dank im Voraus und beste Grüße!

[@ModularRailroading]

The 58751 should indeed work with that type of frame. There is an overview on all the models of that type at www.spookshow.net/loco/atlasgp3840.html and as long as your frame looks like the 1997 frame in that article the decoder should fit. I have not used that type myself though. It might be tricky to find space for the speaker when using that kind of decoder, so using the loksound nano might still be the easiest way to make everything fit. I can't say anything to the XL systems decoder. I have not heard from that manufacturer before. Some dealers offer loading the sound file into the decoders as a service. Either for free or a very small fee. I think Fischer Modell does that. So buying a Lokprogrammer is not necessary. When I started with sound decoders I used that kind of services without issues.

[@SpringfieldAndWestern]

​@@ModularRailroadingmany thanks for your quick reply! I will definetely check out that webpage that you mentioned and will continue to evaluate my options.

[@Trains_in_Altona]

Great tutorial. What kind of soldering iron do you use? The tip seems quite small.

[@ModularRailroading]

I bought a cheap soldering station a couple of years ago. The tip came with the station. It's not particularly small and has become a bit blunt over the years, so I think most pencil tip shaped solering tips should work well.

[@SheltonDCruz]

Top job!

[@z71vandi]

Your GP35 video helped me tremendously for my first ESU Loksound micro installation into my GP35s. Thank you. What type of wire stripper did you use in this SD24 video?

[@ModularRailroading]

Thanks! I'm glad that these videos make people more comfortable trying to do sound installations themselves. The wire stripper is the Jokari JOK 40 027: www.reichelt.de/de/en/wire-stripper-esd-plus-001-102-mm-0-12-0-40-mm-jok-40-027-p220779.html?r=1

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

N scale installs look tricky but you make it seem way easier than it seems. Have u considered any of the loksound direct atlas boards, esu has 2 styles for pre-2016 and post-2016 engines

[@ModularRailroading]

I have looked at them and a couple of guys in our group have bought some of them. To me it seems they cause more problems than they solve for engines that don't already come with a speaker or at least a dedicated spot for a speaker. Using the direct boards and finding space for a speaker seems to be a real struggle from what I have seen, because the boards run along almost the entire length of the engine. For converting the newer Atlas silver engines they are probably a great option though.

[@GrizzlyGames780]

New to dcc, these nanos come with the adapter board correct?

[@ModularRailroading]

Yes, the variant with part number 58923 comes with the adapter board with all the wires attached. There's also the variant with part number 58925 with the E24 interface. I don't know that one, but it probably doesn't have any wires attached.