# intermountain es44ac



## bnsfguy (Apr 6, 2011)

I just purchased 2 bnsf intermountain gevos, great models. One with sound and one without sound. I noticed the non sound unit does not have the feature to dim the number boards and headlights. Can I change this so that they do dim like the sound unit? Also, the sound unit speed is faster than the non sound unit right out of the box. I would of thought since they are the same unit, the speeds would be matched. If anyone can help please reply.


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

hi and welcome

i have a pair of these beauties in BNSF color as well. both sound. but you will be surprised to know that out of the box they both seem to run differently regardless. you will need to go through the usual speed matching procedure. not fun. as far as light i'm not sure what decoder the non sound uses and if it has that functionality. i'm curious though why would this feature be so needed? 

also it is customary here to post pictures. i will help you with that this time, but next you on your own


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Man that's a nice engine Anton.


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## Canadian Car Knocker (Feb 8, 2011)

Makes me want to buy a few ES44DC's even more.


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## GE Dash 7 (Apr 18, 2011)

I just picked up on of those Ac4400 in CP. talk about awsome. to get better you would have to go with brass!!

I meant to say es4400, not used to these new numbers


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## Canadian Car Knocker (Feb 8, 2011)

Well Ive hard enough good things about Intermountain now. Time to spend some money.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

I needs money to spend on trains... Anyone wanna donate to the South Massey RR fund? 

OK those are some really nice locos. I have noticed that not all decoders, even with the same ratings are always the same. I have a pair of Kato SD80's in NS colors that ran the same as DC but when I put the decoders in them they no longer ran the same. At first I had to use 2 different brands (Digitrax and NCE) and then speed match them. After my LHS restocked some more Digitrax decoders I used them in both locos and the speeds were matched once again. When I added my SD90/45 to the mix I simply went with the Digitrax to keep any speed issues to a minimum. 

As for why the sound decoders in the same engine are not the same, that does not sound right (no pun). If they are the same series decoder, same speaker, same mech, they should operate at the same speed for the same setting. If not I would check to see that they are both set the same and if so then check the connections, and make sure the mech in the slower unit is not binding.

Massey


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Sound decoders add a whole new realm of insanity to the game speed matching. Two of the same loco's with the same chips is near to Imposable. The best way to match them is to turn off the sound or if that is not a decoder option mute the output, set the speeds then reset the sound. It will be as close as possible. I have tried to speed match a string of 15 loco's for a guy in Minnesota They were all the same with the same decoders and not a single one would match up perfectly!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Can you get sound decoders for the old DC locos? I'd like to have sound on a couple of my old engines. Pete


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

You can get sound for almost anything. You just need to find someone like ME to install it unless you so inclined!
MRC makes a lot of them. 
You don't need to go with a $100+ tsunami sound decoder to get sound.
Digitrax SFX004 or SFX064 works quite well for cheaper!
You can get a really small unit like a SDN144PS that is sound and motor driver in one unit!


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Well I guess my idea about me doing DCC installs for others got blown out the window with your arrival sean. :laugh:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Not at all, it's called competition.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks for the reply NIMT. I would have to try and install the board myself as there isn't any extra bucks to hire it done. I'll be lucky if I can afford a board anyway. So whatdo you do to get the right sound for the engine? I would assume they give you instructions with the decoder for installation right? How hard could it be to solder a few wires? Pete


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Guess I will have to buy some HO scale Thomas the Tank engines and try and figure out how to add sound to be able to compete with Sean. Oh and then I have to figure out how on earth to add Thomasas voice to the thing. Then I will be able to compete. :laugh:


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