# DCC Loco Works But No Sound



## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

Hello all, I'm a very new beginner at model trains. I've been having good luck thus far, but I can't get any sound to work on my loco. I recently installed a DCC decoder and it moves just fine, the lights work just fine, but zero sound. The following are the details:

HO Scale
NCE Power Cab
Athearn 98737 Loco
NCE 524146 Decoder

I know beginner questions can get annoying, but any help would be much appreciated!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I don’t know the answer to you problem,but that’s a nice looking locomotive!


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

Old_Hobo said:


> I don’t know the answer to you problem,but that’s a nice looking locomotive!


Thanks! Conrail's SD40s would pass by when I was a youngster.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Dobis said:


> Hello all, I'm a very new beginner at model trains. I've been having good luck thus far, but I can't get any sound to work on my loco. I recently installed a DCC decoder and it moves just fine, the lights work just fine, but zero sound. The following are the details:
> 
> HO Scale
> NCE Power Cab
> ...


I could be wrong, but I don't think the decoder is a sound decoder. I don't believe NCE makes sound decoders.


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

flyboy2610 said:


> I could be wrong, but I don't think the decoder is a sound decoder. I don't believe NCE makes sound decoders.


Well if that's the case, boy am I an idiot.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Dobis said:


> Well if that's the case, boy am I an idiot.


Don't worry about it! It's how we learn. You can easily have a sound decoder in that locomotive, though. At the back of the decoder is a 9 pin plug. Carefully unplug that plug and you can plug in a sound decoder such as this one:





Standard 1 Amp Sound Decoder HO Scale


8 Bit Sound, Motor & Function Series 6 Decoder. SDH166D replaces SDH164D.




www.digitrax.com





You'll need to figure out where to mount the speaker, but it shouldn't be too hard.


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

flyboy2610 said:


> Don't worry about it! It's how we learn. You can easily have a sound decoder in that locomotive, though. At the back of the decoder is a 9 pin plug. Carefully unplug that plug and you can plug in a sound decoder such as this one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So my loco more than likely doesn't even have a speaker? I guess that would explain why I'm not getting any sound! 😅 Thanks for the help!


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Anybody out there who plays with trains who claims he hasn't had a major" D'Oh!!" is a bald-faced liar. Confession: Took a trip to an LHS years ago, about an hour each way, and came away with a box of some nice utility poles. When I opened them, they looked awfully small..... Then, I read the box's scale statement.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Dobis said:


> So my loco more than likely doesn't even have a speaker? I guess that would explain why I'm not getting any sound! 😅 Thanks for the help!


That would be a distinct possibility. You're quite welcome for the assistance.


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

Any tips on how to find out if I have a speaker or not? I tried to remove the shell (it has an easy access panel at the radiator grills) but I definitely don't want to break it. My loco is ready to roll and says "DCC ready/sound ready".


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

That means it's 'ready' for _you_ to install the decoder of your choice.


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

MichaelE said:


> That means it's 'ready' for _you_ to install the decoder of your choice.


Understood. Would that lead you to believe there's a speaker already installed?


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

No.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

How did you install the decoder, if you can't get the shell off? At most on a DCC ready Loco, you might have a preformed spot for a speaker, but if not there are great speakers (sugar cube or equivalent) that work better than the normal looking speaker that can fit virtually anywhere.


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

Lemonhawk said:


> How did you install the decoder, if you can't get the shell off? At most on a DCC ready Loco, you might have a preformed spot for a speaker, but if not there are great speakers (sugar cube or equivalent) that work better than the normal looking speaker that can fit virtually anywhere.


It has a panel that comes off at the top.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Athearn made these in more than one run, in different years. I'm not sure which one you have, but Soundtraxx makes a drop in decoder that is a direct replacement for the light board.


https://soundtraxx.com/content/Reference/Decoder-Selector/Athearn/RTR%20SD40-2.pdf



They also make plug-in style decoders that are similar to the Digitrax decoder I referenced earlier.








TSU-2200


The TSU-2200 is a versatile Digital Sound Decoder that is suitable for a wide variety of models from HO to S scale. You will feel like you are in the cab with the amazing new features that Tsunami2 has to offer including: Reactive Dynamic Digital Exhaust, Functioning locomotive and train brakes...




soundtraxx.com





You will still need to install a speaker with either style of decoder. For sound, I do prefer Soundtraxx over Digitrax, even if Soundtraxx is twice the price. For a speaker, consider an Iphone 4 loudspeaker. Example: Genuine iPhone 4 Loud Speaker PN 613-9520 | eBay
They can be cut about 3/4" from the end with the two speaker contacts without damaging the speaker itself. They give surprisingly good sound from such a small package! Do not buy the ear piece speaker, you want the loud speaker. They are not the same.
I put one in my Bachmann 0-6-0:




The decoder in that locomotive is the N scale version of the HO decoder I referenced earlier. I will replace it with a Soundtraxx decoder eventually.


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

flyboy2610 said:


> Athearn made these in more than one run, in different years. I'm not sure which one you have, but Soundtraxx makes a drop in decoder that is a direct replacement for the light board.
> 
> 
> https://soundtraxx.com/content/Reference/Decoder-Selector/Athearn/RTR%20SD40-2.pdf
> ...


Man, you're awesome. Thank you so much!! I've got some work to do!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

flyboy2610 said:


> Athearn made these in more than one run, in different years. I'm not sure which one you have


See post #2......


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## Dobis (Nov 16, 2020)

So I managed to open it up completely and this is what I’m working with.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Old_Hobo said:


> See post #2......


What year was it made?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Well, the Athearn web-site tells me it was available in January of 2015, so it’s a retired model......


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## ncrc5315 (Jan 25, 2014)

You have a couple of choices here. (1) pull the circuit board out, install a decoder buddy, then you could install a 21 pin sound decoder, and add a couple of sugar cube speakers, (my preference). (2) Install a nine pin decoder, (it would plug into the white connector), then add a couple of sugar cube speakers. Sound decoders from ESu, TCS, or Soundtraxx are available in either configuration.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

This guy does a lot of decoder installs, both with and without a decoder buddy. Lots of good stuff on here:








Solo Contracting


Promoting model railroading through video.




www.youtube.com


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

*To OPer and others* new to DCC jargon... If you want sound, be careful with how you read the ad for a loco..
If it doesn't say " Sound" or "Sound on Board" preceded by "DCC" it's 99% sure it has no sound..."DCC" and "DCC ready" are capable of running DCC but usually will not come with sound...Watch out too for prices that are too good to be true..They usually are too good to be true..(with some occasional exceptions).. M


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