Walthers mainline GP9, DCC decoder & speaker install, super detailing. Illinois Central Death Star

Рет қаралды 2,155

5 ай бұрын

This video is shows how to install a Loksound 5 decoder and a Scale Sound Speaker into a Walthers GP9 (Illinois Central). I also show how to super detail the locomotive with Walthers' detailing kit and other aftermarket parts. I show how to program the decoder using Lokprogrammer.
Please note, this locomotive does not correspond with a prototypically correct road number. Illinois Central GP9s were number in the 9000s and the GP10/11 rebuilds were number in the 8000s. This locomotive has a GP10 road number, but the body is a GP9. Because of this discrepancy, when I was super detailing it, I added a HORST air filter as you would find on a GP10. Please don't comment that the spotting differences are not correct, but I know they are not. The GP10s had multiple grab iron differences, as well as 4 exhaust ports and an extended tool box on the right front of the locomotive. This is what it is.
Also, the aftermarket parts were obtained primarily through eBay. If you have a question, please comment and I will answer your questions.
I am not responsible for any damage/issues that you experience trying to utilize the techniques demonstrated in this video. Any work you do on your models you do at your own risk. The techniques I demonstrate work for me but may not work for you. When in doubt, please consult any manuals/instructions.

Пікірлер: 25

@scotabot7826 Ай бұрын

Yes, #8394 was a GP10 for sure!! Cool video! The Scale Sound System speakers take any loco to the next level. They are flat out amazing. I love them!!

@garypyke1576 5 ай бұрын

I really enjoyed your video. It was great had you showed how you put the speaker and decoder in. The sound file you choose really had some richness in it. The horn also was distinct. I like also the detail parts you chose and how you installed them. It really was enjoyable to watch. I got a lot out of it.

@ronaldjoyce7374 5 ай бұрын

It looks great and thank you for the lesson on setting the decoder. I just got my first Altas Master Gold Series N scale, SD 7, along with a Digitrax DCS 52 which I’m still trying to learn on. I’m sure once I figure out how to put the long address in (loco # would be what I want), I’ll get right, one of these times, it takes patience and being new to DCC will be fun, I’m sure. Ron

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

Thanks, Ron. I did a video about 5 years ago on programming a decoder with the DCS 52. Here is the video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gtVylaSjs5bZYY0.html. The decoder programming starts at about the 13 minute mark.

@ronaldjoyce7374 5 ай бұрын

Thank you sooo much for that info, I'll be sure to check it out very soon. I appreciate any help I can get. THANKS AGAIN!

@daninraleigh 5 ай бұрын

Wow. Very impressive sound. I can't believe how expensive these are. But, I grew up with N&W GP9s and they just don't look right without the dynamic brakes.

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

The video doesn’t do the sound justice, the Scale Sound System speaker is phenomenal in person.

@kwf484 5 ай бұрын

Use the plastic sheet like a cradle to lift the loco from the formed plastic packing shell

@ronduz1281 5 ай бұрын

Lov your GP10 lol👍

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

It's a GP9.5 🤣

@joelrichardson8751 5 ай бұрын

Great job on the super detailing. I might've missed it, but what kind of paint did you use? You mentioned flat black. Since I haven't started painting yet, I hedged my bets and bought Tamiya spray cans of TS-14 black, TS-29 gloss black, TS-6 matte black, TS-13 clear coat, TS-79 semi-clear and TS-80 flat clear. The plan is to paint several plastic spoons as samples so I can find the best match to factory paint.

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

Honestly, I used Testors flat black, it matches perfect. Also, I was just on eBay scrounging for parts and there is an Intermountain GP10 with sound, Death Star (#8042). It is currently at $200 and it ends on Saturday, February 24 at 10:37p.m. Good luck!

@joelrichardson8751 5 ай бұрын

@@ck7813 Thanks for the heads up! Different question relating back to super-detailing: What's your rule of thumb on small differences that you're willing to overlook? Case-in-point: The IC's 2-bay, 50-ton hoppers had seven struts under the top flange of the car body sides but the only car body I've ever seen from every vendor has nine. After coming up empty, I decided that using the nine-strut car body will be fine; especially considering that there's still plenty of affordable, undecorated blue-box stock from Athearn out there. The only guide I'm using is the law of diminishing returns (i.e. time spent getting it perfectly right vs. time spent getting it 90%-95% right).

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

@@joelrichardson8751 Yeah, the best answer is, it depends. If they are going to sit in a yard or at an industry and from a distance nobody can tell, I don't have a problem with that. If you are putting it up in a contest for judging, the more accurate the better. Case-in-point, this GP9 locomotive, it isn't even 50% prototypically correct, but it is good filler for sitting in the yard/engine shop.

@joelrichardson8751 5 ай бұрын

That's a good way of looking at it. There are a few items in my collection I might be willing to take to the county fair so to speak but the vast majority of my collection is strictly for recreational purposes. Here, you've done a great job detailing a great locomotive, Walthers inaccuracies aside. If I saw this running on a layout, I'd have to stop and get close before noticing anything was amiss.

@user-dy5bb6jg3e 4 ай бұрын

For the programming on the ESU decoder, I was surprised that you used CV4 = 255 for a range for deceleration. Does it take a lot of braking in momentum (I.e. Iowa scaled engineering proto throttle or NCE)? Your explanations for programming were excellent, it sure helped me better understand ESU. Thanks Kman

@ck7813 4 ай бұрын

Thank you! Yes, I predominately use a ProtoThrottle to run my trains. Using CV4 = 255 with no braking will take the train a long time (5-8 seconds of actual time) to stop. Applying braking with either the PT or my hand throttle shortens that to 2-3 seconds). Like anything, this is all about personal preference. You could easily reduce this to around 200 and still get the effect of coasting after moving the throttle to zero but have a quicker stopping time. It is whatever works best for you!

@user-dy5bb6jg3e 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the advice, it was appreciated. Kman

@WestCoastRails 5 ай бұрын

Nice job, could you post the p/n for the speaker? Also the plug wire pigtail as well. Many thanks

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

The sku for the speaker is: WLPM-UNI1-RC1. I do not have a part number for the wires, I got them off of Amazon probably 5 years ago and I don't have a record of the product number. They are 1mm, 2 wire plugs, the package I purchase has both the male and female ends.

@farmerdave7965 5 ай бұрын

I have two of them and it bothers me that they only have one flywheel.

@ck7813 5 ай бұрын

I agree, but I ran this loco for at least 2 hours yesterday and it runs great. I have one turnout that has an electrical dead spot and this loco had zero issues of not having enough flywheel momentum to short it out. As much as I don’t want to admit it, this runs better than most of my Athearn Genesis units.