# Putting sound in Aristo Budd car



## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi guys,

A friend of mine would like to put a spare Phoenix sound board into his new Budd car--it's the version with mixed passenger/freight. Its already got a Massoth XL decoder in it and so I would like to know how to get it apart and what surprises I might find. 

Thanks,
Keith


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

There's something like a dozen or so screws on the bottom that need to be removed. I forget, precisely, but I remember there being a lot of the little buggers. I don't remember there being much in the way of surprises, just a lot of screws... 

Later, 

K


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Keith, 

Does this help? 

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips9/rdc_tips.html#disassembly


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys. Knut, I had a look at Georges site but his was for the RDC-1, and I understand that with the RDC-3 they put the interface in the roof instead of underneath. It looks like a sound install for the RDC-1 would have been easy, and could be done without even taking the roof off, but I don't think it will be so simple with the newer version. 

Keith


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Yeah, they completely moved all the electronics on the RDC-3. Alas, Aristo doesn't have the RDC-3 manual posted on their site, so no help there, either. I looked in my stack of papers for the manual for the one I've got here to no avail. (I think it's vacationing with my copy of "Slim Gauge Cars" which I haven't seen since the day I bought it, either. Opposites attract, after all.) 

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a page on it:


*http://w...


I describe a couple of ways to pull it apart. 











Greg*


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Greg. On the last photo on your website, you describe the speaker connection being at the opposite end from the decoder socket. Which one is the speaker socket--it doesn't appear to be labelled? Also which one is for the track power for the sound board--is that the one market Moto? 

Keith


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Do not forget the little screw on the top at each end!! 
And the wires are short so the seats come unglued when removing the metal case.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The screws are all on my web page Dan! 

You might want to look at the link provided and check it before you assume something is missing. There's a reason I post a link, because it has the procedure, pictures and text. I don't want to post the entire web page here.











Greg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Keith, you might want to read again, I say" The picture below shows the board at the other end of the roof. Also, the socket for the speaker is here! 18 inches away from the "Aristo socket" in the other "half" of the shell... " 

It's the OTHER board that does not have the socket. You'll be able to tell which is the socket, it will be unused/empty and it has 3 pins like virtually all Aristo speaker sockets. I believe it is the one on the top side of the board, unlabelled. 










Regards, Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Greg, I did understand what you had written, that's why I wrote up above asking which of those empty sockets was speaker and which was power. Leave it to Aristo to change something and make it much more complicated...I guess the RDC-1 system with the plugs on the bottom was too easy. 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry, the empty sockets we necessary to get it apart ! 

It's a real wiring nightmare... the original RDC-1 had 2 nice compartments underneath one socket and one open one for a sound card. I really wish they had kept the same setup, since those areas are still unused. 

Oh well, progress, huh? 

If you can confirm the sockets, then I can improve my site and label them... that would be appreciated. 


Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Will do...I'll see what I find once I get the locomotive.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Greg if you do update your website on the RDC-3, the silver end is prototypical. 

Santa Fe ran their two RDCs together. One end on each was painted red. The ends where they were coupled together were unpainted. So Aristo got it right on their Santa Fe painted RDC-3 but the two red ends on their Santa Fe painted RDC-1 is wrong. 


Although Santa Fe never really had an RDC-3. Their two RDCs were delivered as RDC-1s. Only after the 1956 wreck did one RDC get a baggage compartment. But this was custom done by the Santa Fe and did not match a stock RDC-3.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Updating...










Yes, wrote the page before I researched it fully. I have a fair amount of information on my site under prototypes on what SF had and the wreck.


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