# USAT GP-30 Factory sound system?



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

I just won the bidding on E-Bay for a USAT GP30, it is a non runner with the factory installed sound system. The seller says that the motor is burnt out (?) Thats not a problem as I have just taken two motors out of the NW calf, to make it non powered. Has anybody got any idea about these systems? I have already sent a mail to USAT for refurbishment parts, handrails etc. I asked them for details too. I thought maybe somebody on here might have 1st hand knowledge.
Thanks 
Rod


----------



## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

I was not aware that USAT had "factory sound". That's news to me. I'll be interested in seeing what responses you get here.


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

USAT does not have factory sound in any diesels.. 

So the seller was either dishonest, or was honestly misinformed about the sound systems origin..
(perhaps he was not the original owner? he might have been "told a story" about the sound, then just passed on the story..)
but either way, he was wrong.. 

unless..perhaps the Charles Ro store does sound installs? 
if that is true, and if it was done there, then it could perhaps be called "pseudo-factory installed."  
since Charles Ro is USA Trains.. 
but it still wasnt installed at the actual factory in china, where the loco was made..
it was installed by a store/train shop somewhere, (or installed by a previous owner of the loco)
so no matter what, its not "factory installed" in the traditional sense.. 

Scot


----------



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

The seller was probably misinformed, or I misunderstood. I do remember reading the USAT advertisements in GR sometime a go where they offered sound installations though. Maybe that is where we became confustimucomblimigated!
I plan on taking it apart tomorrow anyway, so I should get some idea of whats in there?
Thanks for the answers though guys.
Rod


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Rod... Keep us posted when you get inside..


----------



## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

USAT does have a factory sound unit but it was discontinued several years back. I had purchased a nw2 several of them actually and inside the factory sealed box was a little square circular talking about the sound system!! When I called about it they told me it had been previously discontinued. That is probably what the seller was talking about. Regal


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You can have "factory" sound, sound is offered as an option right on the USAT site... it's Phoenix, and this page shows the part numbers for the sound system and the installation.

*http://www.usatrains.com/pss_sound.html* 


In general, there are also other locomotives that come factory sound installed, the "Prestige" series. These are various other sound systems. 


Regards, Greg


----------



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

As I said earlier, I bought it as a non runner. Well, I just turned it over and put power to the trucks and it ran! Then after a few seconds...............Sound ?? It sounded good too. 
I will still open it up tomorrow just for a look. I'll let you know whats in there Stan.
Thanks for your link Greg. Should'nt be too much of a problem to hook it up to AiirWire then.

Regal that was what I remember fom those previous adverts. But somewhere in my head, I seem to remember that back then, they were a PH system (?) Not Phoenix.

TA
Rod


----------



## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I think you are right Rod, I know it wasn't Phoenix that I saw the little flyer in the box along with the guarantee card they send on everything, or used to!!! Regal


----------



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Ok it turns out the sound system is an LGB product ? The speaker box has a volume control, a socket for power, a socket for horn/bell, another for wheels (Movement) and two hard wire points. Thats all I can tell you at this point guys. I hope there is someway to connect it to an AirWire Rx.
Rod


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Rod Fearnley on 09 Jun 2010 03:17 PM 
Ok it turns out the sound system is an LGB product ? The speaker box has a volume control, a socket for power, a socket for horn/bell, another for wheels (Movement) and two hard wire points. Thats all I can tell you at this point guys. I hope there is someway to connect it to an AirWire Rx.
Rod 



Hi Rod,

It sounds like one of these:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/je...112005.pdf

The original versions had the volume control as part of the "box" and not separate as shown.

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/je.../65003.pdf

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/je.../65003.wav

Jerry


----------



## Dave H (Jan 5, 2008)

What road name did you get? 

What did you pay for it? 

Sounds like the seller was NOT a model railroader, or knowledgeable. 

Yes, that LGB diesel sound is great. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPatJaYB0Kk 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7xEqbt4iI4&feature=related 

Have fun with your NEW toy. 


P.S. Does the seller have ANY more trains that "DON'T" run? With sound?


----------



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Thats it Gerry







, a nice rich sound. Thanks for the PDF, the instructions will come in real handy. Stan also sent me instructions on how to link it up to AirWire.

Mike it is a UP GP30, It started off at £42.00 ($61.00) I followed it for eight days, and won the bidding at £90.57 ($132.00 =Free P&P)









It got kind of hot in the last three minutes of bidding!
Bear in mind over here we usually pay Pound £ for Dollar $. So I think I got a sweet deal even with having to order $30 worth of fixtures from USAT to bring it up to scratch.
He does have other stuff on E-Bay, but nothing that I am willing to pay the price that they have been driven up to. 

Rod


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Rod Fearnley on 10 Jun 2010 01:03 AM 
Thats it Gerry







, a nice rich sound. Thanks for the PDF, the instructions will come in real handy. Stan also sent me instructions on how to link it up to AirWire.



Hi Rod,

I don't know anything about Airwire (whether it works with a decoder) but perhaps this will help:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/je...xProgE.pdf

Also I posted this before but for some reason the link was broken:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/je.../65003.pdf

Have fun,

Jerry


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, as you know, the LGB module is fully MTS compatible and can also be powered with standard DC (analog) for diesel sounds; but it can also be powered with Airwire using the output on pins 4 & 5 on the DCC terminal strip. The bell, whistle and voice commands are controlled by the function buttons but are addressed by buttons different that "normal" DCC. Diesel run up is controlled by the DCC output side as well.

I've never been able to program the LGB module with the Airwire CV's. I don't know if that can be done with anything other than the LGB programmer. 

Rod got a real deal with that one.


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Stan Cedarleaf on 10 Jun 2010 07:48 AM 
Jerry, as you know, the LGB module is fully MTS compatible and can also be powered with standard DC for diesel sounds; but it can also be powered with Airwire using the output on pins 4 & 5 on the DCC terminal strip. The bell, whistle and voice commands are controlled by the function buttons but are addressed by buttons different that "normal" DCC. Diesel run up is controlled by the DCC output side as well. 

Rod got a real deal with that one.










Hi Stan,

Thanks. Airwire is one more system I don't know anything about. My brain is already in overload.

I agree about the deal. The sound system alone is worth more than he paid for it. Considering where he lives he got a doubly good deal.

Jerry


----------

