# Sound in a box car



## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

Bought a piko analog sound system for g scale, I want to put it in a box car, the directions are not the best, it is made to plug into their loco. I just need two wires for power. Will the two motor wires do this and leave all the others alone? How and where do you mount the reed switch? How far off the magnets do you space it? Any thing else I need to know? Thanks


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I can tell you that the LGB standard is left side for bell and right side for whistle when mounting the reed sensors. 
For spacing the reeds, you should get an LGB magnet and set it on a piece of track and see where it lines up on your rolling stock. 

LGB motor blocks have a recess for installing a glass reed and these work on curves whereas a reed between the trucks of rolling stock will not always work on curves. 

When I install my own magnets on the ties, I space them 3/8 of an inch from the rail (center of rail to center of magnet. 
I buy them in lots of 10 for less than $10.00 and when installing I use a sheet rock screw in the tie and then glue the magnet to the screw. Why glue them, they can jump from the screw to the bottom of an engine!! 

LGB has a dual reed sensor that mounts on the bottom of the US 2 axle trucks and these are found on Moguls and Forneys, plus they were sold separately.


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

What about spacing between magnets and reed,piko has eight wires that to steam loco,lights,smoke,etc.,all I me is power to rail pickups, will the two motor wires do this? Best way to mount reed? Thanks


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

wrong post... sorry


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I keep my reed sensors 1/8 to 1/4 inch above the rails. And I use a strong magnet. 
I place the whistle magnet 4 feet before my tunnel, and a bell magnet 3 feet before the station. 
You can also place a whistle magnet before a crossing. 
Of course the speed of the train and placement of the reed can change this as in using a boxcar behind a mogul, you must allow for the engine length. 
I would not engage the whistle when the engine is in the crossing, should be before the crossing.


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

Is all I need for power are the two motor wires or do the other wires need to be tied in some way.again the instructions do not show anything , just a crumy photo and states reed here,volume control here,and loco here. Nothing else. Do I make a bracket to mount the reed switch, what is the best way? Thanks


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I used epoxy glue to secure the reed to the underside of a truck (wheel bogie), you want the reed near to the rail tops, with out fouling them on switches and crossings. If you have any Aristo rerailers then be aware that they are taller than the rails. Allow a little extra wire so nothing binds. 
Some folks stack 2 magnets for height, don't rely on their weight, glue them in place, or, make a holder to place between the ties and long enough to span under both rails. This is good to use as you test magnet placement. 

Power, try the motor leads and see if that works, it should, but we seem to have limited knowledge of your system. 
What did it promise to do when you bought it? 

Good luck,


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Does it look like this?


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

It is the other analog set ,it is the one that sells for 75.00.


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

It stated it would fit any steam loco, it just has little to none for instructions . It just states plug these 8 wires in loco,these wires to reed,and these wire to volume control,and these wires to speaker .


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

That is straight forward to me. The 2 wires not mentioned connect to the hot leads from track to motor. Made in addition to the existing wires. The electricity is rectified track power so polarity does not matter. Follow directions for the other wires and you are done. Except to set the volume before you button it up. 

(edit) This is my understanding of information given, not personal knowledge.









Happy Rails 

John


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

Thanks for all the help,I will start installation.


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

One last question, how you mount the reed switch? It looks like the one in the photo. Thanks


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

That reed switch might fit into the bottom grey housing and that unit can mount on the bottom of a truck/bogie. 
Not enough detail in the picture for me to be sure about this.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Is this the one that you are speaking of?











*36221 American Steam Sound Kit – Analog* This kit is ideal for economically adding sound to PIKO G starter set locos on DC-powered layouts. It can also be adapted to many other steam locos.

The kit offers:
[*]Voltage-based steam exhaust chuff.[*]Bell and whistle signals triggered through the included reed-switch assembly (requires track magnets such as PIKO #35268).[*]High-fidelity 2” speaker with moisture resistant cone.[*]Sound volume control knob and smoke unit on/off switch.
(Recommended smoke unit: 36142 5-Volt Smoke Unit + 36143 5-Volt Regulator)[/list]


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

Yes,that is the right one,not sure of the grey housing,the box car has none, it will be mounted on a bachmann car. Thanks


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

The housing mentioned, I believe, was from the first pic. Wrong sytem. 
I've not seen a flat reed switch, all the ones I've encountered have been round cyliders aprox an inch long. 
How many axels on your car? If 4, mount the reed on the botttom of the 4 wheel truck/bogie. If only a 2 axle car are there any tool boxes or other detail on the bottom of the car? We want to mount the reed as low as possible and the magnet as high as possible, without fouling track or rolling stock. 
Yours is the green item, the yellow board is your volume control (secure near door if it opens). 

Google Piko for instruction/pictures? 

Make an enclosure for your speaker to increase the bass 

Have fun. 

Johhn


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## jumatfsnah (Feb 1, 2013)

Well,it is installed, takes a bit of modification , one the unit itself the sound is slower than the speed of the loco,one draw back on the piko unit,the sound is good, thanks for all the help .


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Hamlin makes many flat reeds and they can be mounted with computer motherboard hardware. 

I have been using these for many years. 


http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/59140-010/59140-010-ND/43977


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