5
Installation
Before beginning, please take time to read through all the instructions and plan out your
installation. If other Electric Railroad Company products are being installed together
with the Railsounds Commander, familiarize yourself with each one, as well as how
they connect together.
Overview
The installation process involves mounting the Railsounds Commander circuit board,
mounting and connecting the speaker, and then making the other necessary connections:
power, serial data, as well as trigger or motor sensing. Most important of all the steps,
is placement of the speaker and use of a baffle. These are absolutely essential in order
to obtain the highest quality sounds.
Preparation
If existing hardware is being replaced, begin with an examination of the unit to
determine what to keep and what parts will not be needed. For some projects, existing
parts may still be useful. Although this will vary, depending on the project, possible
candidates include slide switches, triggering mechanisms/switches, and mounting
brackets. Note that existing speakers will generally be lower quality than the one
provided with the Railsounds Commander kit. However, a larger oval, unusual design,
or recently manufactured speaker may be acceptable if still in good condition and rated
at 8 ohms and at least 0.5 watts. When handling existing wires, be careful not to flex
soldered connections excessively.
Mounting
Before mounting the new parts, it’s important to spend some time trying out different
placement options. Consider where chassis holes exist or could be drilled if needed.
Don’t forget to check the shell for obstructions and, of course, ensure it can be
reinstalled without coming into contact with newly installed parts or wiring.
1.
A high quality speaker and matching baffle are included in the Railsounds
Commander kit. As shown in Figure 1, the baffle may be mounted in a variety of
ways, using the mounting ears, with double stick tape, or a small hole may be drilled
and a self-taping screw used.
