Author Topic: ScaleTrains Museum Quality Turbine install questions...  (Read 1590 times)

GMM6809

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ScaleTrains Museum Quality Turbine install questions...
« on: June 20, 2020, 09:44:43 PM »
 Hello everyone!

So I did a thing and ordered the Scale Trains Museum Quality Turbine, #16.
From what I've read it has a ton of features and sounds it can do.

Is it able to have RailPro installed in it and still maintain all or most of those features? Like, when it runs through a switch it makes a sound effect of the wheels hitting the points and stuff...

Has anyone done any kind of setup with the engine? I'm worried it'll be sequestered to being a shelf model, which wouldn't be bad looking, but I did intend to use it from time to time.

I also preordered some other Scale Trains engines as well. I am looking forward to being able to install RailPro and the power backups in them too, although they seem to be harder to install than the Athearn engines.

Hopefully I didn't mess up and will be able to RailPro them all!

I'll get pictures whenever it shows up.

Thanks!
-Glenn
Glenn M.

Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps.

G8B4Life

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Re: ScaleTrains Museum Quality Turbine install questions...
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2020, 11:26:12 PM »
Quote
Is it able to have RailPro installed in it and still maintain all or most of those features?

To put it bluntly, no. If you put RailPro in you'll take the DCC decoder that's in the model out which means you'll loose the sounds and other features the DCC decoder provided. Given what I've read about Scale Trains stuff you may very well be removing the existing electronics (wiring, motherboard) as well to get RP in and wired up. Other who've done Scale Trains installs can comment further on that one.

You can of course load the RailPro module up with sounds and play them manually (not automatically) when you hit the points etc but I don't think there's many sounds like flange squeal in the RP sound library yet. They do have a GTEL sound file though but it's probably not the quality of the sound included on the DCC decoder.

If you end up with a shelf queen because you don't / can't go through with the installation, I feel for you there; while I have many models without RP in them at the moment two of them are pretty much destined to be shelf queens forever; I don't think I'll ever work up the courage to be able to install RP in them.

- Tim

GMM6809

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  • Glenn M.
Re: ScaleTrains Museum Quality Turbine install questions...
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2020, 01:21:47 PM »
Hopefully one day RP will make a 21 pin module to at least be a more straight forward install for those DCC ready ones with the 21 pin. At least prior to hard wiring them..

I wonder if the other circuit boards in the model can be retained and actuated via RP, like hitting the class light button and having it cycle through the colors..?
Glenn M.

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Orlando

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Re: ScaleTrains Museum Quality Turbine install questions...
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2020, 09:33:14 PM »
Hello everyone!

So I did a thing and ordered the Scale Trains Museum Quality Turbine, #16.
From what I've read it has a ton of features and sounds it can do.

Is it able to have RailPro installed in it and still maintain all or most of those features? Like, when it runs through a switch it makes a sound effect of the wheels hitting the points and stuff...

Has anyone done any kind of setup with the engine? I'm worried it'll be sequestered to being a shelf model, which wouldn't be bad looking, but I did intend to use it from time to time.

I also preordered some other Scale Trains engines as well. I am looking forward to being able to install RailPro and the power backups in them too, although they seem to be harder to install than the Athearn engines.

Hopefully I didn't mess up and will be able to RailPro them all!

I'll get pictures whenever it shows up.

Thanks!
-Glenn
Hate to break it to you bud, but scaletrains models need to be hardwired. I tried using the 21 pin on one of my models before I removed the board, and let me tell you that it was not fun using that model. If railpro can match the decoder sound per sound I'd swap in a heartbeat. Personally I see no use in installing a railpro module if your not MU'ing. I would leave it dcc if your layout is dcc.
Best of luck and enjoy👍🏻
« Last Edit: July 01, 2020, 09:30:41 PM by Orlando »

GMM6809

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Re: ScaleTrains Museum Quality Turbine install questions...
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2020, 04:48:42 AM »
Well, I have decided to cancel the order and just wait or Hunt eBay for a river counter model.

I won’t be using DCC so it seems a shame to remove the cool features.

Thanks for the replies.
Glenn M.

Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps.