New sound decoder

Today I finished installing a new decoder in my N scale Union Pacific F3 locomotive - the front one of the three. Soundtraxx (from right here in Durango, CO) recently released a new drop-in sound decoder that fits many of the Kato diesel locomotives.  Comes complete even with a sugar cube speaker.  The decoder is drop-in with a little electrical insulation.  But easy.  The speaker needed two wires soldered to the speaker and the other ends soldered to the circuit board.  VERY small pads to hit with the solder iron but it went fine.  Also had to install a new LED for the front headlight - two more small soldering pads.

Put it back together and on the track.  Sound came right on , motor worked like it should, and the sound was way louder and better than I had imagined.  The speaker is probably from the cell phone industry.  Even came with a enclosure.  Now I have horns, prime mover, bell, etc.

The blip is my test track.  I use it to speed match the three locomotives that will be in this consist.  The white box is a speedometer (scale speeds) so by adjusting a CV in the decoder for each locomotive you can set the same speed - say 80 mph, in all three locomotices.  Then they work together.

The extra - well I left a little room between the ends of the plexiglass that surrounds the n scale layout.  These 45 degreee corners were a problem. I thought they would be OK until I hit one with my arm and bled a bit.  Not a bad rip but stupid. After it healed I did it again - more bandaids.  So yesterday I installed these wood strips to hide the exposed very short edges.  No more bleeding.  Yea.  Not exciting but no more bleeding.