Ok, I’m an idiot. My MRC sound decoder works fine. When wanting to use a particular decoder, it would help to use the correct engine with said decoder. 
Yeah, I was using a completely different engine which I thought had the decoder installed, when in fact it didn’t have one at all and was running on DC power. Once I slapped myself in the head and put the correct engine on the track, my MRC decoder and all of its’ glorious sound works fine. I think it’s time to update than inventory app with my collection, heh.
In other good news, my new Kato SD70MACs with the BNSF “Swoosh” logo arrived today. They look great. I still need to attach the detail parts, though. Digitrax decoders for them will probably be here by the weekend as well. I’ll by using these two engines to pull my 12 car BNSF hopper train.
Shaun Previous Layout
Back in November, I installed a MRC DCC Sound Decorder in a Kato SD90 loco. Well, it looks like that DCC decoder has failed, even though the locomotive has been sitting with little use.
When power is applied to the engine, you get the initial idle rumble from the decoder, and that it. It seems to have a throttle level set to reverse 1 because it has an ever so slightly backwards creep. No functions work at all. I never did program it differently from the default address, so no idea what happened.
I’ve sent an email to MRC to see what they have to say about troubleshooting or hopefully replacing it.
I’ve heard mixed reviews about MRC’s decoder quality, and I’m on the fence about buying more of these sound ones because I really like them.
Shaun Previous Layout
This morning I finished up the vessels on the furnace kit. All that’s left is the highline bridge and skip hoist.
Once completed, I’ll probably post this kit on ebay to sell as it looks like I won’t be doing a steel mill. I think the mill structures, and the industry as a whole, is going to be larger than what my shelf layout can accomodate. For example, you can’t even see the top 4 inches or so of the blast furnace because the upper fascia blocks it. It’s that tall! So instead, I’ll be using the Superior Mill kit I already have built and modeling a small paper mill.
Shaun Previous Layout
Uploaded a new video showing off the Signal Bridge and Double Target signal on the lower level.
Shaun Previous Layout
