Stephane,
It's definitely worth keeping in mind....
"Street Value" , they cost about $38-$48 US, depending on how many extra lighting functions you need (up to 6!), and they make a slightly larger Keep-Alive pak.
The standard are KAT-12, 14, or 16... depending on number of light outputs.
The larger (3mm longer, 5mm thicker, same width), are p/n KAT-22, 24, 26. The capacitance is ENORMOUS for its size!!
If you know electronics, I'll try some specs that I actually know... well, I'll keep this simple for everyone who might read it.
The standard capacitor on a Tsunami decoder has a capacitance of 300uf.
The average add on capacitor most can fit in a HO Scale diesel hood, is 1000uf.
The capacitance of the
Standard KAT-1x decoder is about 11,400uf !
And the capacitance of larger KAT-2x is about
33,600uf !!!
I have run a large motored Athearn F-Unit, with the old the bronze/iron wheels, WITH SOUND and twin headlights and cab interior light running...
I UNPLUGGED the DCC unit, and measured...
It ran 26 inches normally, slowed down for 7 more inches, and the lights went out roughly 3 seconds later!!
I was AMAZED!
This was the unit I usually brought over to my friend's layout with rough, NOT well laid,
Brass track! She never so much as hiccupped anywhere on his Layout.
For the money, I've never seen better. Their new WOW! Diesel sound decoders have been a bit of a disappointment. Unless hardwired, they have several flaws, using the 8 or 9 pin plugs on factory light/decoder boards...
ESPECIALLY Intermountain, Athearn RTR, and Bachmann.
Hopefully, they've fixed the bugs that came with rushing a new product to market.
Many "RTR" guys expecting to just plug it in, and have magic happen, were disappointed, and short tempered!! I tried to talk a couple of the guys through hardwiring the decoders, but I'm not good atccoaching through a computer, and they just didn't want to do ANYTHING on a loco beyond plugging in a decoder, and maybe changing couplers!!
It's a shame really....
The ONE TCS WOW sound decoder that I could afford, is BRILLIANT!!
It's got the best, richest EMD 16-567 non turbo sound - PERIOD. Actually better than Lok-Sound (which STILL has the best ALCo sound set EVER!)
The horns (12 of them), have long, short, and even a QUILLING feature!!
They come with the 2x series Keep-Alive, separate, in case you need to put it in another location.
Its COOLEST feature has to be auto-notching...
After an easy 30 second setup...
First, it acts like cruise control. Where you set the speed, is the speed it will stay, constantly adjusting, down to roughly a 20"R curve, or a 6% grade!!
ANDWhen the decoder senses the load, while it's maintaining the speed - it will also AUTOMATICALLY NOTCH UP the prime mover!! All the way to notch-8 at 15 SMPH, if necessary!
It will also notch down automatically, to idle, when slowing down or going downhill.
When cruising along.... pressing F7 applies the brakes! Complete with brake squeal!!
Oh my!! I'm sorry! I went on and on, and wrote a BOOK. Oops!
I'm obviously passionate about the WOW sound decoder! Maybe someday I can afford more than ONE...
Anyway, there's a LOT of food for thought.
