@gunrunnerjohn posted:LocoSound does have chuffing smoke control, tach controlled cruise control, lighting outputs, and as you say, basic sounds.
Are there any basic E-units out there that have cruise control?
With all the DCS "fanfare" when PS2 was introduced, cruise/speed control for conventional operation might have been an overlooked feature. For conventional operators, the ability to run at relatively slow speeds without constantly messing with the throttle going around curves or up/down grades is a handy feature.
Interesting. So if it also controls lighting, that's yet another reason to consider the LocoSound steam board as an E-unit option. You'd have to check some of the upgrade threads but I'd think the MTH LocoSound engines would have used the same lights (6V incandescent bulbs) as the PS2 engines (?). So like the earlier warning not to directly power the N&W J smoke unit from track power, I'd think the same applies to directly powering the light(s) from track power!
I suppose one thing to check is if the J has a striped-flywheel AND a tiny tach board. That is, if this was part of an incomplete or abandoned PS2 upgrade, these are needed to get cruise control. If not familiar with the MTH flywheel/tach wiring, your last "dead" locomotive with blown PS2 boards should have the striped flywheel and tach board mounted to the motor.
Clearly there are i's to dot and t's to cross, but I'm beginning to intrigue myself with the notion of "re-branding" the apparently obsolete LocoSound board as a generic E-unit. 
If you don't like the sounds, then don't hook up the speaker! I'm pretty certain you won't find another E-unit out there that has cruise/speed control. directly controls an MTH smoke unit, and lighting (directional?).
It hinges on the ability to scrounge up a LocoSound board from someone's attic or junk drawer. If I understand the MTH site, the board itself was $100 MSRP and could only be purchased thru an MTH Service Center.
