Modern railsounds

[KRM]

This could sound like a dumb question but:

Not having any newer engines with railsound and crew talk and the like, I have a question.

If I wanted to get an engine with this what will I need to make it work?

I am using a Lionel RW as my power source right now.

Thanks,

Kevin

[challenger3980]

I have read some PW transformers even with a Whistle/Horn control may not trigger the Whistle/Horn, so the Whistle/Horn may or may not work on a Railsounds locomotive being run with your RW. Also the RW doesn't have a Bell control, so you wont be able to use the bell.

 IIRC, there were some add on controllers for the Whistle/Horn and Bell functions, but I can't quote any Prices or item#s to help you, and again I don't know if those will operate the Whistle/Horn and/or Bells sounds on modern Railsounds systems.

 Many crew chatter sequences are random, and will operate without any control input, some activate by starting/stopping the train and others respond to whistle activation.

 Railsounds and Trainsounds are different in the Railsounds typically have better sound quality and is a sound on sound system Steam chuff continues when bell is rung, both will continue when whistle/Horn is blown. Trainsounds is a single sound system, chuff is over-ridden when bell iss rung, whistle/Horn will over-ride either/or chuff and bell when blown.

 

Doug

[challenger3980]

Also, I forgot to mention that any modern transformer with Whistle/Horn and Bell controls SHOULD operate all Railsounds/Trainsounds functions, no Legacy, TMCC or DCS system required for conventional RS/TS sound system operation, but some locomotives are Legacy/TMCC equipped and require Legacy or TMCC to access all functions, but RS/TS themselves do not require command control to operate.

Doug

[KRM]

So if I got a CW 80 I would be good?

Tks,

 Kev

[challenger3980]

With the exception of running some MTH PS2 locomotives the CW-80 is a GREAT transformer, and would work well with any Railsounds locomotive. If possible try to get a revised CW-80,  look at the bottom for the date code, later versions had alpha-numeric date codes, as opposed to just numeric date codes. What seems to be the most common is to have G before the numerals.

 The early CW's were wired backwards internally regarding the common and Hot posts, used to power a single train on a single loop, such as the sets they typically came in, it was not a problem, everything generally worked fine, the troubles came when they were "Phased" with other transformers.

 The CW-80 has in MY OPINION, the BEST throttle available, very smooth and a near zero minimum voltage, and will often Smoothly start locomotives that were considered jerky at slow speeds, or that would Jack-Rabbit start with other transformers that had too high of a minimum starting voltage for some locomotives.

The early CW's had the reversed common issue, and some were known to have the fans die, but Lionel has revised and improved the CW over it's life, and the newer ones are excellent transformers, even though there are those who can't forget the past and move on. The CW-80 also has an adjustable accessory output, which is another very nice feature.

 Running a Railsounds locomotive with a CW-80 is an excellent combination, that I would expect you to be very Happy with. Between myself, and several Nephews and other Family members, as well as Friends that I have given trains to, I have had experince withprobably close to two dozen CW-80's, and in MY experience, I have found them to be very reliable.

 

Doug

[SantaFe158]

If you have feeder wires around a large layout and are only running one engine at a time on a loop you should be fine with a CW-80.  I've had to upgrade to TMCC and a 180 Watt power brick to run all my command/RS engines, but still use a CW-80 to run my conventional ones and it does fine.  I run modern and postwar with it and it works pretty well.  I have three of them powering my carpet central (though I could get away with two).

[KRM]

Thank you Doug and SantaFe

I will start looking for A CW 80

.

I have had my new layout up and running for a few months just to see if I like the design. Table is 16’ x 12’ with two loops.

I have not wired any of the 10 or so switches or anything else but the one lock-on to each loop.

I am now going to disassemble everything and install Ready-Grass for ground cover just ordered everything Sunday. The people on this forum have been a great help to me as I have worked along.

I gave my grandson a Lionel starter set last year for X-mass and it has a CW 80. I am thinking more trains will come. So I just want to be able to be ready for RS/TS.

Thanks again,

Kevin