Well,. yes and no - there are many whistle variations for steam locos, and while they generally haven't gone to the lengths of actual chuffs (mainly because, for many - where would you get the sounds? There's plenty of old first gen diesels around to record the prime movers from), and there are the near infinite combinations of appliances - injectors, air pumps, water pumps, stokers, pop valves, bells, generator(s). If there was a source for the sounds - in many cases I think steam moderlers more or less settle for something reasonably close except in certain instances where you could get an actual recording, like one of the Rio Grande narrow guage locos, or TCS has done several from the tourist railroads areound here like Strasburg and New Hope & Ivyland. Until UP gets the Big Boy up and running, the only sounds from those are from various movies filmed over the years. Many modeled locos were gone before there was quality sound recording.
I guess because you CAN, the diesel guys go nuts when the sound is a 567A when it's supposed to be a 567C - dunno, without hearing the real thing, or at least through a high quality stereo system, I can;t tell the difference. Maybe not even then.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Steam sound decoders are much simpler than diesels. Consider the options available with steam as compared to a diesel - light, medium, heavy, articulated, and non-articulated steam.
Diesels, several dozen manufacturers and literally close to 50 different prime mover sounds, plus all the different air horns.
They are planning to do diesel at some point. Started with steam, because they can show off more of the capabilities that way, like the chuff changing dynamically with load as measured through the BEMF.
All I can say about Soundtraxx is that they better not have all the delays with the Tsunami replacement like they did with the Tsunami. WHen first announced, the features of the Tsunami outdid anyone else on the market, but after allt he delays, by the time you could buy one, they weren't really so super awesome compared to what others had. With all the delays, some of their rivals had gone threw 2 or 3 updates and improvements.
Why doesn't the TCS WOW decoders have diesel sounds available? Why only steam? Do they have plans for diesels?
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
The WOW definitely has my narrowgauge buddies abuzz. One's a beta tester for TCS and several others are TCS dealers and they've really been talking it up the last six months. I suspect Soundtraxx is probably getting close to the next generation Tsunami, we'll have to wait and see. The next couple of years will help convert another bunch of sound/DCC holdouts, as I'm told the audio improvements are quite noticeable with the WOW -- and I'd expect no less with a next gen Tsunami.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
From what I am hearing about TCS, I will take a WOW over a Loksound Select over a Tsunami over a QSI any day of the week.
Here we go, Dave.
Rich
Alton Junction
Rich:
Glad to see that you solved the problem.
Personally, I will take a Locsound Select over either the diesel Tsunami or the QSI any day of the week!
By the way, I'll also join you for that drink
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
richhotrain Thanks again, Mike. This project ended the day better than it started. I had begun to fear that the decoder that Athearn sent to me was defective. I will say this. The Tsunami decoder is not for the faint of heart, especially when it comes to programming the decoder. Rich
Thanks again, Mike.
This project ended the day better than it started. I had begun to fear that the decoder that Athearn sent to me was defective.
I will say this. The Tsunami decoder is not for the faint of heart, especially when it comes to programming the decoder.
Rich,
Glad to help. I sorta know my way around Tsunamis, at least the steam version, anyway.
And I'll take a Tsunami over a QSI any day for ease of programming.
Geeeeeez! I missed all the excitement. Glad to hear you got it working Rich, I'm sure you've been waiting for that replaement decoder.
richhotrainEdit Note: The Tsunami manual says that CV30=2 is used to re-configure the decoder for non-NMRA compliant options, whatever that means.
That means it's used for all the non-mandatory CVs, the ones that aren't required by the NMRA as part of the basic decoder standard. For instance, like which F key the horn and bell are assigned to. That's why it fixed them, as their assignment is not defined by the NMRA DCC standard, they can be wherever the mfg decides to put them, although their location is now relatively standardized. It's just not a NMRA requirement that F1 = Bell and F2 = horn.
Thanks, Mike. I was actually looking in the Soundtraxx manual at function mapping when I came across that CV30=2 command once again and decided to try it. Since that did the trick, I was spared the task of re-mapping.
Cool! Always good when I can outsmart a decoder first thing in the morning. Doesn't always happen...
Mr. B is right, you want to "remap" the function keys, baiscally swap what each controls. I don't have any diesel Tsunamis, so can't tell you what page it's on, but look for chapter in the user's guide that says "function mapping" and it'll have a table that allows you to make an easy choice of what is assigned to each F key.
EDIT: OK, see you got it. Congrats! Too early for stiff drink, but how about a beer?
OK, here is the latest.
First, my apologies to David. He mentioned the reset first, but I missed that reply.
Second, when I reset CV8=8, that got the decoder going but the horn and bell were reversed. For some reason, Soundtraxx has two factory reset procedures, CV8=8 and CV30=2. Anyway, I did CV30=2, and the horn and bell worked correctly.
It is only 10:45 in the morning, and I need a stiff drink.
Thanks to all who responded.
Next up, I have to test the lights.
Edit Note: The Tsunami manual says that CV30=2 is used to re-configure the decoder for non-NMRA compliant options, whatever that means.
Odd about the horn and bell after a reset. I don't have that specific decoder, but the sounds and the keys that operate them can be re-arranged. You will have to program a couple of CVs. Check the instructions.
The speaker wires would not have any effect on this.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Mike, that worked. CV30=2 on the Programming Track.
Now she runs and the sound works, haven't yet rewired the lights.
Weird, though, the Bell Button and Function 1 are supposed to ring the bell, but they operate the horn.
The Horn Button and Function 2 are supposed to blast the horn, but they operate the bell.
I reversed the two speaker wires but that made no difference.
I need to look into this.
On the Programming track, you don't need to address a unit. It doesn't care. Just go in and hit CV 30 with a value of 2 (I think that's right for a full reset, but check just to be sure.) After that, then just walk through the standard steps on the Programming Track to get it going (hopefully).
On my very first Tsunami install, I had the decoder board in and out multiple times. Just when I got it going the darn thing went dead
Thought I burned it, so sent back to Soundtraxx to repair. Turned out I'd managed to pull one of the leads loose under the shrink wrap where I couldn't see it. They fixed it at N/C by soldering lead back on and returned. Nothing at all wrong with the decoder itself.
Yes, look for the red light showing through the shrink like woodone advised to determine if the decoder is getting power.
Yes, I know that Athearn does not make decoders. I was just wondeing if the decoder was just a spare part removed from a other locomotive. ( NOT NEW)? SoundTraxx does do a QC check on all decoders before shipping out.
It is a Soundtraxx Tsunami made for Athearn Genesis locos, TSU-GN1000.
Athearn sent it to me to replace a faulty decoder.
The Repair Department at Athearn keeps a supply on hand.
woodoneDo you see any red LED light up on the board? That would mean the decoder is getting power. If you can't get a read back I would expect you will not be able to do a reset. Is this a decoder from Athearn or SoundTraxx?
My problem at the moment is that I can not get any response on the Programming Track or on the main layout.
I cannot address the loco by its short address let alone the long address.
Since Athearn sent a new decoder, I would not expect a long address, but Soundtraxx supposedly sets all of it short addresses to 3 as the default, but the loco does not respond to 3.
Athearn sent me a new TSU-GN1000 decoder to replace a faulty one.
I connected the four pickup wires and the two motor wires of my Genesis F3A to the decoder and put it on the Programming Track. My system is an NCE PH-Pro 5 amp system. I have a DCC Specialties Power Pax signal booster in line to read sound decoders.
It cannot read any CVs on this decoder, not even the Mfg ID or Version No., although its sister engine can be programmed on the Programming Track.
So, in desperation, I put the loco on the main layout and tried to run it on the short address of 3. Nothing.
Just to experiment, I put the loco back on the Programming Track and selected #3 option, the Register to see if anything would happen. I could hear some clicks, perhaps meaning the decoder is alive.
Any ideas?