7j43k Regarding a compound articulated steam locomotive, consider this statement: DigitalGriffin As higher pressure vents quicker, it is a sharper faster chuff, while lower pressure is a lower toned slower chuff. With a normally operating compound, there IS no "sharper faster chuff". The high pressure exhaust is never released to the atmosphere. And that is what makes a "chuff" sound. A normally operating compound will sound very much like a simple non-articulated engine, except that the exhaust will likely sound a bit softer. Ed
Regarding a compound articulated steam locomotive, consider this statement:
DigitalGriffin As higher pressure vents quicker, it is a sharper faster chuff, while lower pressure is a lower toned slower chuff.
As higher pressure vents quicker, it is a sharper faster chuff, while lower pressure is a lower toned slower chuff.
With a normally operating compound, there IS no "sharper faster chuff". The high pressure exhaust is never released to the atmosphere. And that is what makes a "chuff" sound.
A normally operating compound will sound very much like a simple non-articulated engine, except that the exhaust will likely sound a bit softer.
Ed
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Compound: Exhaust from one set of high pressure cylinders is reused in lower set of cylinders. The secondary exhaust is often of lower pressure so the cylinder is larger to achieve a similar tractive effort. (Force = area * pressure.)
C&O H-8's are an example of compound
Simple articulated engines used high pressure steam in both cylinders, had cylinders of similar size, and sounded the same between chuffs.
The C&O H-7 (Simple simon) is an example of this.Just about all decoders available simulate a simple articulated (the less common) But there are ways to simulate this with 2 tsunamis by adjusting the equalizer.
The fourth chuff on the Tsunami is also slightly different. This is closer to real life where not all engines had a perfectly identical chuff even in non articulated engines.
Further complicated by some compounds that could run in simple mode for better starting tractive effort, then switched to compound mode.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Seems to me that the sound of a compound locomotive, and its chuff rate, would be the same as a non-articulated (regular) loco, except perhaps the exhaust would sound a bit softer.
A simple articulated would have the same sound and chuff rate as two simple non-articulated (regulr) locos running doubleheaded.
Wow,
This is an old thread- The new Econami decoder from SoundTraxx might be worth looking at. MSLP is $80.00 an will have the Chuff for an articulated unit.
Lots of new features in the new decoder too.
What decoder are you working with your change request?
Which cv do you use to change from compound to simple?
I've used Tsunamis in about six articulateds, but don't like the sound above about 1/3 throttle because it takes on a machine-gun quality. This apparently results because there is a single chuff channel where each new chuff cuts the previous one off.
Lately have put several WOW decoders in as replacements. Found two things:
1. Heavy mode doesn't sound good, especially at around speed step 8 (128 mode), where there is an awkward transition between samples. Also, its level is low, and trying to boost it makes the transition worse. I use Medium mode, much better.
2. the threshold of Protochuff should be set all the way up, to prevent weird sample and sound changes at random intervals at throttle settings above 20 or so. Audition the decoder or loco on the bench to see what I mean.
There is no spectrum or reverb control with WOW's, but bell and whistle varieties are great. Speed control is good. I found it easy to sync chuff to drivers at startup and low speeds.
Hal
I have a Soundtraxx heavy steam in my Big Boy and it can be set for articulated(two engines) or not. It sounds great. Soundtraxx got the whistle right, it wasn't originally but they updated it using the real deal from an actual Big Boy. Again the speakers and installation are a big key. I use two speakers, one under the stacks and one facing down in the tender. They're both high bass speakers and enclosed well. The equalizer makes a big difference as well when fine tuning the sounds.
Oh, and it can crawl well.
Richard
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Loksound user for my diesels, but when it comes to steam, the TCS WoW decoder edges most everything out.
Matt at ESU really knows his diesels and the results of the recordings show this. Conversely, John at TCS really knows his steam, and the results there are quite obvious.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Like Bob — I also installed a Tsunami Heavy steam decoder in an N&W Y-3 and it has always impressed me with the quality of sound...
and in agreement with Bob, I recently installed a TCS WOWSound decoder with keep alive in a BLI Blueline light Mikado and I believe it edges out the Tsunami both in sound quality and motor control. Takes some getting used to with the voice prompt programming but once you get the hang of it there's no problem...
I have a TCS WOW sound decoder in my N&W 2-8-8-2 and it sounds and runs great. I also have an older Tsunami T1000 heavy steam decoder in my Big Boy and it has articulated sound as one of the options.
-*Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
LokSound can be either way, selected by a CV setting.
Is the engine an N&W 2-8-8-2? They could be operated both simple and compound. The exhaust sound would be different for those two modes. Does any manufacturer have a sound system that allows for these variations?
Tom
SoundTraxx also makes a decoder( Tsunami) that will be for an articulated locomotive.
You must set the proper CV's and you can select as to if in sync or slow slip, or fast slip of the drivers. For the steamer I think that you would want to look at the Tsunami TSU-1000 decoder.
ESU LokSound decoders with sound files for articulated locomotives support articulation effects, which is selected with a CV setting.
Here in the USA the LokSound Select decoder sound files for heavy steam all have articulated sounds available within the sound file.
ESU sound files for V4.0 decoders should be similar.
Im having a devil of a time finding a -current- listing/feature comparison of sound decoders... or decoders at all, frankly.
Does anyone know of one, or care to suggest which decoders have a compound steam version or option.
(I'm looking for my 2-8-8-2 so would be seeking a heavy steam version)