I've eagerly installed a Soundtraxx Soundcar decoder in a caboose but am having some trouble in consisting using my ProCab with the Soundcar and loco's Select decoders.
First, the car works fine by iteslf in default (reset mode) as address #3; i.e., the horn, bell, headlight, click-clack and brake squeal work with the throttle when addressing #3. But I note that there's a Soundcar Tech Note #15 that says not to use the NCE cab's easiest Advance Consisting (where one can just pick a consist #, add the locos) but rather to select and set each loco's CV19 manually. Here's the tech bulletin link:
http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/Tech_note%2015.pdf
I've taken the manual approach, setting the locos (#137 and #822) CV19 to Consist #100. I then try consisting the Soundcar to the consist, either by "Intelligent Consisting" using the magnet and hitting F8 four times, alternately by simply programming the Soundcar CV19 on the main to a value of 100.
The good news is I can get it to work. The bad news is I can't find a way yet to get the caboose sounds on when the Select loco sounds are on. If the loco sounds are off, Intelligent Consisting requires the magnet plus hitting F8 four times for the caboose, which then means the loco sounds are turned on/off/on/off. If I start with the loco sounds on, if I try to get the caboose sounds on by the magnet/F8 method or by addressing #3 and setting CV19 to 100, I can't find a sequence that gets the loco and caboose sounds on or off in sync. So I have two questions:
1. The big issue...do I need to change approach and perhaps remap the Soundcar sounds to another function key, so F8 would control loco sounds and another F key the Soundcar? I don't mind manually programming the Soundcars to solve this.
2. A secondary issue is I've gotten used to the easy NCE Advance Consisting. What I like about that is my consist #100 can be addressed by addressing the lead loco (say #822) and I don't have to remember consist numbers to run a consist; i.e., just address the front or back loco and they work together. I'm not clear on whether I can make this work with the Soundcar if I'm willing to give up Intelligent (magnet/F8) consisting and program the Soundcar CV19 manually??
Thanks for any assistance / insight offerred.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
peahrens1. The big issue...do I need to change approach and perhaps remap the Soundcar sounds to another function key, so F8 would control loco sounds and another F key the Soundcar? I don't mind manually programming the Soundcars to solve this.
It does sound like re-mapping the F8 funtion on the sound car might be the solution here.
peahrens2. A secondary issue is I've gotten used to the easy NCE Advance Consisting. What I like about that is my consist #100 can be addressed by addressing the lead loco (say #822) and I don't have to remember consist numbers to run a consist; i.e., just address the front or back loco and they work together. I'm not clear on whether I can make this work with the Soundcar if I'm willing to give up Intelligent (magnet/F8) consisting and program the Soundcar CV19 manually??
According to the Soundtraxx Technical Note: "NCE has designed a consisting method that is built into all NCE Systems and set up via the cab. This method is a consisting hybrid; it sends motor commands to the consist address and function commands to the lead locomotive address." Well, the NCE consisting method has the option of sending function commands to just the lead loco or to the consist address as well (it's in the command station setup menu). According to the NCE manuals, the default is "yes", but you may want to check to be sure. With that option set to "Yes" the sound car should work in an NCE advanced consist.
CSX RobertIt does sound like re-mapping the F8 funtion on the sound car might be the solution here.
Indeed, the easiest solution (trial and error) seemed to be to just turn off F8 for the Soundcar so as not to have to figure out how to get the Soundcar and Select decoders in sync regarding sound on/off.
CSX RobertAccording to the Soundtraxx Technical Note: "NCE has designed a consisting method that is built into all NCE Systems and set up via the cab. This method is a consisting hybrid; it sends motor commands to the consist address and function commands to the lead locomotive address." Well, the NCE consisting method has the option of sending function commands to just the lead loco or to the consist address as well (it's in the command station setup menu). According to the NCE manuals, the default is "yes", but you may want to check to be sure. With that option set to "Yes" the sound car should work in an NCE advanced consist.
Thanks for this clarification. I'll check into this. As of now I'm setting up the consist (locos and Soundcars) by directly addressing CV19s and addressing (to operate) the consist number (100) but if I can figure out how to do the usual throttle menu advanced consisting (including the Soundcars) I'd much prefer addressing the consist as the lead loco # as I usually can do.