See RMC Nov 2006

Dear Mike,

Reccomend you pick up a copy of the Nov 2006 RMC, Larry Pucket's article on installing sound in the B'mann On30 shay will address a lot of your questions...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Sound in geared locos

Mike:

I've installed a lot of Tsunamis in Shays, Heislers & a couple Climaxes & getting the "chuffing" synced to the cylinders was not a problem. I've never seen a geared loco with a cam for sound, but with a Tsunami you just play with CV116 till you get it where it sounds good to you. I suggest you start with a value of about 180 for a Shay & go from there; a Heisler was geared a little higher & I think they had about a 3:1 ratio compared to a 6:1 gearing for a typical Shay. You can program it on the Main Track so you don't have to go back & forth to the Programming Track to test it. The LIGHT STEAM or LIGHT LOGGING Tsunami has a good choice of whistles typical of logging engines plus the single air compressor sound & the somewhat tinny bell that small locos had. I have not installed any TCS WOW Sound decoders but I have heard a couple & I'll be honest, I  thought the TCS decoder sounded artificial & not nearly as robust as a Tsunami. One guy's opinion.  Have fun!      Bob

What about a Climax, Bob?

I have a PFM Climax that will be re-motored and DCC'd with sound. What value for CV116 would you recommend?

Climax & CV 116

Paul:

I can't give a value for CV116 in a given engine ahead of time-- no one can. They're all a little bit different. I'd start out with it set for around 150, but you want it to chuff 4 times for each revolution of  the flywheel, right behind the cylinders, that the main rods turn. This is the same as a normal rod engine such as a 2-8-0. Since few motors are absolutely linear, I try to get it set so the chuffing is right at the normal "cruising speed", say 15 to 20 scale mph.  

Bob

Thanks

Given the amount of time that has passed and the many new

and improved decoders now available I thought I'd throw this question out again.  When the WOW came out I was told there would be some sound files available specifically for geared locos but in spite of a lot of great development work I see no signs of that happening.  Anyone have any recent experience with this and to what extent do you think the make-do with what's available approach works?  There are sounds that are unique to geared locos and I'm wondering if folks note their absence or not?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

I use

I use Soundtraxx. The TSU-1100 and 2200 steam have settings for geared steam and three cylinders if I am doing a shay. I can also fit the 1100 in the tender of a Bachmann three truck shay along with a 8 pin plug and a iphone 4 speaker that has been cut short. I was using the ECO-100 but they have been discontinued.

And I have tried WOWs but have never been happy with them. I also have two Heislers with Loc Sound, not real pleased with them either but its a lot of work to change them so they will stay where they are. I might be happier with the Locs if I reload the sound file with an updated one, but that will be down the road.

Lok geared?