[alanb]

For some time now, I have been wondering why there is all the fuss about having sound in your engines.

I tried it once with a Diesel, and frankly it drove me mad.

I have a large loft layout with 340' of track, and I much prefer to hear the train noise from the wheels on the track, and the clickety clack as they run over points and gaps in the rails.

The other question that bugs me is how is it compatible with DCC.

The idea of DCC, and the reason most people change over for, is the ability to run more than a couple of trains at a time. I have had five running at the same time with no problem.

Can you imagine the noise of a couple of steamers and three diesels running around at the same time?

It would be like having five radios on all tuned to different stations - a complete cacophony.

So to run sound, you will be restricted to running one train at a time. Worse than DC.

A good example is the complaints you hear from people who have been at shows where layouts adjacent to each other both have engines with sound running at the same time.

What I would like to have, is the ability to just have the sound of the whistle or horn. The horn was the only thing I liked, but you had to have the sound on to get it.
I reckon a decoder doing that would sell well. It would only need one decoder with the ability to select one or the other. I would be in the market for at least 15.

AlanB

 

[alanb]

Well, certainly some interesting replies, and a lot of the posts are positive and helpful, to other people and myself. Then that is what a good Forum is all about.

Bob.B quite rightly said that it was not long ago that we were all badgering manufacturers to make the motors less noisy, and of course, all the sound absorbing material, as we could not stand the noise. What a funny bunch we are !!!.

I did adjust my sound decoder, but it would not go low enough.

I am not against sound, believe me. I think on an exhibition layout it gives realism. But as I said before, I cannot believe with more than two engines running at a time, that the noises would merge.

Now I have a confession to make - I cannot use sound as it is to-day. My trains are all fitted with Lenz decoders because I use ABC to control my trains. All my platforms, (I have eight) have signal lights which are connected via a relay circuit and Lenz BM1 (Automatic Braking). I also have two other signals at other points on the track.

You programme the decoders at the speed you want for the engine concerned, and then set the braking distance you require. The controller is then set at maximum for each engine. If I was running four trains, one from each platform, I would select each train in turn, and set the controller to maximum, and switch on the lights.
As I change each light to green, the train at that platform moves off and travels at its set speed until it reaches the approach to the next platform with a red light, where it makes a controlled stop at the end of the platform. So I can run four trains (or more) by just changing lights. The controller is not touched. So I effectively control my layout as a signalman and not a driver.

Now here is the crunch. I cannot use sound decoders !!!!!.

The technical ones amongst you may have spotted why. The answer lies in the fact that the decoder in each train is set to its maximum speed. Therefore, when a train hits the BM1 circuit at the approach to a light, the train slows down and stops, but the decoder circuit is still 'seeing' maximum speed. So the train stops, but the sound is still going full whack.

So, if you have sound, you cannot use ABC in the future.

This is the reason why I was hoping that a manufacturer could provide a cheap decoder with just whistles and horns on which are not dependant on speed.

Lastly, why are sound decoders so expensive? Is it that much more difficult than making a good quality DCC decoder which costs around £20.

AlanB

 

[alanb]

Martin,

Yes, it was an unfortunate choice of words, although it has stimulated a lot of response.

I meant it to actually refer to the compatability with DCC. i.e. lots of trains running, lots of noise.

It did not flash up until I had posted. I found that you cannot edit the heading, only the text.

There is a similar post running at the moment on the Hornby Forum.

A thanks to those replies regarding decoders that can be programmed with some sounds off.

My sound decoder is a stand alone MRC one. It cost £15. from the States. (That is why I was questioning prices)

If you try and just select the horn, it starts the whole shebang up.

Basically this is what I was thinking of, a stand alone decoder that you wire across the existing decoder and operate from the controller function buttons.

AlanB