Roundhouse controller & sound change...

[tac foley]

by Peter Spoerer. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Roundhouse's version of the FR's 'Harlech Castle'. It's just that dislike that rather odd race-car controller for a number of reasons, not least of which is the fact that if you let it go, the loco stops instantly. Being mostly deaf, and hearing the world through the benefits of two large ear trumpets means that the sound was decidedly odd, to say the least. To MY ears, lest I get flamed here for attacking Roundhouse.

Mr Spoerer, whose products already grace other locomotives in my eclectic collection, fitted me a new sound card and changed out the r/c system in almost as much time as it has taken you to read this far.

You don't have to like it, but I do.

It's a near match now for my somewhat larger scale version.....

tac
OVGRS

 

[casey jones snr]

I have to say Tac that the sound systems used in the Harlech Castle, the Cricceth Castle and the Darjeeling NDM-6 are the weak point in the otherwise brilliant Roundhouse locomotives. There are some fine after market sound systems that really suit the locomotives.

 

[Zerogee]

It's always slightly puzzled me that such excellent digitally-recorded sound is available for DCC locos, while none of the options I've yet heard for RC really sound that good? Surely if it can be done for one control system, it should be possible to do it for the other? Not only the running sounds, but all the standing sounds that you get from a DCC loco even while it is parked up.....?

Jon.

 

[dunnyrail]

I think that the Spoerer supplied sound cards have got much much better ( I have one in one of my Battery Railcars), however I am still dissapointed with the Horns. I believe these to be still electronically created rather than sampled real ones as I believe the Diesel Noise now is. Am happy to have my words bunked as the Sit On job is great.
JonD

 

[Zerogee]

I think that the Spoerer supplied sound cards have got much much better ( I have one in one of my Battery Railcars), however I am still dissapointed with the Horns. I believe these to be still electronically created rather than sampled real ones as I believe the Diesel Noise now is. Am happy to have my words bunked as the Sit On job is great.
JonD

Maybe all the ones I've heard have been older types.... but your comments about the horns do back up my question - if we can get superb digital sound (including all the standing sounds, occasional random effects and so on) with DCC sound decoders, why can't (or isn't) this being done with sound systems for RC operation?

I've got round this, of course, with my "Multi-mode-loco", the 2095 BoBo that has an XLS driven by selectable track or battery power (via a Tam Valley DRS Rx) - but this is a rather costly and complex solution to the problem if you just want a purely RC system.....

Is there any way that a simple "driver" module could be made to operate something like a Dietz/Uhlenbrock SUSI sound unit, or indeed a Massoth S, from the output of an RC ESC?

Jon.

 

[PhilP]

Maybe all the ones I've heard have been older types.... but your comments about the horns do back up my question - if we can get superb digital sound (including all the standing sounds, occasional random effects and so on) with DCC sound decoders, why can't (or isn't) this being done with sound systems for RC operation?

I've got round this, of course, with my "Multi-mode-loco", the 2095 BoBo that has an XLS driven by selectable track or battery power (via a Tam Valley DRS Rx) - but this is a rather costly and complex solution to the problem if you just want a purely RC system.....

Is there any way that a simple "driver" module could be made to operate something like a Dietz/Uhlenbrock SUSI sound unit, or indeed a Massoth S, from the output of an RC ESC?

Jon.

There ARE solutions out there...
BUT ..... They cost! - Even lower volumes than DCC decoders.

I am looking at something a little 'bespoke', but it is early days yet..

You can fit (say) a Massoth 'S', and will get random 'standing sounds', and there are two triggers on some sound cards,,

Phoenix sound are probably the best in this respect, as you can trigger several things from inputs.. BUT they are very expensive, and mainly US outline sounds.. - Their Class 66 is good, though.

What you need is a little module which takes trigger inputs (from the RC gear) and has a DCC 'CS in a chip' to give DCC commands out to be fed into a sound decoder.. - You would still use a RC Electronic Speed Controller for motor control. - Of course, you would need to be able to program what commands are sent, depending on the make of sound decoder you were driving.. (PAT PENDING, PhilP 2017)

 

[Zerogee]

There ARE solutions out there...
BUT ..... They cost! - Even lower volumes than DCC decoders.

I am looking at something a little 'bespoke', but it is early days yet..

You can fit (say) a Massoth 'S', and will get random 'standing sounds', and there are two triggers on some sound cards,,

Phoenix sound are probably the best in this respect, as you can trigger several things from inputs.. BUT they are very expensive, and mainly US outline sounds.. - Their Class 66 is good, though.

What you need is a little module which takes trigger inputs (from the RC gear) and has a DCC 'CS in a chip' to give DCC commands out to be fed into a sound decoder.. - You would still use a RC Electronic Speed Controller for motor control. - Of course, you would need to be able to program what commands are sent, depending on the make of sound decoder you were driving.. (PAT PENDING, PhilP 2017)

Well Phil, if you can crack it, I think you'd be on to a winner there.....!

If you were able to (say) trigger whistle (or horn for diesels) and bell from controls on your transmitter, I reckon most of the other functions could be left on automatic (either responding to accel/decel, eg the brake squeal and engine chuffs/revs, or as random standing sounds) - the only other thing that would be handy to have control over would be the startup/shutdown sequences for diesels and electrics - still having full control over these on the 2095 is really nice.
Quick question: does anyone actually make much use of the "station announcements" that are available on most sound decoders?

Jon.

 

[Neil Robinson]

Quick question: does anyone actually make much use of the "station announcements" that are available on most sound decoders?

Jon.

Not very often but with a choice of 16 functions available on my navigator they are among those I choose to keep.
Mind you my few examples are in German so I don't know what they mean! ,
Many model narrow gauge prototypes and I suspect that they aren't that many stations on these that have public address systems. Personally I think the Guard's whistle a more appropriate signal of imminent departure.

 

[PhilP]

We sometimes use announcements when you bring a train into a station.. Just to 'wake up' whoever is going to take said train on to the next station..

The 'All aboard!' followed by shrill whistle is nice, in a whimsical way..

Whistles, and horns, are the poor-relation to other sounds on the (non-DCC) offerings..

M-tronics units are good 'motor' sounds, but are largely 'marine engines' so horns are not particularly 'railway'.

I have yet to investigate the Brian Jones FX4U units. - British outline, mainly later diesels, designed for RC control..


For two sounds..
The Massoth units have two triggers, and you can configure what is triggered in the CV settings..
'All aboard' by one, and whistle on the other may be all you would need? - Starting short whistle can be automatic as you open the regulator.
For a diesel: startup/shutdown and horn may be enough for many?

The above are trivial to setup with RC 'as is', a DCC sound decoder, and a bit of CV tweaking.


How about this as an idea?

A controller, about the size of a tablet, or video cassette case..
A centre-off control knob, bottom right..
A track-plan on the rest of the box, with (up to) seven switches for point control..

All done by radio control.. - You would need a central 'control box' for the electronics to feed the points.
I wonder what sort of model building you would put that in?

 

[dunnyrail]

Not very often but with a choice of 16 functions available on my navigator they are among those I choose to keep.
Mind you my few examples are in German so I don't know what they mean! ,
Many model narrow gauge prototypes and I suspect that they aren't that many stations on these that have public address systems. Personally I think the Guard's whistle a more appropriate signal of imminent departure.

I feel that the announcements to be of any use would need to be changeable. For instance on my line I have 6 Stations and 4 halts so the only thing that would make any sence is "Arriving get off" and "Departing". This is available I think on one of my Locomotives but Innever use it as it is a waste of time if you have 3 Trains out on the line and only one can do it. Specific Calling Announcements will be of little use to most of us mere mortals,though the odd milionair may be able to make use of it.
JonD

 

[tac foley]

I like to run my choo-choos around and around.

Some are black and some are green.

Some have lots of wheels, too.

I love them all, even the ones that skweek.

tac

 

[ebay mike]

Quick question: does anyone actually make much use of the "station announcements" that are available on most sound decoders?

Jon.

I do Jon, but then I also use the novelty sounds on my NQ 2-6-2 and the stuff on my Disney battery loco. Some of the sound effects are quite atmospheric and enjoyable. The other stuff is used just to p*** off the next door neighbour if he's sitting out in the garden having a quiet cup of tea. He frequently gets on my wick so I feel justified in returning the compliment.

Mike.
-

 

[Rhinochugger]

I like to run my choo-choos around and around.

Some are black and some are green.

Some have lots of wheels, too.

I love them all, even the ones that skweek.

tac

Meant to ask, Tac - is the Fenland light railway at Weeting? that shot looked at Post #1 looked vaguely familiar

 

[tac foley]

Bien non, Monsieur. It is located one mile from the South Eastern end of Oil Mills Road in Ramsey Mereside, along Mereside Drove. You'll recognise it when you see it - it is the only field with a 7.25" gauge railway and rather large 45mm raised track.

tac

 

[PhilP]

Bien non, Monsieur. It is located one mile from the South Eastern end of Oil Mills Road in Ramsey Mereside, along Mereside Drove. You'll recognise it when you see it - it is the only field with a 7.25" gauge railway and rather large 45mm raised track.

tac

Now you've told me where it is...

You'll have to shoot me!


Funnily enough, that works with itinerant children as well!

 

[tac foley]

All are very welcome to our open days. See the website.

Our 45mm track is designed to permit the passing of an Accucraft K36 in each direction.

tac