Soundtraxx Sierra Rev. B 1997/1998 Throttle Up Connections

[AJtheTeacher]

Hello Fellow G Enthusiasts!

I picked up this Soundtraxx Sierra chip with a speaker and controlls connected to it. I understand from reading that these are very particular about having positive and negative electricity applied to them.

Can somebody please tell me what connections to use to hook this up to test it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Enjoy you trains! AJ the Teacher

 

[maxi-model]

Hope this helps. Note - Sierras may not be happy with a PWM power supply. Max

Soundtraxx Sierra Tips

 

[Greg Elmassian]

AJ, I have all the sierra documentation if you need it, drop me an email.

This page might answer some other questions you may have.

Soundtraxx Sierra

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

greg

 

[AJtheTeacher]

Hope this helps. Note - Sierras may not be happy with a PWM power supply. Max

Soundtraxx Sierra Tips

View attachment 306470

Thank You! AJ

 

[AJtheTeacher]

AJ, I have all the sierra documentation if you need it, drop me an email.

This page might answer some other questions you may have.

Soundtraxx Sierra

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

greg

Thank You Greg!

 

[beavercreek]

Great little sound boards. Almost as good as Phoenix and as long as you have easy access to the two 'programming' buttons, you can change a great deal of the sound functions.
The very small 6v lead acid back-up batteries are no longer available but I have used small 6V NimH packs instead and the boards are completely fine with them.
I have also used a capacitor back-up system which works well but as the cap needs to charge up on first application of track power, the initial 'standing' sounds can sometimes have problems.

 

[AJtheTeacher]

Great little sound boards. Almost as good as Phoenix and as long as you have easy access to the two 'programming' buttons, you can change a great deal of the sound functions.
The very small 6v lead acid back-up batteries are no longer available but I have used small 6V NimH packs instead and the boards are completely fine with them.
I have also used a capacitor back-up system which works well but as the cap needs to charge up on first application of track power, the initial 'standing' sounds can sometimes have problems.

Thank you beavercreek! By the way, what do the initial standing sounds sound like? Is it a buzzing? AJ the Teacher

 

[maxi-model]

Standing sounds depend on how it was set up when you received it or how you program the card if you choose or need to,. They include - steam generator, coal shovel, air pump, blow down, single whistle toot on switch on. A Sierra's manual will tell you how to do this. See here https://manualzz.com/doc/7387741/sierra-steam-manual. Plenty of things to setup to suit your needs. Very straight forward once you get into the rhythm, so to speak. Might be worth doi g the "factory reset" noted as the last step in the card's set procedure. Max

 

[beavercreek]

Thank you beavercreek! By the way, what do the initial standing sounds sound like? Is it a buzzing? AJ the Teacher

Not buzzing but things like the sounds that Max has listed in his reply to your question.
It is really important to download the manual ( there is one for diesel and another for steam) as the manual will give you all if the options and possibilities with power supplies, wiring and programming… including the standing sounds ( which will be driven by the back-up battery when track voltage falls below about 8v or so)

 

[Greg Elmassian]

What sounds like buzzing is often the dynamo, which is often loud. It is a DC generator powered by a small, integral steam turbine.

 

[AJtheTeacher]

Standing sounds depend on how it was set up when you received it or how you program the card if you choose or need to,. They include - steam generator, coal shovel, air pump, blow down, single whistle toot on switch on. A Sierra's manual will tell you how to do this. See here https://manualzz.com/doc/7387741/sierra-steam-manual. Plenty of things to setup to suit your needs. Very straight forward once you get into the rhythm, so to speak. Might be worth doi g the "factory reset" noted as the last step in the card's set procedure. Max

Thank you Max! AJ the Teacher