DAP Union Pacific DDA40X sound set

Have you looked on the MTH site for the correct sound set?  I found your locomotive on the MTH site, and it lists the freight yard sound set for your engine.

John,

I think he has this one:

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-2980-1

Don't know why that didn't come up when I searched.  In any case, I see there is a downloadable sound file on the page, might try that one...

I'm wondering if he was hearing a sound equipped passenger car and not the locomotive?

The original sound file had the wrong announcements.  I contacted MTH shortly after taking possession of mine.  MTH issued a corrected file the next day.  The PS2 file on the page that Joe linked to has the updated sound file.

Hi All, Thanks for the info. Bill, sounds like this was a problem from the get go. I will see about finding someone to download the correct sound set into my engine. Is there a way I can hear the sound set without loading it first? In the video I saw, it announced cities such as Omaha and North Platte. Do the engine sounds and horn end up sounding the same? Thanks again,    Paul

Paul,

You're quite welcome.  The engine sounds, horn, and bell are all the same in the new file.  It was just the station announcements that were incorrect.  They were from a Kansas City Southern engine that announced the Southern Belle as its train.  There is no way to listen to the sound file online unless someone has taken a video of it (see link below).  I would do mine, but it is packed away right now and I cannot get access to it.  Omaha and North Platte are mentioned in the updated sound file as well as the train being called the Wimmer Engineering Special (with Mr. Wimmer being the former UP Vice-President of Engineering).  From what I have read, Mr. Wimmer liked to use the DDA40X when he traveled the UP system.

edit:

Here is a video I found on Youtube with the corrected file installed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ2ZCowYJbQ

Bill, that is the video I am talking about. The sound set is great! Thanks again for the info and confirmation that that is the same sound set in yours.   Paul

That's the sound set the MTH tech installed in my upgrade; I guess it's considered the "freight" sounds vs the "passenger" sounds for the DDA40X?

Paul,

No problem.  I hope you enjoy your engine.

Kerrigan,

It is considered a passenger sound file.  The lettering in the break-down of the sound file name also confirms that they classify it as a passenger sound file.  There was a previous run of the DDA40X from 2003 that had a freight sound file.  MTH in turn, modified that 2003 sound file to work in 3V engines (specifically an upgraded former PS1 DDA40X).  That freight version sound file in 3V can be found here: http://www.mthtrains.com/sites...all040514ffin_3v.mth

Got it.  Thanks!

This will work for the PS2 upgrade I guess.

Has anyone done a YouTube of this one to which we can "listen"?

Kerrigan,

The sound file at the link I provided above will work with your upgraded engine.

I was just wondering how it sounds ... before changing it from the Engineering Special sounds ... I've got it downloaded to the Layout Laptop ...

I tried to find a video on Youtube, but I could only find videos containing the PS1 sounds or the newest sounds.

It still sounds like a passenger train announcing stattion stops, sort of odd because this diesel was used almost exclusively for freight, right?  what is the difference between the sound file for this engine between the PS 1.0 version vs. PS 2.0? 

When the DDA40X units were in "regular service", they all were used on freight.

However, Union Pacific retained ONE DDA450X, #6936, in the Heritage Locomotive fleet, along with the A-B-A set of "Executive E Units", and of course the 844 and 3985 steam locomotives. Every time the Chief Engineer, now retired Mr. Wimmer, went out on an Engineering Inspection trip he ALWAYS requested that DDA40X #6936 pull is train of office cars.

Thus MTH offered a "special" passenger train set to go with DDA40X #6936.

"what is the difference between the sound file for this engine between the PS 1.0 version vs. PS 2.0?"

The original PS1 version was freight only.  The diesel revs were generic sounding, the horn was also somewhat generic, and the crew talk was very similar to many PS1 freight diesels.  Also, since it was PS1, it was conventional only.  This sound file is not available for download as PS1 sounds were burnt onto a EEPROM chip inserted into the PS1 board.

The PS2 version from 2003 was a great improvement.  Besides having DCS control in it, it had a better horn, better diesel sounds, better crew talk, and speed control. 

When the last version was offered (#6936) in 2009, it was offered in MTH's DAP program with a passenger set to make Mr. Wimmer's inspection train.  This file has awesome diesel sounds, an outstanding horn, and passenger announcements for Mr. Wimmer's train. 

This means there are two different sound files available in PS2 for this model engine.  The earlier freight sound file is available in both 5v and 3v configurations.  After MTH started offering upgrade kits, they modified the original 5v version of the file to work with 3v boards since the upgrade kits have 3v boards in them.  See my link several posts above for the 3v version.  Finally, MTH made a brand new sound file in 2009 that was the passenger version for the DAP passenger set.  The last file was available in 3v only.  The original version of the file that the #6936 arrived with was incorrect from the factory.  MTH issued an updated file shortly after the release on their website which corrected the announcements.

not protoypical then at all, the chief engineer's excursions were not passenger service, but a corporate boondoggle in the days before the senior execs flew jets, and the chief engineer private excursion angle is very much inside baseball, is there a PS 1 and/or PS 2 freight version sound file w/o the passenger station stops?  

Mountian482 makes a good clarification of the different MTH productions runs for this unit.  I have two of the early DD40AX's in PS 1.0 and will be upgrading one of them so this is good information to have to make sure the upgrade is correct. Thanks.

UP still runs its business trains with executives on board.  Just about every other railroad does as well that has a business train.  They also use the business trains to wine and dine prospective new companies that are looking to potentially utilize the railroads services.  It is not a traditional passenger train in that they are not taking paid riders to another destination, but it is still a form of a passenger train.  Whether or not they announce the trains when they arrive at a station, I do not know.

What do you mean by "corport boondoggle"?????

ANY fairly sucessful hardware store owner can charter a private jet in order to take his "business friends" to some sport venue. But NOBODY can take their business clients, political representatives, and/or community representatives, out on a fantastic LUXURY business train like the UP, NS, BNSF, or CSX!

Also, exactly how else would yor expect the Executive Vice-President of Engineering (the "Chief Engineer") inspect "his" trackage & facilities without an inspection train? One can NOT do much track inspection from a jet at 35,000 feet!!!

Even though Mr. Wimmer retired, his replacement STILL does a LOT of inspection train trips, but no longer with DDA40X #6936. The "Big DD" was Wimmer's favorite unit!

It doesn't take a DD40AX to inspect track, does it?  His "favorite DD" could have otherwise been generating revenue for the UP.  Sounds like a personal indulgence to me, which is why it is a corporate boondoggle. 

Apparently you missed the part about the "Heritage Locomotive Fleet", such as the E units, and the two steam locomotives! The DDA40X has also been used on special excursions and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Special, sponsored by the Denver Post news paper. I suppose you would expect the 844 and 3985 to be out pulling freight also?????

I thought you said it was a track inspection train, now you are shifting it to a heritage train, maybe it was used for both.  It doesn't really matter.  My point is that it seemed to me unappealing to have train sounds for a widely marketed MTH product based on a usage by the Chief Eng'r that was otherwise different to its primary purpose (freight vs. passenger).  In any event, it sounds like there is a sound system for all tastes so enjoy what you like. 

I said that the DDA40X was/is part of the UP Hewritage Locomotive Fleet, along with the Executive E units and the 2 steam locomotives. Thus the DDA40X is used ONLY on special occasions, such as the Chief Engineer's Inspection Trains. By the way, the DDA40X unit is indeed an EXCELLENT unit tor testing/inspecting ANY "suspect" track conditions,i.e. if #6936 will operate over it, then ANYTHING on the UP in regular service will operate over that track.

The Chief Engineer's Inspection train is one thing, and what actually PULLS that train consist is something different. It may have a regular diesel unit, or it may use the DDA40X, whiuch is the way MTH chose to market the 6936.