Can you add DCC to a dummy locomotive and get correct lighting and sound, even a coupler? What do I need to be able to do that, and have it work correctly with the powered unit it'll run with? It's a A-B locomotive set.
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What I have is the MTH PS-1 UP Big Blow Turbine locomotive. I want to use ESU LokSound L decoder as they have sound files for it, but they say you need a decoder in each unit for it to sound right, but th eMTH model only has motors in the A unit. I also am not sure how I would set up the each units' decoder so that one give the correct diesel sounds while the other gives the correct turbine sounds all at the correct times.
Sinclair -
You can install a Select L or V4L in the A cab unit and a less-expensive HO decoder in the B turbine unit, since the B is a dummy. Install good-quality speakers in each, such as Tang Band.
To program them, you only need a resistor to simulate a motor in the B unit if you want to be able to read back CVs in DecoderPro or on a programming track. No physical damage will occur to the decoder without such a resistor. (That damage will occur is a myth.) With a LokProgrammer you do not need a resistor in the B unit.
I loaded Select file 75303 into LokProgrammer and found that there are separate volume controls for the EMD hostler engine (in the A unit) and the turbine (in the B unit.) So set the turbine volume in the A unit to 0 and the hostler engine to 0 in the B unit.
Since this is O scale, it should be easy to hear each engine sound coming from the appropriate unit.
All the best!
This is good to hear. I'll have to make sure I grab the right sound file. A LokProgrammer is in my future, probably buy it the same time I buy the decoders for this engine. When I get to that point, I'm sure I'll have more questions. One I can think of right now is do I assign the two decoders the same ID, or separate IDs and make a consist?
Sinclair
If you intend to do all programming with LokProgrammer, then you could assign both decoders the same short or long address (if I recall, all UP turbines were < 100).
However, if you want to tweak sound volumes using programming on the main, then you would either need to assign the A and B different addresses, so you could individually program each, or just remove one from the track while programming the other.
All the best!
