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What a beautiful layout! The sounds are the most realistic that I have ever heard. It's hard to beat the sounds of a Geep! The only things missing are the sounds of the couplings and the parting of the air hoses.
Very interesting Max, thanks for posting! It's so great that the leading decoder manufacturers are finally realizing how prime mover sound behaves in real world conditions and letting us replicate it. 
A couple of observations off the top: I love the sound behaviour and effects relative to what the locos are doing. Very realistic imho. But I hope it doesn't need too many "looking away from loco to press functions" to achieve this. The TCS WOW Diesel does all of these effects except deciding if the cars are full or empty automatically in their "Prototype Throttle" mode. No button presses required. However, they don't have any EMD 645 non-turbo sounds, whereas Loksound has all variants of the 645 blower engine that my GP and MP locos require.
The second thing is braking. Do you know if the Loksound braking is variable or progressive, or just one level? I find that once you set high CV4 momentum, it's really hard to stop accurately when switching with only a 1-level braking function such as Soundtraxx Tsunami has. TCS has a 5-step progressive brake which I find enables me to stop exactly where I want every time when switching. I glued a map pin head into the F7 brake button on my DT402D so I don't have to look away from the loco at the critical moment as it eases in to make a joint.
I just installed my first Loksound Select (based on your recommendations - thank you!) and acquired the programmer, so I plan to download the Full Throttle file as soon as it's available. I am very keen to try it as I find their sound recording detail and transitions to be excellent. The motor control is great too, now that you helped me figure out which model of decoder to use. Hopefully a solution for my GPs and MPs.
Really fantastic layout; thanks for sharing!
jpv69
Hi Guys
Thanks. I just posted it up in case someone might be interested.
I don't know anything about it, other than what is in the movie - and from a few posts on the Loksound forum. A few of us have already been using this feature of the LS decoders for years, but just using different buttons to achieve the same results.
For example, manual notching has been available for a long time. We've mapped the up and down to two buttons. Braking has been available by using the forward/reverse button. It looks like they have reconfigured these functions and moved the brake to another button.
I have a Lenz system, with LH 100 throttles, so I have no rotating knob - just buttons; so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.
I also only have a shunting plank, so the natural effects of the Select L work well anyway.
Matthew Herman at ESU LLC is tireless in working to improve the LS decoders.
Cheers
Big Jim posted:What a beautiful layout! The sounds are the most realistic that I have ever heard. It's hard to beat the sounds of a Geep! The only things missing are the sounds of the couplings and the parting of the air hoses.
Hi Jim
The coupling, air and any other sounds you want are available in the decoder files - or you can add your own sounds to the V4's. It was probably that the operator just chose not to press the buttons. He was possibly too busy. 
I have an old LS V 3.5 mounted in a loco shed, which plays the sounds of hammering and an angle grinder - what else? Oh yes, two way radio transmissions. It also switches on two external lights and the internal lights.
The layout is run by a computer, so it's kinda cute to have those things happening on cue.
Cheers
I am a fan of ESU as well as QSI and TCS. Each has their strengths. If you are someone that enjoys manual notching then this is good news for you. Personally, I prefer the TCS approach as it automates many of the same features. It's just a personal preference. I see it as a good thing to have more options
It really is amazing to see (hear) how far DCC sound has come in the last 5 years.
