Locosound & ERR Cruise Commander???

Bob, I don't know for sure.  The Locosunds is an integrated unit.  If you remove the 5 pin connector you will remove the motors from the circuit.  If you power the motors from the Cruise CDR leave the tach in place for motor feedback for sounds from the Locosounds.

Can you get both boards to fit?  Let us know if that works.  I am just not sure if motor current is needed for any of the locosounds sensing for diesel sounds.  I know you can still have horn and bell without motor.  G

If Locosound requires use of the whistle/bell buttons on your transformer then a Cruise Commander won't provide those DC offsets. A non cruise, DC Commander will. If you want cruise then you will need a railsounds board for sounds. If you want to use Locosounds then no cruise but you will have TMCC control.

pete

Thanks guys!

I'm not sure if both will fit, I haven't had either engine apart in a while.

I want to get the diesel rumble in the RS3, don't use bell/whistle much.

I need to install PS2 in 2 steamers I have and was thinking of installing PS2 in the Williams E7 and try to use the combo in the RS3, I hate to have electronics sitting in a box when they could maybe be put to use.  The combo might fit inside the E7, but the sounds wouldn't be right for the diesel.  I have one of the MRC Sounders, but it's not the same quality as the sounds of PS2 or TMCC.

I'll open the RS3 up and see what room I have to play  with.

Bob, Usually prime mover sounds in conventional are generated by the change in track voltage. Maybe MTH monitors motor RPM or DC voltage at the motor terminals but thats not how its usually done. In Command mode there is no change in track voltage so the prime mover won't ramp up assuming it makes any sound at all. 

Pete

LocoSound has speed control and a motor tach, so it might be different in how it senses locomotive speed.

I don't know just how Locosound functions and have never been able to find anything (like a pinout) on the internet describing "how-it-works", just that it works.

The Locosound steam engine module is a single board and I suspect the RS3 board is the same, both have flywheels and tach tapes.

Bob,  Locsounds doesn't sense track voltage for sounds.  It uses the tach as I said.  As far as bell and whistle the loco sounds will sense that from the AC inputs.

I was viewing this as 2 separate installs.  Locosounds for lights/sounds and smoke.  CC for motor drive.  G

I was viewing this as 2 separate installs.  Locosounds for lights/sounds and smoke.  CC for motor drive.

George, that's what I was envisioning as well.  Just need to figure out how to connect the 2 together without the motor control of Locosounds interfering with that of the ERR CC.

I don't think you need to worry about that.  If the motor leads from the Locosound module are simply disconnected, but the tach reader is still intact, it should react to the motor running from the CC.  Now, I can't say that the sounds will be logical, since it may think it wants a different speed than the CC is providing, that's another issue.

Bob, As I stated, just unplug the 5 pin connector that has wires going to the motor.  Then run the motor leads to your CC.  You will have AC into the LocoSounds, with outputs for sound, lights and smoke and motor tach.

Then take AC into CC and use the motor output to the motors.  You can then probably use electro couplers too.  The problem is keeping the direction change in sync if your using TMCC.  So I guess, I would disconnect lights and allow them to be controlled by CC also.  That means LS is driving sounds and smoke from tach reading.  Since your at 18V on TMCC you might see high smoke output. Not sure if track voltage or tach sensor fully drives smoke.  G

You could probably cut the voltage down to the smoke unit if that's an issue, handful of diodes?

Not to worry about the smoke...the RK RS3 didn't have it.

It sounds like it's doable with a diesel, a steamer might be different as getting the chuffs synced would be an issue.

The Locosounds of the RS3 aren't too bad, the 2-8-0 steamer sounded like a box-o-rocks, that's why she was the first one to get upgraded to PS2 last year.

I'll let you know what happens.

locosounds question ? I have 2 engines both Railkings ,one Pennsy turbine and the other 2-8-0 the bell/chuff are ok, but the whistle leaves so much to be desired

is there a fix for the whistle? or can you retrofit a whistle only tender from the early years of MTH trains? if so where do you obtain said units .

That one is a lot harder since both would sound off together, and you won't have the room.  If you disable the LS Sounds, you loose chuff and bell to get a Whistle only.  G

I don't know Bob, the tach is counting the rotation and chuffing accordingly.  So regardless of what the CC is doing I think Chuff will sync up.  It won't have scale speed though since there is no tach feedback to the CC.  G

Took the RS3 apart last night and there's not enough room to put another board

I could put it in the Williams E7, but the flywheel is a different size which could throw off the sync of the sounds plus the diesel sounds would not match what an E7 should sound like.

Guess I'll hold off until I can get PS2 kits for both of them.

Hey, Who needs the shell on.  Let's get this experiment complete and at least see if it works.  You may find a FM Trainmaster you can get it into.:-)  G

George,

Is the metal piece that holds the board in place act as both an electrical connection (ground?) and a heat sink?

If only a heat sink then I could maybe make it smaller, or modify one to hold both boards.

Just heat sink.  It needs to be isolated from the VR base with the mica insulator