Question About ERR Startup Sounds

@Zeke posted:

I installed ERR cruise and sounds in a K-Line Train Master and am wondering if I'm supposed to get startup sounds as soon as I apply power to the track. The front headlight comes on, but I don't get sounds until the engine starts to move, or I hit the bell or whistle button.

Is that how it's supposed to work? Or did I goof up on the wiring somewhere? I would think I should get sounds as soon as the track has power. Other than this, the engine functions normally.

In case it matters, I have100% Ross track and use the CAB 1L system with Powerhouses and Legacy Powermasters.

No, you have to start up the engine via TMCC. It's working correctly, you just are not using TMCC commands specifically start the engine from cold start.

Again, yes, the sounds will start when you command movement, but that's the point, you should be sending an addressed command BEFORE moving.

As an example, I typically hit the horn button in many cases to "wake up" an engine.

A TMCC engine will wait when powered for the first addressed command that engine understands and THEN start the prime mover sounds. So no, it should not play sounds as soon as powered. That would actually indicate a command/TMCC failure and starting up in conventional mode.

@Vernon Barry posted:

So no, it should not play sounds as soon as powered. That would actually indicate a command/TMCC failure and starting up in conventional mode.

It can also indicate no serial data getting to the Railsounds board.  This is especially common with steam with sound in the tender.

Ok, thanks for confirming that's how it should work. I guess I got used to my MTH diesels which do the sounds right away. I'll just hit the horn button as you suggest.

I appreciate you guys taking the time to respond - thank you!

Have a great day!

@Zeke posted:

Ok, thanks for confirming that's how it should work. I guess I got used to my MTH diesels which do the sounds right away. I'll just hit the horn button as you suggest.

I appreciate you guys taking the time to respond - thank you!

Have a great day!

It should sit there dead as a door nail until you address it to “wake up” …..when you’ve entered the ID number, any control path will wake up the engine, ….ie; hitting the horn or bell button, turning the knob, etc. …..as Vernon said, I do the same thing, I hit the whistle /horn button to wake up my junk when I want it alive ….

Pat

@Zeke posted:

I guess I got used to my MTH diesels which do the sounds right away. I'll just hit the horn button as you suggest.

MTH DCS command control engines(PS2 PS3) do the same thing like a Lionel- stay silent until you address them.

What you seem to be mistaking- the difference between command control (MTH DCS or Lionel TMCC/Legacy) VS Conventional.

Again, the reason for this- you made an engine TMCC command using ERR components

AND

you are running on track where you installed a matching TMCC command base (or in the case of MTH, if you installed a matching DCS command system)

When the engine boots up being powered on the track, it listens for a command control system to be present. If that signal exists, it then is command mode- waiting to receive a command addressed for that engine. If no signal is present- then the engine switches to command mode and then that's when the sounds start as you have described.

So again, you either have PS1 conventional control only engines, or PS2 and PS3 engines but no DCS command system attached to the track- so they too start up in conventional after first waiting for a DCS signal.

@harmonyards posted:

I do the same thing, I hit the whistle /horn button to wake up my junk when I want it alive ….

I tend to hit the AUX1 key, it just wakes up the background sounds but I don't normally want a whistle or horn right away.