Questions on older Williams Sound System

I'm sure others can help more, but here goes:

This system was called "True Sounds" and was found as an option on many early Williams products.  I have never heard the steam locomotive version, but I have a number of the diesel "True Sounds" boards.

The bell is activated by the whistle controller, but only on older Lionel transformers such as the ZW.  If you push the whistle lever back all the way very quickly (too quickly to activate the whistle or horn) the bell sound comes on; but the bell sounds only when the locomotive is drawing fewer volts (perhaps under eight volts).  When the locomotive speeds up, the bell goes off until you slow it down again.  If you press the whistle button and blow the whistle or horn, the bell deactivates until you activate it again by using the whistle switch as instructed.

I have had no luck activating the bell with the bell button on later transformers.  Apparently, it does not respond to reverse DC current, as other horn/bell boards (such as True Blast II) do.  It responds to the same DC (directional) current that the whistle or horn does.

There has been some discussion in the past as to whether this board was made by QSI or by OTT.  In any case, I like the sound of these "True Sounds" boards.  But you are right in noting that getting the bell to work is a bit trickier.  I will fetch my copy of the True Sounds instruction sheet and post again.

This quote is from the Williams True Sounds instruction sheet:

"BELL SOUNDS: The clanging of the bell is toggled on and off by simply pushing the transformer's whistle button and releasing.  The bell is only heard when the locomotive is in the 'low speed' mode.  If the bell is toggled on before the locomotive enters the 'high speed' mode, the clanging of the bell will reactivate automatically as the locomotive returns to the 'low speed' mode."

I have discovered that my MTH Z-1000 does not activate the bell at all, but my old ZW does.

Hope this helps.

Edited to add:  I am uncertain why Jerry Williams dropped the "True Sounds" option from his locomotives altogether.  It was indeed a nice option and, in its own way, comparable to the new "True Blast Plus" made for WBB.  Perhaps someone closer to Jerry can shed some light on this.

I have discovered that my MTH Z-1000 does not activate the bell at all, but my old ZW does.

Any Pure ac transformer activates the bell and horn. I have no issues with the ROW 480W transformer or the MRC pure Ac transformers to activate the bell and horn. The old sound system is from OTT.

The Williams old sound system is definitely OTT, and the chuff rate is adjustable by turning one of those pots.  Be aware that in neutral the chuff is still active.  For that reason I don't use the chuff sound at all.  Overall the OTT system sounds quite good and simple to install.  Rich

I have a few versions of Williams engines and that looks like the early True Blast horn unit and not Station Sounds, also not made by QSI for Williams. It could be made by OTT as I don't have any OTT units for Williams.

What the two exposed pins are for is only a guess but either for a smoke unit or headlight, but I would make sure of that before I used those two pins.

If it is a QSI unit it will have QSI on it.

Too early to be True Blast 2.

FYI, I have found the Williams reproduction units in the diesel line-up to have center rail roller issues.

Lee Fritz

What you have is absolutely by OTT.  Ott Machine Services to be exact.  And as described elsewhere on this thread, the bell responds only to a pulse of the whistle button at very low voltages.  The two pins in front of the IC are for programming that particular IC. It is a microcontroller by MicroCHIP Technology and is capable of in-circuit programming. 

As I recall, this was not used as a Tru-Blast board for Williams production.  Somewhere I do have a board that is a whistle only which was the steam tru-blast.

When I designed the circuit for the TAS UCUB I did include connections for this board for aftermarket applications.

Regards,

Lou N

Lou, you're right. The OTT system in one of my Williams steamers is not factory installed.  I remember now ordering it from Dave Ott directly, and he sent it out to me before I paid for it.  The bill was in the box.  Rich

I installed Ott sound systems in three Williams "Little Joes" The electric sound was good but the problem with Ott was the second the power was off, the sound stopped. No battery back-up. Don

Gordon, I REALLY appreciate the info on how to properly trigger the bell. I can get it to activate fairly reliably now with a 1033, not so much with a CW-80.

Rich, the consensus seems to be this is an OTT system made for Williams. And while I've seen the systems you describe, this one has a hall-effect sensor wired to it, so it does indeed "chuff" to the speed of the train, and is not voltage dependent.

THE Lou N?! I really appreciate the info. We're long overdue for a phone call!

I recently picked-up this sound system inside a Lionel 2671-style tender for which I needed the shell. I'll likely be offering it for sale shortly, but I wanted to be certain I had all the correct info. Thanks again to those who responded!

TRW