Railsounds 2.5 Rev 1.2

You guys have correctly figured it out, but I'll confirm. WJ_03 is indeed the warhorse J rom. It is the authentic "steamboat" whistle from the NW611 J that I recorded with my colleagues back in the mid-ninties. The sound in the video is really distorted, the speaker and enclosure/tender can and do make a hugh difference in the final sound presentation. I suggest a better quality speaker and see if that cleans it up. 

cheers,

Rudy

 

Glad to find out what we're hearing isn't the real sound quality.

 

Yes that tender shell can make a big difference with sound presentation:-)  G

Where did you wire the SOS board?  If you wire it on the other end of the diode string, maybe it'll be closer to the result you desire.

Hi John, The board is wired per the diagram. To the field lug on the motor. Are you saying it should be before the diode string? It will get more voltage than the motor. That might work. I will try it. Thanks Fred

It may or may not work, but it's easy to try, and it'll get more voltage there.

Hi John, I tried it and it worked. But I am not so sure what benefit the voltage dropper is actually giving me. For comparison I put one in my 1970's O-4-0 switcher. I have two with fairly matched performance. Both have been completely tuned up in the last 3 month including motor rebuilds. I have been using them as a tandem MU. And adding the SOS improves the effect even though it is primitive technology. But so are the switchers. While doing my side by side comparison I noticed that neither actually "jack rabbits" if I throttle smoothly. Both will start at a fairly slow crawl and can be slowed to a stop without the e-unit disengaging. And move out again in the original direction. No smoke units so no improvement in that area. In fact, the major difference is that the e-unit buzzes louder and longer on the modified unit. Additional testing indicated that even my Docksider which will launch itself if too quick on the throttle allows me to engage the e-unit and still have a small range of "idle" before actually moving forward. This is much smaller than the switcher but still there. I can see how this would improve smoke output at slower speeds but not sure if there is enough room in the docksider for the diodes strings. The 6 Amp ones are pretty big compared to most of the diodes i have seen used in trains. Just to experiment I am thinking of trying it in my Pioneer Dockside switcher. It has a two position e- unit that clearly qualifies as a "jackrabbit" I bought it for the same tender that you used for your TMCC Porter conversion. I gave the loco to my son but he complains that there is no "idle". Stop and you go backwards. So it takes a real quick direction change in order to move out if you do not lock it in forward. But I am sure that this engine will start at a lower voltage than the e-unit. It is an excellent runner and by far the fastest engine that I have ever seen. Also probably the cheapest ever made. Mostly plastic, no smoke, lights or whistle. I think it runs Ac or Dc. Mine shipped with an Ac transformer. Hopefully the voltage dropper will allow him enough of an "idle" to remain going in the same direction after stopping. FYI. Most of my locos are TMCC with the exception of a few Plymouths, Porters and small conventional switchers that I run on small loops as part of the scenery. It did not take me long to figure out that having K-line TMCC switchers make yard switching actually fun. Fred

Control problems with conventional is why I run command.

 

I don't think you need 6A diodes for most conventional engines, 3A is plenty, and for small motorized units, I'd use 1A diodes.

Probably fit better also. But I agree, command is the way to go, despite its quirks.