Sounds for Traction Modelers
As described and demonstrated at the EPTC 2007 Meet by Fred Miller, MMR
The new Digitrax® DCC Sound Decoders offer a great opportunity for enhancing your trolley modeling experience.
Bells, gongs, whistles, air compressors, controller clank, track squeal and motor whine sounds are all possible in rolling stock with SFX DCC decoders. Sounds are controlled by throttle function keys, throttle speed settings or automatically timed.
SDH104K1A SFX Sound Decoder Plug-inCurrently Digitrax® markets two forms of SoundFX decoders. One series is designed
as a “drop-in” for Kato HO diesel locos, although it can be used in other equipment. Another “sound only” decoder is available to add sounds to a locomotive or car that already has a motor controlling DCC decoder.
Both of these sound decoders are sold with a small speaker. The products offer great flexibility in sound modifications from the simple to more complex:
· Download an existing “Sound Project” to a SFX decoder (Digitrax® defines the collection of sounds and logic as a “Sound Project”).
· Replace sounds in existing projects with custom sound clips
· Select from multiple “schemes” in a “sound project”
· Write sound processing logic to create new “sound project”
Digitrax® provides several “sound projects” for various diesel and steam locomotives. Other “sound projects” have been made available from the user community including the demonstrated TRACTION-V1 from the author at no cost for any non-commercial use.
Some of the Nitty Details:
SoundLoader Software to load Sound ProjectsText Box: SFX064D SFX Sound ONLY Decoder Sound Projects are developed on your PC. In order to “download” these from your PC, or even replace sounds in an existing “sound project” a Digitrax® PR-2 Programmer is needed along with the provided free software program “SoundLoader.” This software also enables testing and DCC CV
modification to the SFX decoders. Sound volumes and other optional settings can be modified and tested.
SoundLoader Software to test sounds on decoderDeveloping new Sound Projects is a bit more complex and requires some familiarity with computer programming. The “logic” which relates the sounds to throttle or timed activities is expressed in what Digitrax® calls a Sound Definition Language (SDL). In the author’s opinion, the power of this language is what puts the Digitrax® offering way ahead of other products which can only select or replace sound clips. Only the Digitrax® SDL offers the complete programming of the sound logic.
The development of the Sound Definition Language is done using a Macro Assembler (such as provided free by MicroChip, the manufacturer of most of the computer chips in decoders.) Some additional software files, available from Digitrax®, are also necessary to complete the creation of new Sound Projects.
The sound clips used in the Sound Projects are also edited using available PC software
Sound Clips are edited with commercially available softwareAs indicated earlier, either the combined motor and sound DCC decoder (eg SDH104K1A) or the sounds only DCC decoder (SFX064D) can be mounted in the traction equipment. The former might use less space but requires modifications to LED lamp and motor connections. The sound only decoder is installed in parallel to an existing motor decoder. The latter installation would of course have the DCC address set the same. For convenience in later programming of sounds or Configuration Variables (CVs), the author puts a set of jumpers to enable connection to one or both of the decoders.
The H&F Freight Motor demonstrated has two decoders, a DZ123 for motor and headlight control, and the SFX064D.
The Birney Street car also has two decoders, a DN142 for motor and headlight control, and the SFX064D.
The author would be glad to work with interested modelers in developing new Sound Projects, changing sounds or simply loading his TRACTION-V1 project into your decoder. Get Fred's Sound Project for his Traction Model here.
About the Author:
Fred Miller avidly participates in his life‑long hobby of model railroading. Like most model railroad fans, he started as a kid with Lionel trains, but with a twist. Back in the late 30’s his father ran converted O-72 equipment on a layout with outside third rail. By the 1950s, Fred’s interest progressed to HO Scale modeling. Later Fred modeled in other scales including Z scale, TT scale and for a number of years in N scale. In his high school days in NYC, he helped organize a model railroad club and much later formed a large N scale club in New Jersey. After retirement and faced with a number of possible relocations, Fred returned to HO scale but this time modeling traction layouts and equipment on movable modules. His current modeling activity includes a series of interconnected HO Scale Trolley dioramas based on a circa 1925 period.
Over the years he has modeled, photographed and written about model railroads in all of the popular modeling scales. Electronic controls, even custom built PC based, have been included in Fred's model work, reflective of his earlier training in electrical engineering. His recent HO traction modules are DCC equipped and computer controlled with lots of light and sound animation.
Fred's electronic and computer backgrounds were a natural for maintaining significant hobby interest in the world of Personal Computers, starting with the early "computer kits" in the mid 70's. After retirement from the financial corporate world and management of large-scale IBM computer systems, he put more effort into program and product development and established Challenge Products to market his railroad‑oriented game/simulations. His products include RRSwitch, Freight Train and Trolley Time Challenge. These programs have all been advertised and reviewed in the model magazines.
After many years anchored in the New York metropolitan area, Fred and his wife, an ordained Presbyterian minister, moved to Ridgewood, NJ, Charlotte, NC, Richmond, VA, Fairfield, CT followed by a more permanent relocation back to Charlotte, NC. These moves enabled contact in NMRA Divisions in the MER and NER. Fred handled various offices in those divisions and now serves as a Director of the Carolina Southern Division of MER and as Business Manager of MER.
Although Fred has been a member of NMRA since 1966, it was not until the mid 1990’s that he started to participate in Regional Model Contests and then the AP program. Encouragement from members of the Mid-Eastern Region (MER) started Fred on his journey towards attaining the various AP Certificates. A visit to George Sellios’ Franklin & South Manchester layout set the bar for Fred’s urban scenes modeling. NMRA members attending NER and MER conventions will probably recall seeing one or more of Fred’s HO Traction dioramas. His HO traction modules were featured in an article he published in the November 2002 issue of Model Railroader. In June 2004, Fred was awarded the Master Model Railroader (MMR) #336 |
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Fred Miller, MMR
http://hometown.aol.com/tractionfan
tractionfan(att)aol[dott]com
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