Yes that is the case with LokSound, and I’m glad they did that. However, every one that I have set on F8 mute continues to generate some sort of a spitting sound, like a valve release every 4 seconds. Silent when running except for a recurring spit that apparently escaped the mute setting. Unless there is another CV setting for muting that individual sound, I’d rather cover it up with the prime mover sound.
Its ok, Loksound and T2 have evolved to where the PM sounds aren’t bad. I really have no complaints except I generally still can’t take turbo squeel.
I seem to recall there’s also a CV setting to have the “spitter valves” quiet when the prime mover is deactivated. Buried in the manual somewhere, IIRC.
Generally, I set the volume pretty low on the spitter valves anyway.
Yeah, its probably one of those minor technical design oversights where that one sound escapes the F8 mute command. I’ve never bothered to hunt down the actual individual volume CV.
Aren’t those valves largely or wholly mechanical, and intended to be operating any time a consist has good brake-reservoir pressure with ‘ambient’ condensation, not just when a unit is actively pumping?
Most of my roster of diesels is first- and second generation locomotives. My recollection of these is more of a pressure-relief sound that tapers off, as if you were relieving the pressure on a line.
I still have to experiment with the “spitter valve” settings on sound decoders. Sometimes I can not find the “old-style” ones I’m familiar with.
I believe the gist of the ESU system is that the two types are in two different sound slots and you simply mute, through volume CVs, the one you do not want active.
Ed, weren’t these designed to be ‘failure-proof’ so that if something stuck it wouldn’t bleed away all the air?
I sorta remember a design in which reservoir pressure charged a chamber of ‘proportioned’ size such that air at reasonable pressure would clear a filled trap, after which an interlocked valve would close. In operation some sort of dashpotted float would indicate the trap was filled, at which point only the chamber air would be admitted to blow the water out of the trap (with the pressure-dying-away sound effect mentioned). Only when the float dropped would the chamber be cycled full again to ‘arm’ the system for the next discharge event. I’ll bet you have detailed descriptions of early ‘self-clearing’ air-system condensate-trap operation in that library of yours!
I quite agree and recall such a system. Presently, I can only find a reference to this New York Air Brake system which seems to rely on pilot air from the compressor governor:
MTH is just cloning what they do in O gauge down to HO as the technoligy allows them. The smoking whistle and other gimick crap have been going on for some time now in O gauge, so it was only a matter of time till smoke units became small enough with the volume and fan drive to do more than just go up the stack. I am another one who’s asthma does not like smoke units. I can do ok with my G scale live steamers, but that is different and not just oil fumes up the stack. So my O scale in the past and now American OO do not have smoke units. Only filling the room with the wonderful smell of ozone and hot oil. Makes you wonder what the next step is in HO for a gimick to sell models? Figuring out how to safely color the smoke? Leave it to MTH to lead the with the “play” factor Atleast on these models, just as on the O gauge, there is an OFF switch or digitaly controled OFF switch for the smoke unit. So the nice models can still be run where they would be banned, such as a club or other venue.
