So… what happens if you program 2 seperate decoders to the same address? I’m thinking that either both decoder-equpped devices will function exactly the same, at the same time, or that the entire system will suffer a sort of “Ghost-Busters crossing the neutron streams” type of meltdown.
What say you? It just seems to me that if I am going to be running 2 or 3 locos all the time in the same consist, then why not just program all 3 to the same address and CV rates? Is that too simple an idea?
There’s another side to this question that I’ll ask about after the DCC folks stop rolling their eyes
That is exactly what I do for locomotives that I have permanently hooked together. One would not want to do use this method if they ever wanted to run the locomotives separately. It is too annoying to reprogram them back to separate numbers.
So, you see here, I have this cunning plan… I hope. Try and read through it without laughing too hard, or spraying coffee on the monitor…
I model in “N” scale, and after the decoder is force fed into the Atlas RS-1 like a fat lady into her girdle, there isn’t any room for a sound decoder. So, says I, thinking about the problem and sipping some bourbon, “how will I get some sort of sounf onto my small switching layout?”
What about if I were to mount a sound decoder into a small case (to keep the dust and static electricity out) and wire it between the CAB and a powered sound system, like the one I have with my computer? Mount the speakers and subwoofer under the table, wire the decoder to a mini-plug jsack and fire that hummer up? Maybe I need a pre-amp or a small home theatre system? I dunno, but it just seems to me that a fellow could provide synchronised sound, at a pretty good volume, by just using a duplicate decoder.
Is this too simple, or too far off base? Yeah, I know it only serves one loco, but I’d like to think you could get a some good sound that would at least match in motion, if not location, what the loco is doing.
I’ve given two or three locomotives the same address to run them together instead of creating a consist, as long as they are the same brand and run well together. The only problem is that FL turns all the lights on instead of only the lead engine.
Some of the earlier decoders didn’t support consisting too well, and giving them the same address was the simplest way to run them together.
I don’t know if you’re off base or not, but I’ve had a similar thought. My layout is going to be in HO, but I’ve wondered about adding subwoofers under the layout to better reproduce the diesel “rumble” which obviously isn’t reproducable in the loco, prob. not even in G-scale. This has been discussed in other threads; the obvious way to do it would be to have feed-back from the decoder to the command station, or computer, or stereo system, etc. Evidentally, band-width transmission from the decoder doesn’t make this feasable. Your solution would work, but seems like that could get pricey duplicating multiple decoders for multiple locos; a computer-based inventory of the loco sounds with specific addresses and therefore sounds would seem to make the most sense–but don’t really know how feasable this would be either.
Not meaning to split hairs here but exactly the same is sorta relative in this situation. I’m assuming what you mean is that they will respond at the same time, in the same direction. If so, I will agree with that premise.
However, technically, exactness depends on each of the locomotives and how much draw each locomotive motor takes to get going. If you were to say the same decoder (manufacture/make) in the same locomotive (manufacturer/make), then I would agree with you wholeheartedly.
If they aren’t the same brand and type of locomotives, they might respond at the same time in the same direction, but they may travel at different speeds…
Nope this is a fairly common solution for N-scale layouts. However you can ditch the idea of the sub-woofer. Today’s sound decoders do not produce low enough frequencies for a sub-woofer to respond to (assuming it is a true sub-woofer - most computer speaker riggs don’t really have sub-woofers just lower freqency units). It would just sit idle. Depending on the impedance match (or should I say miss-match) there might need to be a resistor between the speaker output of the decoder and the input to the powered speakers. This would prevent distortion and/or over powering one or the other circuit.
Why not judt mount a sound decoder in a dummy loco? I think you can get a Soundtrax LC N scale sound only decoder for about $45.00 add about $5.00 for a speaker. I have a sound decoder in a HO scale F unit that sounds pretty good. I’ve found that pointing the speaker down through holes drilled in the bottom of the fuel tank sounds the best. I do not put a cover over the back of the speaker because I read somewhere that this will give deeper sounds by using the shell as the speaker enclosure. Tweet.
Ditto! I’m in HO scale, so it isn’t quite as difficult, but this is probably the best way to go. Depending on the (dummy) loco, you might be able to fit two speakers, perhaps even two oval ones. That will vastly improve the sound.
The idea of a stationary woofer for some of the low notes might help if you do it in addition to the dummy unit with it’s own speakers. Otherwise, if all the sound comes from some fixed place on your layout, it will sound like it’s coming from some fixed place, not moving with the engine. But if you get some of the sound, especially the higher frequencies, from the moving train, you probably won’t notice that the lower frequencies are stationary. Unless you have a vary large layout, anyhow.
Why couldn’t you program the speed tables, start voltage and such to match them to run together ? Obviously you’d need to do it with only one on the track at a time or on the programming track.
It seems to me that it would work. It also seems to me to be a great idea. I would think you’d need some sort of an amplifier between the sound generator (extra decoder) and the speakers, as the sound generators probably can’t put out enough power to move a big speaker. I do wonder how low a frequency you’ll produce. I would think the sound generator COULD produce a low frequency IF the designer insisted. Best wishes and PLEASE report back–after you’ve done all the work, I want to suck up the benefits.
Wow, two guys responded while I was typing my input. Yeah, I agree that the sound will be nicer if you also have a speaker in an adjacent loco. Hope that doesn’t make your switching locomotive(s) “overpowered”. Still, maybe a cow-and-calf?
I’m not saying that you can’t. My impression with the original question was, “Can I plop two decoders into 2 locomotives and - right off the bat (how I interpreted it) - have each one peform exactly the same?” Like I said, that was my take on the question. (Looks like I should have read the rest of the post. [:I])
Yes, I agree that you can tweak the speed table on each locomotive decoder so that they match one another.
I may play around with this idea some, when I get some time. I have Decoder Pro loaded now so setting speed tabls and matching performance should be easier than programming in via the throttle. The only advantage I see to this approach is not having to program the consist. Of course this is also the disadvantage if you want to break the consist and run the locomotives. In my case I have close to 40 locomotives so some consists will likely be almost permanent. This is where I see a slight advantage. Of course if the locomotives ever come uncoupled, you’ll need some manual intervention to get them back together.
one thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet is that if you program two locos with the same address to save a decoder slot you will have to change the normal direction of one of the locos if you plan to run them back to back. since the decoder determines which end of the loco is the front or the back. this is not difficult but if you remove the loco from one consist and add it to another it might affect operations of that consist.
I went to Radio Shack and bought 2 female plugs and wired 1 plug to alligator clips and a diesel sound decoder and did the same with the other plug to a steam decoder.
I have a powered speaker system from a computer. I plug it into either the steam or diesel decoder plug. I power the speakers up and have sound that has volume that can be increased as I need.
I hook the wires to my layout with the alligator clips and have the decoder programed to a loco on my layout and when I run that loco (steam or diesel) it also runs my sound decoder. This is used on my home HO layout, I use alligator clips because I belong to a club and when we do shows I take my N scale layout and I can use sound system for that too.
I want to also mention that I use both NCE Power House Pro “HO” and the Pro Cab “N” and consisting loco’s is so easy.
Been there, done that. My reason was not to add a sound unit. I have two sets of F3 A-B units, with both the A and B unit powered. They will always run together. I even removed the coupler and replaced it with a drawbar as was done with many prototypes. Mechanically they are identical so their speed is compatible. This is just one way of permanently MUing two different locos.
I have several F7 A-B units that normally run together. In some, both units are powered, in others just the A-unit, two of the A-units and most the B-units have sound decoders in them. I routinely set the same address to each of the units in a set.
In the sets with sound, I try to synchronize the sound to the loco speed.
I also have several A/A sets. The powered second units are set with the NDT in reverse. Those with just sound decoders are again synchronized with the powered A units.
If I decide to mix and match (I have had as many as six, F7 units in a consist) the most I have to do is MU 3- addresses.
I also have a couple of A/B/A sets. PAs and E7/8s. For the PAs, the sound unit is in the B-unit. On the E7/8s, there is a sound unit in the lead A-unit and a sound unit in the Dummy E7B. The trailing A-unit is powered in both cases, but no sound.
To the second part of the question. I have both steam and diesel Digitrax sound decoders mounted under my train table. They are wired to the main DCC power buss with a simple switch in line, so they can be shut off when not needed. They are attached to 4" speakers. The decoders do not seem to have any trouble driving the speakers. Each of the decoders has its own address and can easily be MUed (usually as the lead address) to the address of an non-sound equipped loco/loco set, to give it/them a ‘voice.’
My BRVRR is only 4x10 feet, so the under table sound decoders work quite well. On a larger layout the ‘stationary’ sound may not be as effective.
I have photos posted on my website of my under table installations and a few pictures of an F7 A/B set with a sound decoder in the dummy B-unit. Link is in
