USRA 4-6-2 Sound Value

[graywolf]

I am trying to understand what CV's can be changed on this engine and what values to use. I printed the CV list page from the Soundtraxx site for this engine. They suggested contacting Bachmann for info but when calling Bachmann there is no customer service and they suggest using this forum. I know that the decoder is a detuned Tsunami but I need to know what functions are changable with the CV's. I tried some changes but could see no visable change in operation. Some values are listed as a default value of ZERO ---are these addressable or just dead? Thanks for any help. Paul

[rich1998]

What DCC system are you using?

Rich

[Trainman203]

I have one of these Pacifics.  It is a beautiful engine.

Exactly which cv's are a problem?

The cv's are all adjustable. For now try the ones that show definite change like cv 115 whistle choice, there are only 3.  You should see change.  The various volumes for different sounds don't show much change unless you change the value in larger increments of 10 or even 20.  Do that and you'll see change.

Sound Value is not a Tsunami by any stretch of imagination. It is made by Soundtraxx but it is sorely lacking in many aspects. It is a poor successor to the Bachmann Soundtraxx decoders of the Golden Spectrum Days of Yore.   

[graywolf]

First off I am using an NCE powercab and I did change the whistle sound and that works. I didn't try increasing the volume.. Secondly only got off the phone with Soundtraxx an hour ago since Bachmann was of no help. The tech there said to download the discontinued manual for the original Tsunami and follow that since they were very similar. Upon reading some of the manual you can see that some of the CV's are the same and yet some in the Sound value were missing which leads me to believe that this decoder is the step child of a Tsunami. I will try things out in the next few days and see what happens. Thanks for your responses. If anything significant develops I will report it.

[Trainman203]

That is exactly the problem with sound Value.  All it is , I heard it put very well by someone in the business, "choo-choo and wooo-wooo."  The actual tapestry of rich and varied sounds of the glorious steam locomotive is not there.  Some of it was in the Bachmann Soundtraxx decoder of 10 years ago.  But, someone at Bachmann wanted to cut costs and gutted it.  There's still sound, just not much besides choo-choo/wooo-wooo.

This is from the Soundtraxx website.  It is probably what you are looking for.

https://www.soundtraxx.com/factory/images/bachmann/pdf/bachmann_ho_462_sv.pdf

Some of the values are indeed "0".  This doesn't mean the cv is inactive .  Cv 115, the whistle selection, is 0, 1 or 2.  Cv 2, the starting voltage, is 0, where it ought to be except when there are irregularities in the drive, unusual with Bachmann's smooth mechanisms.  However ,  cv 113, quiet mode, on this list, is actually not present, so there is some lack of consistency.

[rich1998]

That is not unusual.
For some time, Bachmann on board sound has been like that.
My Bachmann DCC ready steamers, I put the Soundtraxx Micro's in. They have everything.
I have one 4-6-0 with on board sound I bought some years ago that is considered stripped down. I looked up the specs before buying. Not a big deal.
Many never look up the specs but it is not easy to compare CV's so some think they are getting cheated. Let the buyer beware.

Rich

[Trainman203]

I do have to say that for the sounds that "are" present in sound Value, they are very rich and satisfying.  I have a 4-6-2 and a 2-8-2 with sound Value.  With the 2-8-2 in particular, two of the whistles have been dropped by Soundtraxx- that particular version of the Crosby 3 chime, and the Southern 3 chime.  I'm keeping the sound value decoder in that engine just for those two beautiful whistles which are no longer in Tsunami decoders.  The 4-6-2 has great whistles too, so it is last in line to receive a Tsunami one day.

The big annoyance is lack of cv 113, the quiet mode, that allows an engine to remain silent when powering up the layout, until you activate it.  You have to physically silence it with F8 every time, aggravating.

[graywolf]

Tried some CV changes some worked others did not. Think I found another whistle on CV115 #3 tried #4 but it sounded the same as #1. Changed CV114 bell rate from 9 to 15 which slowed down the rate of ringing sounded better to my ears.Changed the whistle volume from#195 to 225 definitely louder this is CV129. Changed CV130 bell volume from 40 to 100. Changed CV131 exhaust volume from 75 to 100. Changed CV134 blower volume from 16 to 20 only slight increase tried higher be didn't sound nice.Changed CV136 steam release from 96 to100 just a little louder higher changes were too loud. Nervous about making some other changes since I wasn't sure what they did. Interested in knowing what CV's 2 -6 do. Tried CV 49 hyperlight effects but headlight only worked at the setting #142. That's as far as I am going for now unless someone has some suggestions.  Paul

[Gearedenginefreak]

Cv 2 is starting motor voltage - the higher this cv, the more voltage at throttle step 1.
Cv 3 is Acceleration rate - the higher this is, the longer it takes for the loco to respond to throttle increases. Adds a momentum effect.
Cv 4 is Deceletation rate - the highr this is, the longer it takes the loco to slow down with throttle changes. Like momentum braking.
Cv 5 is high voltage, cv 6 is mid voltage. Good for setting up 3 point simple speed curves. I would be surprised if the sound value decoders have this. But maybe.... worth trying.  Original Tsunami did not utilize cv 5 or 6. If your sound value did use them, then set cv5 lower to limit the max speed from a racing locomotive to a more realistic prototype top speed.  Then cv 6 gives you the flexibility to have a slower acceleration in the lower throttle zone by setting your mid voltage, then in the upper throttlr range, more voltage is applied to the limit of cv5.  Cv 6 must always be less than cv5.

Hope this helps

Tom Wilson

[graywolf]

Thanks for your input Tom. I will try those tomorrow. On the chart from Soundtraxx CV 2,5&6 show a 0 (zero) value so I don't know if that means they are not functioning. CV 3 is baseline acceleration rate set at 6 & CV4 is baseline braking rate set at 5. My NCE Powercab has a Momentum button which seemed to modify the stopping function of the engine and it looks great in operation. I suppose that somehow modified the braking rate automatically. I await your thoughts about 2,5&6 set at zero right now. Thanks, Paul

[rich1998]

I know I was not any help but it has been some years since I played with my Locos and the Power Cab. Time's fun when you are having flies.
I fiddled with the CV's until I got what I wanted. A few CV's did not respond but I expected that. My loco was before the Sound Value line. The on board SoundTraxx was a little different than the full blown Tsunami decoders but I do not count all the rivets when I do model railroading.

Rich

[Trainman203]

There are only three whistles- 0, 1 and 2.... and for some reason only Bachmann knows 3 is the same as 0.  4 and up will go back to one of those 3.  You have to get a better
decoder to get a lot of whistles.  With the volumes, you have to change the value in big increments like 10 or 20 to hear any change.

Forget about the hyper lighting.  That is diesel era stuff.  Steam engines just turned the headlight on and off.  And forget about the speed curves.  I've run over 50 DCC / Sound steam engines over 10 years in mainline,  Branchline , and yard service and never needed it.  Sometimes a decoder can be geeking for geeking's sake.  You are running a train for a hobby, not programming computer inanities.....  although there are forums full of people who'd rather program than operate.

Don't be afraid of the cv's.  You can always reset all the cv,s to factory default with cv 8=8, then rocking the engine to break contact with the rail.  The headlight flashes 16 times to acknowledge.

[Trainman203]

Also, cv's 3 and 4 give much smoother and realistic performance than the NCE momentum.  I know, I run my layout with NCE pro cab.  I like to set the NCE momentum to 0, cv 3 to 100 and cv 4 to 50.  Try that to see if you like it and adjust accordingly.  Momentum is the best  thing to hit model railroading operation since the transformer.

Leave cv 2 at 0.  You'll get the slowest slow speed operation there.  Raising it above 3 or 4 starts giving jack rabbit starting and stopping.

I've never fooled with cv 5 and 6. Just because a cv is there doesn't mean it needs changing.

[graywolf]

Thanks Trainman will try your suggestions re Cv3&4.

[Gearedenginefreak]

I agree with Trainman203 regarding settings for  cvs 3 and 4. Really makes for smooth realistic starting and stopping. You just have to get used to not starting and stopping immediatly with throttle from or to zero.
Regarding cv 2, 5 and 6. I leave them alone on most locomotives, but if I am going to doublehead some steamers without another operator, they are useful to speed match the locs. Also with older balky open frame motors, raising cv 2 can help it get going. But I try to remotor as I don't like dealing with the jerkiness of some of the older motors. But thats another topic.

Tom Wilson