Soundtraxx's DSD Diesel.
Now Testing At Tony's, Sounds Great.

Soundtraxx catalogue page

CAUTION : This info has been revised for production units for some CV's.

Tony's has just received pre-production DSD units (diesel) from Soundtraxx. As expected, Soundtraxx is further enhancing its reputation as the leading producer of top notch quality sound products for the DCC market with the diesel DSD. The diesel sound now being tested at Tony's is an EMD first generation Wabco prototype (F units & GP's). This diesel unit is the same size as the DSD 150 steam unit (.65" W x 2.3" L x .4" H), and represents the first DCC diesel sound unit capable of being installed in "HO" diesel powered loco's, "N" Dummy, or "B" units. Based on size, the DSD 150 diesel may be installed (with moderate difficulty) in the following popular HO Diesels:

• Athern and Atlas - 6 axle units
• Stewart - F units, A & B
• Life Like Proto 2000 - SD-7/9, PA and PB, E7, and E8
• Kato - SD-40, SD-45, and C44-9W

Decoder and Throttle

The DSD Diesel Sound Decoder incorporates the same advanced throttle and decoder features as the Steam model...

• 1.5 Amp Throttle
• Full Featured Decoder and Throttle
• 14, 28, and 128 Speed Steps
• Consist Addressing
• Advanced Function Mapping
• Speed Curves
• Adjustable Motor Drive Frequency

The Diesel sound decoder has a host of sound functions:

• Engine Exhaust
  • Eight throttle notches plus startup, shut off, and transition phases
  • Engine may be manually notched or slaved to throttle for automatic operation
  • Special interlock mode to prevent inadvertent shutdown of prime mover while engine is running
• Coupler
• Bell
• Airhorn
• Airtank Pop Valves
• Dynamic Brakes
• Four Independent Volume Controls
  • Engine Exhaust
  • Dynamic Brakes
  • Horn
  • Bell and Background sounds
• Improved Horn Control for short horn blasts

Throttle Up! Originated intensity modulated effect lighting in 1989 with its first product, the Hyperlight. These same great effects have been built into the DSD with a few added improvements:

• Four Independently controlled outputs
• 12 Lighting Effects
  • Constant Intensity Light
  • Rule 17' Dimmable headlight
  • Mars Light
  • Gyralight
  • Western Cullen D312 Rotary Beacon
  • Prime Stratolite
  • Single Pulse Strobe
  • Double Pulse Strobe
  • Ditch Lights
  • Engine Exhaust
  • Oscillating Headlight
  • FRED
  • Adjustable Flash Rate
  • Special Grade Crossing Logic to activate lighting effects such as flashing ditch lights when the horn is blown.

INSTALLATION NOTES

The Diesel DSD's may be installed in the locomotive following the same procedure as for the Steam DSD with the following important differences:

• There is no CAM input on the Diesel version.
• Two speaker capacitor values are supplied with the diesel decoder - 22uF and 100uF. For 1.5" and smaller speakers, we strongly recommend using the smaller 22uF capacitor in series with the speaker as it will limit the strong sub- bass tones found in the diesel exhaust sounds that would otherwise cause severe distortion even at modest volume levels. For larger speakers, use the 100uF capacitor and enjoy the heavy bass!
• Incandescent Lamps are recommended for the Hyperlight Effects.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Out of the package, the Diesel DSD is operated using the following function keys:

• FL - Headlight and backup light
• F1 - Horn
• F2 - Bell
• F3 - Engine Throttle (+)
• F4 - Engine Throttle (-)
• F5 - Function Output 5 On/Off
• F6 - Function Output 6 On/Off
• F7 - Coupler Klank
• F8 - Dynamic Brake On/Off

• Audio Mute
• Headlight Dimmer

To start the diesel engine, press F3 function key on. The engine will crank over and settle into a steady idle. To increase the engine RPM, turn the F3 function off and then on. Note that each time the F3 function is turned off and then on, the engine RPM's will be advanced one throttle notch until maximum power at notch 8 is reached. The engine may be accelerated through several notches by rapidly turning the F3 Key off and on.

You will hear the decoder pass through what is referred to as the transition phase between notch 4 and notch 5. On the prototype locomotive, relays are used to change the generator's field winding circuit between notch 4 and 5 to gain additional power. To avoid burning out the relay contacts, the diesel engine is automatically throttled back while the relays are being switched. On the DSD you will hear the engine RPM's drop to almost an idle and then lug back up to run 5!

To slow the diesel engine, press the F4 function key on. Like the F3 key, each off/on sequence of F4 will reduce the engine RPM's by one notch. When the engine is idle, pressing F4 once more will bring the engine to a stop.

While the engine is running, you will hear random blows offs of the airtank pop valves. The dynamic brake whine may be faded on and off by turning on the F8 function.

Note: The compressor and dynamic brakes sounds will automatically turn off if the engine is shutdown.

F1 blows the horn for as long as the button is pressed. Soundtraxx has improved the playback algorithm allowing for faster response so long and short horns are easily played.

F2 turns the bell on and off. Listen carefully and you'll hear the thunking of the air-driven bell striker at the beginning of each ding!

F7 activates the coupler sound each time the function key changes state from off-to-on or on-to-off.

FL (or F0 on some keypads), F5 and F6 control their respective lighting outputs.

Sound CV's

There are three CV's for controlling the sound effects:

• CV60 - Sound Configuration Byte
• CV61 - Exhaust and Dynamic Brake Volume Level
• CV62 - Horn and Bell Volume Level

 Bit 7                                     Bit 0
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|      RING RATE        |QUIET| POP | LOCK| AUTO|
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

AUTO = Auto Notching Enable

• 0 = Engine RPM's are manually controlled via F3 and F4 functions
• 1 = Exhaust RPM's are increased in proportion to throttle setting.

When auto notching is enabled, engine will startup when throttle is first increased. It will increase in proportion to the throttle speed. By setting the momentum (CV3 and 4) to a medium or high value the throttle can be used to run the train speed and engine RPM's somewhat independently as the RPM's respond to the throttle setting and not actual locomotive speed.

The engine RPM's may be shutoff by pressing emergency stop once.

LOCK = Engine RPM Interlock

• 0 = Interlock disabled
• 1 = Interlock enabled

This bit is used to interlock the engine RPM's and the throttle setting when manual notching is used such that:

• 1. Locomotive cannot be moved unless engine has been started.
• 2. Engine cannot be shutoff unless locomotive is stopped.

Besides the fun of forcing the engineer to follow an operating protocol, this bit is also useful in preventing inadvertent engine shutoff while the train is moving.

POP = Compressor Pop Valve Sound effect Enable

• 0 = Effect Off
• 1 = Effect On

Used to enable or disable the airtank pop valve effect.

QUIET, Quiet Mode Enable

• 0 = Disabled
• 1 = Enabled

RING RATE, Bell ring rate

• 0-F sets ringer speed

CV61 - Exhaust and Dynamic Brake Volume Level

This CV is used to independently set the volume level of the exhaust and dynamic brake sounds. The upper four bits set the dynamic brake level and has a range of 0-15. The lower four bits set the exhaust sound level over a range of 0-15.

 Bit 7                                     Bit 0
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| DYNAMIC BRAKE VOLUME  |    EXHAUST VOLUME     |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Digitrax users can simply use the upper digit of their display to set the dynamic brake level and the lower digit to set the exhaust level. System One and Lenz users can easily compute the setting by determining the desired Dynamic Brake level multiplying by 16 and then adding the Exhaust level to the result. I.e., If the exhaust volume is 8 and the Dynamic Brake volume is 4, the CV should be set to

(4 x 16) + 8 = 64 + 8 = 72

Recommended Setting:

• Dynamic Brakes = 6
• Exhaust = 8

CAUTION: High volume levels of the exhaust may cause excessive distortion and ultimately burn out smaller speakers. User is advised to start at a low volume setting and test the setting over the full throttle range before turning up the volume to the next level.

CV62 - Horn and Background Volume Level

This CV is used to independently set the volume level of the Horn and background sounds. The upper four bits set the sound level of the bell, coupler, and compressor sounds and has a range of 0-15. The lower four bits set the Horn level over a range of 0-15.

 Bit 7                                     Bit 0
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|   BACKGROUND VOLUME   |      HORN VOLUME      |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Recommended Setting:

• Bell = 8
• Horn = 15

We welcome comments or suggestions from readers; please write or call.