09-23-2010, 07:47 AM
Rather then tack on to my existing Tsunami Thread, I thought I'd start a new one.
In short I'm looking for advice and knowledge from those who know better and have more experience then I do. I'll explain...
While tooling with my engine and its new found baritone voice, I began to wonder about prototypical sound and the suggested programming recommendations from Soundtraxx as well as JMRI. They suggest a particular way of programming the loco to behave like a slow speed switcher so that you have incredibly slow speed control for a large percentage of the speed steps until the very end of the speed curve when motor speed is finally ramped up to top speed. So I've been experimenting and doing a tiny bit of research in the form of watching videos of Geeps doing some yard switching. There are a handful of videos which have actually helped give me some incredible insight. I readily admit that my exposure to and watching of the real thing is next to non existent and that a handful of Youtube videos is a poor substitute. :oops:
I have however, observed some interesting things when operating my loco according to suggested setting for a switching unit. I can see how someone can get lost in all this... I also thought that the suggested settings could not be right while the loco creeped along as the engine sound whined to fevered pitch and intensity... (at least to me...)
So as I mentioned with the loco programed to operate as suggested it is very slow for dozens of speed steps according to my Pro/Power Cab. This allows me to "crank" the engine to wind up as it continues to creep along at a snails pace like it would when pulling or pushing a heavy load. I assume that this is the notching* up sound I hear in the videos I've watched as the engine picks up speed and then by rolling the Cab Wheel back down without stopping it winds down once it gets moving without slowing it down. This is kinda cool, but I guess I'd like to see it pick up a little bit more speed as it notches up...I can customize in JMRI through trail and error. So I'm getting there I guess. I am going to play with the momentum settings a bit though as it stops a little to abruptly when kicked down to zero.
What I'd like to know is how have other people set up their engines with regards to sound and prototypical operation?
Perhaps we can use this thread to share information on what CV's we have used to achieve the operating sounds and engine behavior we like?
I'd love to hear from you guys. Thanks.
In short I'm looking for advice and knowledge from those who know better and have more experience then I do. I'll explain...
While tooling with my engine and its new found baritone voice, I began to wonder about prototypical sound and the suggested programming recommendations from Soundtraxx as well as JMRI. They suggest a particular way of programming the loco to behave like a slow speed switcher so that you have incredibly slow speed control for a large percentage of the speed steps until the very end of the speed curve when motor speed is finally ramped up to top speed. So I've been experimenting and doing a tiny bit of research in the form of watching videos of Geeps doing some yard switching. There are a handful of videos which have actually helped give me some incredible insight. I readily admit that my exposure to and watching of the real thing is next to non existent and that a handful of Youtube videos is a poor substitute. :oops:
I have however, observed some interesting things when operating my loco according to suggested setting for a switching unit. I can see how someone can get lost in all this... I also thought that the suggested settings could not be right while the loco creeped along as the engine sound whined to fevered pitch and intensity... (at least to me...)
So as I mentioned with the loco programed to operate as suggested it is very slow for dozens of speed steps according to my Pro/Power Cab. This allows me to "crank" the engine to wind up as it continues to creep along at a snails pace like it would when pulling or pushing a heavy load. I assume that this is the notching* up sound I hear in the videos I've watched as the engine picks up speed and then by rolling the Cab Wheel back down without stopping it winds down once it gets moving without slowing it down. This is kinda cool, but I guess I'd like to see it pick up a little bit more speed as it notches up...I can customize in JMRI through trail and error. So I'm getting there I guess. I am going to play with the momentum settings a bit though as it stops a little to abruptly when kicked down to zero.
What I'd like to know is how have other people set up their engines with regards to sound and prototypical operation?
Perhaps we can use this thread to share information on what CV's we have used to achieve the operating sounds and engine behavior we like?
I'd love to hear from you guys. Thanks.