03-08-2013, 09:11 AM
Here's a partial repost from my TSE Blog...
Tweaking the Bachmann SoundValue ALCo S-2...
"I reviewed the NCE Power Cab manual and downloaded a copy of the Bachmann Sound Value ALCO S-2 CV’s. Since I had already changed the locomotive address to match the road number, I used the “PROGRAMMING ON THE MAIN” mode. First thing I wanted to change was the bell ring rate. Several videos I’ve seen of actual S-2’s, the bell rang at a faster rate than the model did. Easy enough; select the proper CV - CV114 and changed it from default of 04 to new value of 03 . I also lowered the bell volume by changing CV130 from default of 60 to 50. Next, I changed the horn from the default WABCO E-2 to a Nathan P3 by selecting CV115 and changing it from default 00 to 03. So far, so good…
As we all know, ALCO’s with the 539 Turbo prime mover had a very distinctive sound, due mostly to the turbocharger. In the default setting, the turbo revs increased at Speed Steps 1, 7, 14, 21, etc. Since the locomotive will be run a switching speeds, I wanted the turbo sounds to rev up a bit sooner in reference to the Speed Step. With a little help from bapguy on the Bachmann forums, I reset CV116 from its default of 39 a number of times to different values, eventually settling on a value of 03. This resulted in turbo sound windup at Speed Steps 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, etc. Just what I was looking for. You can also set it for manual notching by resetting CV116 to 00 and using function key F1 to rev up and F0 to notch down, but for now we’re going to leave it on auto.
The last thing I did was to run a speed vs. Speed Step test. I did this by timing the locomotive as it ran through a 36” long “speed trap.” Increasing Speed Step from 0 to 1 has the locomotive creeping along at a scale 2.5mph. Step 2 brought the loco up to 4mph and step 3, to about 5.5mph; step 6 equaled 10mph; step 10, 15mph; step 13, 20mph and step 20, 30mph. As the TSE is an industrial switching layout, I don’t see the need to run any faster than that."
This is the link to the downloadable PDF for the ALCo S-2 SoundValue decoder CV's
http://www.soundtraxx.com/factory/OEM%20..._s2_sv.pdf
Tweaking the Bachmann SoundValue ALCo S-2...
"I reviewed the NCE Power Cab manual and downloaded a copy of the Bachmann Sound Value ALCO S-2 CV’s. Since I had already changed the locomotive address to match the road number, I used the “PROGRAMMING ON THE MAIN” mode. First thing I wanted to change was the bell ring rate. Several videos I’ve seen of actual S-2’s, the bell rang at a faster rate than the model did. Easy enough; select the proper CV - CV114 and changed it from default of 04 to new value of 03 . I also lowered the bell volume by changing CV130 from default of 60 to 50. Next, I changed the horn from the default WABCO E-2 to a Nathan P3 by selecting CV115 and changing it from default 00 to 03. So far, so good…
As we all know, ALCO’s with the 539 Turbo prime mover had a very distinctive sound, due mostly to the turbocharger. In the default setting, the turbo revs increased at Speed Steps 1, 7, 14, 21, etc. Since the locomotive will be run a switching speeds, I wanted the turbo sounds to rev up a bit sooner in reference to the Speed Step. With a little help from bapguy on the Bachmann forums, I reset CV116 from its default of 39 a number of times to different values, eventually settling on a value of 03. This resulted in turbo sound windup at Speed Steps 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, etc. Just what I was looking for. You can also set it for manual notching by resetting CV116 to 00 and using function key F1 to rev up and F0 to notch down, but for now we’re going to leave it on auto.
The last thing I did was to run a speed vs. Speed Step test. I did this by timing the locomotive as it ran through a 36” long “speed trap.” Increasing Speed Step from 0 to 1 has the locomotive creeping along at a scale 2.5mph. Step 2 brought the loco up to 4mph and step 3, to about 5.5mph; step 6 equaled 10mph; step 10, 15mph; step 13, 20mph and step 20, 30mph. As the TSE is an industrial switching layout, I don’t see the need to run any faster than that."
This is the link to the downloadable PDF for the ALCo S-2 SoundValue decoder CV's
http://www.soundtraxx.com/factory/OEM%20..._s2_sv.pdf