# multipul sound cards.



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What if one wanted to run say......Three SD-45s in a consist. Can you run three sound cards from the same decoder? 

Anyone ever done this ?

JJ


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

JJ, 

Why? The lead loco would need function controls while the others for the most part only need noise. 

I have a four unit F series consist with the lead engine under full lighting, horn, bell and sound control while the other units have Sierra sound cards for engine noise functions only. 

Michael


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I am thinking it would sound like three engines.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

JJ, I don't see any reason you couldn't have three sound boards. I would want sound triggers for each one so they are not perfectly in tune with each other. You just need enough power to make all three boards work. All three could pull power off the one decoder.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Indeed, but control of three sound cards from a single decoder is likely unnecessary. I’d suggest the ability to drive multiple sound cards would be a function of the specific decoder utilized and whether or not the card in-play could provide adequate sinking current to drive multiple cards via its SUSI interface. 

The units behind the lead engine in my consist are coupled to the power source and engine power only. 

What sound and wireless decoder equipment are you proposing? 

Do prototype railroads power the steps and such on secondary engine/consists? 

Michael


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

As I see it the problem with sound triggers of each engine is you'd want the ability to turn the functionality off when lashed up in a consist. Only the lead engine fires its horn or bell. So engine noise is all that’s required of the secondary power. Of course the ability to fire or start-up each engine individually would be a desirable attribute for the purist I suspect. And of course having the smoke system throttle coupled as well would be neat!

Michael


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I was running my USA pa/pb off of 1 QSI/G-wire, but Greg E. said it wasn't a good idea, too much load on one decoder. He suggested one in each unit. Regal


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Need to hear from JJ to clarify. 

What one decoder runs several sound cards? The only example I can think of is Airwire's decoders, that actually have a DCC output to run a DCC sound card 

Yes, the new G2 has much more output on this DCC output connector, and you could probably run 3 sound cards, although we need to check the current draw of the cards first. 

And I run sound cards in all my locos, not just the lead engine. 

Of course, since I run real DCC, when the locos are consisted, only the lead loco's horn fires off... and the bell... just like how the lights will work differently in a consist automatically.. 

Greg


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By John J on 09 Oct 2011 07:26 PM 
What if one wanted to run say......Three SD-45s in a consist. Can you run three sound cards from the same decoder? 

Anyone ever done this ?

JJ 


If you run AirWire and you use battery power, and you are powering all 3 engines with the same battery and AW board, (as I do with my 2 Geeps) if you use 3 seperate boards you would have to program the sound of the bell and whistle off or low so you would not get the sounds from all three speakers in all of the engines.... just the front engine would have the sound of the bell and whistle up. But you would want the other sounds still active in the other 2 locos...but they would all be doing the same sound at the same time....as would be the case if you used only 1 board for all of the engines..(again as I do....not optimum but I am OK with it)

Your not really using the AW board to run the other 2 boards, they would be passive, except to be able to hear the change in the diesel sound/votage... 

The only one that would take commands is the leading engine....I think it could be done the same way with the REVO....as long as you set the sound board in #2, and #3 engine the same way whistle and bell either low or off...I think it would work.....the only thing with the AW the leading engines sound board would be back in your battery car, but the other engines would have the boards wired in to that engines power.

Really what other commands will be sent except for the sounds that the board has..I do not connect my lights on my diesels just my steamers..and I think JJ and I run our stuff the same way....forward.... reverse.... stop..... toot....ring.
Pretty much it for me! 

Of course I only use AW and Phoenix..Revo and any OTHER sound boards I would not know if this combo would work..but the earlier mentioned will work...but I really think it would work the same way with the Revo and Phoenix.

Did I miss something?

Bubba


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

When driving across country at night, I did notice the step lights were on for all engines in a consist when hauling freight.


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

Posted By Dan Pierce on 10 Oct 2011 05:41 AM 
When driving across country at night, I did notice the step lights were on for all engines in a consist when hauling freight. 

That's very common, but not (on NS, at least) a requirement. The step lights are controlled by switches in the cab, along with all the other lights (cab dome & reading lights, number boards, engine room light, etc.). Some engineers like to have every light on, some like the step lights on, some like them dark.

If I know I'll be running at night, I like to have the front number boards on (all others off) and all the step lights on. I tend to leave the walkway lights (on old Southern units) turned off. If the engine has them, I like my switch lights on on the lead unit, and sometimes on the rear (so that I can see where it is relative to a switch I may be pulling past). I know one engineer who wants EVERY light on on every locomotive in his consist, because he once had a conductor severely beaten by a trespasser on a rear unit late one night.


In my wilder moments, I have contemplated wiring the function outputs of a decoder so that I can control every light that the prototype had, just as I can do on the real thing. Seems like a lot of work for what would really only be something to show off.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

John... Using a Phoenix sound card, you can put a speaker in the unit one and 3 and have almost the same effect with a lot less cost. There is even a diagram for putting a speaker in each of the 3 units.

Phoenix Speaker Diagrams


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

What I was thinking was a solution for JJ, or at least the ONLY question JJ asked, to wit: "Can you run three sound cards from the same decoder?" 

If you ran 3 Phoenix cards from an AW G2 board, and if the G2 put out enough current (I think it can), THEN you program the lead loco sound board normally, and disable the horn and bell in the other 2 locos. 

JJ, I will tell you that having nice sound in all the locos in a consist is very cool, and you can tell the difference from 10 feet away and more. 

I have them in my three E8's and I love it. 

(Stan your suggestion makes the horn and bell come from the trailing loco, that does sound funny, I've tried it) 


Greg


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

JJ, more info please. Would all three locos be powered units or two dummies. If you are talking Airwire and say Phoenix it should work. Just set the second two Phoenix units to slave mode. That would stop the Bell and horn. The Phoenix P8's are powered by a direct power connection and get their DCC info from the decoder DCC output,so I don't think power would be an issue. You would need a four wire connection between units. Or,you could just use extra speakers powered from the lead unit if the sound unit could handle it. Though,with this setup the bell and horn would sound in all units.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

JJ, is this another thread where you ask a question and then disappear? Like the "tolerances on gauge" thread? 

Greg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I guess it is.... (see above)


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