Hi everyone,

Another new sound project, a diesel this time. A Hymek.

All new recordings and some new control features

Avant d'accéder à YouTube

Available from Digitrains as usual, or as a re-blow from me direct.

Kind regards,

Paul

Hi Paul. What make is the Hymek? It sounds great. I have a Heljan Class 35, but there is not much room for a sound chip and speaker.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Thanks. Glad you like it.

It's a Heljan 00 gauge, just like yours I imagine.

The one in the video has a single speaker in the fuel tank, but I have another which has 3 speakers. Plenty of room if you know where to look. Wink!

There will be a 'step by step' photoguide in next month's Hornby Magazine, issue 93, explaining how to install sound to a hejan Hymek, illustrated with several different speaker combinations.

I note you are not in the UK but you can get the magazine electronically.

Kind regards,

Paul

I've been asked about this a few times here and elsewhere so I thought I would post the draft User Notes so you can see what this sound project will provide.

 

 

Class 35 ProtoDrive V15.1

Please spend a few moments to read these notes which have been produced so that you may obtain the maximum satisfaction from your new sound scheme.

The sounds should work perfectly when the decoder is fitted correctly. Individual locos may require some fine tuning that you can achieve with your DCC controller.

What is ProtoDrive?

This is a system developed to allow more prototypical sounds to be deployed across a wide range of operating conditions.

The sounds have been programmed in such a way that you, the user, may change the way that the sounds respond to your driving style or needs. This avoids the need for reprogramming and all the additional costs that would imply.

 

 

Engine Start Up.

 

The largely aluminium engine needs careful preparation before starting, principally the use of a pre-heater to warm the whole engine. A ‘ship - to – shore’ electricity supply is used to heat the engine coolant, which is circulated by a pump. This process could take a couple of hours or more. This is impractical (and unnecessary) with our models, but the sound of the pre-heater is incorporated in the sound project, on F13.

 

Engage F13 and leave it latched to run the pre-heater.

 

Prior to cranking the engine, the primer should be operated for between one and two minutes.

 

Release F13, and when the pre-heater sound changes to that of the Primer (and begins to fade out) engage F14 for a representative duration.

 

Release F14 and immediately engage F1 to start the engine.

 

Of course, you can choose to avoid these preparations and just fire it up with F1.

 

Throttle Response Scheme.

As supplied, the decoder will produce the sounds of a Class 35 with a train on the hook.

After the start-up routine the loco will stand with the diesel engine, the Prime Mover (PM), ticking over at idle.

The sounds will respond to the throttle control in the following way:

Select speed step 1. The brakes will release, the PM will increase power to get the loco moving, and will continue until at higher speed, a further ramp up will be initiated until the final high speed running sounds begin. The precise speed steps will depend upon your model, so I suggest you make a note of the actual figures for your later use.

The sounds will spool down at similar points on deceleration.

In this, custom version, there are extra control features to further enhance your driving pleasure.

 

Coasting

No matter what actual speed your model is travelling at, or which engine note range is playing, reducing the throttle by 10 speed steps (of 128) will spool down the engine sounds to ‘Coasting’

The coasting sound will continue until you accelerate; at which point the sounds will change to those relevant to the current speed.

Alternatively, to force the engine to play idling sounds, or to avoid engine ramp up when pottering about the yard, use F6 at any time

 

Notch Down

During any driving sound ‘loop’, at any speed, it is possible to cause the engine power to spool down to the level immediately below. This is easily achieved by reducing the speed by one step only E.g., if the loco is playing power band 3 sounds, reducing speed with your throttle by one step will cause the sound to immediately spool down to the sound of power band 2, if in power band 1, it will spool down to idle.

Acceleration of one speed step or more will immediately ramp the sound back up to the higher power. So you can now, at any road speed, vary the engine note by reducing or adding a single speed step.

 

Thrash Mode

The default setting is for ‘heavy train’. Inertia is high so acceleration (and deceleration) is restricted.

Activated by F5, this enables multi-function changes with one key. The switched features include reduced inertia setting to allow more rapid acceleration.

F5 can be operated at any speed to give another way in which the engine sounds at a given road speed may be modified instantly.

Thrash mode uses a separate set of sounds and controls specifically designed to get your loco thrashing at full bore from very low speeds, ideal for heavy trains on short layouts (but great fun anywhere).

These are accessed automatically when you engage F5 and work similarly to the other driving scheme, except that the engine reaches full thrash more directly. Speed Step 1 will begin loco movement and a simultaneous ramp up to full power thrash which will then continue at all higher speeds.

Even the most enthusiastic thrashers amongst us like a quieter period now and again, A reduction of 1 speed step or more can be used to put the sounds into ‘coast’.

It’s now down to your skill and knowledge to simulate any eventuality!

 

Note. This works best if you switch F5 on or off whilst the engine sounds are playing in idle. Once switched, you can leave it that way, but any further change should also be made with the engine sound again playing the idle loop. Just to be clear, the actual speed is unimportant, but the engine sound must be idling. You can achieve this in several ways as discussed above.

 

 Dynamic Inertia

Flipping the throttle quickly to high speed steps will automatically reduce the initial inertia in either Heavy or Thrash modes. This means that the model will accelerate 3 times more quickly from standing than if the throttle is gradually opened. This is automatic, no F keys are involved.

 

 

Brakes

F2 will give the sound of air brake applications. They can be ‘dabbed’ or held for varying length. The sound will respond accordingly.

However, if the throttle is reduced beforehand, as a real driver would do before braking, a braking force will be applied which will continue to increase the longer F2 is held. Short dabs will provide speed trimming, held down continuously will result in a controlled ‘Emergency Stop’.

 

Shunt Mode

 

Inertia and momentum are reduced to zero plus speed is halved.

Shunt mode in on F Key 20

 

Live Volume Control

Provide the sound is switched on and the ‘fade’ button is not active, it is possible to change the overall  volume to suit changing needs.

Engage F27 and the sound levels will gradually reduce, eventually to silence

Engage F28 and the sound levels will gradually increase, eventually to maximum.

In each case, disengage the F key when the desired level is attained. Set F27 and F28 as ‘momentary’ if your DCC controller allows you to do so.

Note: If the volume controls appear to not function, check that F19, F27 and F28 are disengaged before making a further attempt.

 

Function List





































































































 

 

 

Paul Chetter

Lincoln

10^th January 2015

 

That's an impressive reply Paul! Very taken with the sound, I also listened to your P2 sound which is very close to an A4 I suspect?
I rand the shop and they say it's taking 3-4 weeks to get a sound chip etc fitted, is that right?

Cheers
Ron

Ron,

That's the type of documentation you get with my sound projects, but usually, the Functions List formatting is much easier to read. Lol.

The lads from Digitrains will be attending shows for the next 7 weekends in a row. So that's packing the van and travelling on Friday, attending shows Saturday and Sunday then travelling home. Monday is taken up with unloading the van and post show matters arising etc.

So that leaves 3 days out of which the person who does the installations as well as running the shop etc, takes a day off.

On that basis, I think 3-4 weeks is an honest assessment.

If time is of the essence, I can install sound for you at similar rates. I'm near Lincoln.

If you want to discuss further, use the PM button at the top of this post to message me and I'll help all I can.

Kind regards,

Paul

That's fair comment Paul, I'm hopefully taking the Bachmann A4 to the Doncaster show next weekend and I'll leave it with them. I haven't got my layout started yet , never mind building the shed to house it!! With this weather it may be some time so it is not of the essence! Thanks for the reply and keep up the good work :):)

Cheers
Ron

Paul is it possible to get 'clanking' sound on when the throttle is closed, ie: coasting?
Remember most loco's seem to clank a lot when freewheeling or reversing??

[user=1775]g0ibi[/user] wrote:

Paul is it possible to get 'clanking' sound on when the throttle is closed, ie: coasting?
Remember most loco's seem to clank a lot when freewheeling or reversing??

I'll be mooching around at Donny.

Coasting is for diesels, steam locos 'Drift'. Is clanking possible? Most of my steam projects do, and you can adjust the volume to suit your tastes/needs.

The Digitrains A4 is one of my projects

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=10040&forum_id=99#p182736

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=13076&forum_id=99#p231759

Thank you, I am reasonably familiar with steam locos and the sounds they make. Ha ha.

Paul

Very impressed Paul, and I bow to your greater wisdom of course! :)
Hope to meet you at Doncaster on Saturday..

Thanks
Ron