SoundBytes March 26, 2013

On a more personal, lighter side of SoundTraxx, we wanted to share a couple of trips that George and Jarrette went on that we think would be fun and interest people in the model railroad community. First was George’s trip to Ohio where he visited the Warther Museum. Next was a quick, one-day visit in Phoenix where both George and Jarrette toured Jarrette’s old stomping grounds in the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona, and then took in a good NHL head-to-head meeting between Jarrette’s Phoenix Coyotes and George’s Dallas Stars.


George’s Vacation Trip to The Warther Museum, Dover, Ohio
George was out visiting the in-laws in Ohio a month ago. While there, they took him to a really cool museum in Dover, Ohio. The Warther Museum is a testament to the wood carving talents of Ernest “Mooney” Warther, and his love for trains.

While not a traditional train museum, this was one of the more interesting museums George has been to. These wood and ivory carvings done by hand were every bit as detailed as any models available today. These models were designed to move, showing the intricate workings of the steam locomotives’ side rods and valve gearing. Even the valve handle on the trainline air hose moved, and was hand carved! All of the text written about each loco, as well as the roadname, was carved out of ivory, and then an equivalent recession was carved into the side of the tender and wood base. The text was then inserted inside, with almost no visible imperfections.

The workmanship and attention to detail that was put into these models is nothing short of astounding. Mr. Warther had carved the Lincoln Funeral Train with the interior fully detailed, including a carved side door key hanging on a hook over the sink!

If you are in the Columbus area, this is a trip well worth the time. You can find out more about the museum, and the cutlery business Mr. Warthers started, at http://warthers.com/

A Visit to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, Scottsdale, Arizona
On Friday, March 8, George and Jarrette headed to Phoenix, Arizona. They arrived late Friday night, just in time to get some dinner and rest for the full day planned on Saturday.
Saturday morning came quickly and they headed off to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park (http://therailroadpark.com/) in Scottsdale, Arizona. This park houses a 10,000 sq. ft. model railroad exhibit hall housing three model railroad clubs in O, HO (http://scottsdalemrhs.org/) and N scale (http://www.sun-n-sand.org/Pages/default.aspx). There is also live steam in 7 ½” gauge and 15” available for rides around the park grounds.

After a lap or two around the 15” gauge train, George and Jarrette settled in for the afternoon at the Scottsdale Live Steam Club’s 7 ½” gauge tracks (http://www.scottsdalelivesteamers.com/) where they rode and ran trains and caught up with some friends.

This was George’s first time actually running a live steam loco, and he was really proud in that he kept the loco working at an even speed and did not build up too much steam and allow the safety pop-off valve spew steam in the air!
Next they were off to watch some National Hockey League hockey action at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. They had great seats behind the visiting Dallas Stars’ goal.

After a great game, the Phoenix Coyotes pulled off a 2-1 win in a fun-filled evening.
After a great day in Phoenix, it was back home to Durango, Colorado, on Sunday.

Dealer Spotlight: North Idaho Model Trains, Sandpoint, Idaho
North Idaho Model Trains is located in Sandpoint, Idaho, and is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Sean and Wendy. North Idaho Model Trains is an Internet and word-of-mouth success story!

What began as a hobby (many, many years ago) for Sean turned into a business as he realized that there are many fellow model railroaders in need of technical assistance when it came to DCC, sound, and lights.
In this digital age, their business serves everywhere and anywhere. As a full-service dealer, they offer almost everything needed to complete your trains and layouts, including SoundTraxx decoders and Blackstone Models locomotives and rolling stock, as well as accessories and landscape material. Their specialty is installing SoundTraxx decoders using LEDs to help their clients achieve the most realistic looking and sounding model trains available. Many modelers send them their favorite model trains from all over the USA, Canada, and as far away as Australia, to have upgrades completed. When they had an opportunity to expand the business to Australia, Sean and Wendy jumped at the chance. A family friend, Pat, approached Sean about the need for model trains supplies at reasonable prices in the “Land of Oz,” and so they partnered up with Pat to expand North Idaho Model Trains’ services across the globe.
As a modeler and railfan, Sean enjoys their home in the woods, which shares a border with the UP Railroad, and is within viewing distance of the BNSF ‘High Line’ mainline. It’s a train fan’s paradise!
You can call them in the States at (208) 360-7990 or check in at their website at www.northidahomodeltrains.com, as well as on Facebook. In Australia, contact Pat at 0432524783. They will be happy to help you with your next install.

Tech Tip: Soldering
One of the key skills used in decoder installation is soldering. It is a seemingly simple task, but yet there are many aspects to this fine art that will help ease the installation.
The first step is having the proper tools for soldering. Many modelers may have solder guns for plumbing work, or a resistance soldering station for use with brass model work. While these may be effective tools for the given tasks, they do not work well with fine electronics. There are many different soldering irons available out there, but it’s best to have one for electronics with variable temperature control and a fine tip for precise work.

Next are the key ingredients, such as solder and flux. Again, as with soldering irons, there are many different types of solder and flux. The best solder to get is a fine (.032”) rosin core solder to give more control over the amount of solder in the joints. Smaller diameter solder means less solder on your joint and a more professional appearance. Flux is not a necessary thing to use (with rosin-core solder), but it is highly recommended to help make a better joint. It is very important to use the correct flux for electronic work. Flux designed for plumbing and brass model building (such as Tix, a popular brand) have high acidic composition and can attack components on the decoder circuit board, ultimately causing random component failures. We cannot stress enough the importance of using solder and flux that is designed specifically for electronics.
The process for a good, reliable solder joint is simple. First is to tin any stranded wires involved. To tin the end of a wire, twist the wire strands until they are tight with no stray strands. Add a little bit of flux to the wire with the end of a small screwdriver, a toothpick if using paste flux or a small brush or needle if using liquid flux. Then with a hot iron (Around 700 degrees Fahrenheit), take the solder and just touch a bit to the tip of the iron to form a small liquid ball of solder. (This is not a case of “if a little is good, a lot is better!”)

Simply touch the wire end to the tip of the iron and the flux will draw the hot solder into the joint, securing the end for joining to the PC board or other wire. You do not need to hold the iron there for more than a second or two, or you will begin to melt the plastic wire insulation, exposing more of the bare wire. Excessive exposed wire can be accidentally touched in places inside the model that could cause shorts or eventual decoder failure.
To make the joint to the PC board, take the wire into the hole on the PC board tab and bend to help hold it in place. Again, apply a bit of flux to the joint. Then place a small bit of solder to the tip of the iron and touch to the joint.

Just hold the iron to the joint for a second or two; the flux helps makes quick work of the job. You can trim any excess wire protruding from the joint if desired.
One good thing to have handy when soldering is a wet sponge. This is used to help keep the tip of the iron clean and free of excess solder. After soldering your connection, brush the tip of the iron along the wet sponge and it will cool the solder and draw it off the tip, leaving you a clean tip for the next joint. Excessive solder not only can make the joints look bad, but it can also cause premature wear of the soldering tip. When done soldering after your install, it is best to put a bit of solder on the end of the iron to help preserve the life of the tip.
For more details on soldering, check out our document “SoundTraxx’ Guide to Successful Soldering” at http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/soldering%20guide.pdf

SoundBytes March 7th, 2013

Spring is around the corner here at SoundTraxx and we continue to have lots of exciting things going on. In the beginning of 2013, we announced the new GenSet decoders and we are pleased to inform you that they are now shipping. We also have officially launched our first customer e-newsletter, SoundBits. Combining this with our blog, Facebook and Twitter, it is our hope to help give you, our customer, as many opportunities to connect with SoundTraxx and Blackstone Models on a more personal level and help you be informed specifically what we have going on here in Durango. Our dealer spotlight will focus on TrainWorld / TrainLand in New York and our Tech Tip will dive deeper into the details of programming decoders by taking a closer look at Programming on the Main.

GenSet Decoders are Now Shipping
After much work, the new TSU-AT1000 for the Atlas HO GenSet is now shipping. These properly reproduce the prototypical operation of the complex units. If you are looking for the best sound option for your HO models, be sure to get one on order and/or installed by your local hobby shop.

P.N. 828036 TSU-AT1000 for Cummins QSK10C x3 (Genset) MSRP $99.95

GenSet Addendum: http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/genset_userguide_addendum.pdf

GenSet Sound Sample: http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/showwistle.php?s=qsk19cx3 

Customer e-Newsletter, SoundBits
The first customer e-newsletter, SoundBits, went out March 1, 2013. This e-newsletter will help keep you informed about new products, announcements, catalog releases, new application notes (installation documents) and other general SoundTraxx and Blackstone Models news. You can subscribe to this newsletter by sending an email to customernews@soundtraxx.com

Dealer Spotlight: TrainWorld/TrainLand in NY
www.trainworld.com

Fans of the hit HBO series “The Soprano’s” may recognize this month's featured retailer, TrainLand, one of the hobby stores started by the late Peter Bianco. The Lynbrook, New York, location set the scene where character Bobby Baccala, a model train aficionado, was “whacked” in the show’s 85th episode, “The Blue Comet.”

TrainLand is Peter’s second store, which he opened with his wife, Aileen, in 1976. They purchased the building for their first store, TrainWorld, in 1973 on M Avenue in Brooklyn. As the company grew and a prosperous mail order business propelled them to the next level, Peter and Aileen purchased a bigger piece of property and relocated to 751 McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn. The attainment of TrainLand helped build their retail division and increased their presence as a major hobby shop in New York. With the properties in place, TrainWorld/TrainLand has over 50,000 square feet of warehouse space.

Prior to establishing his hobby businesses, Peter cut hair as a well-known beautician in Brooklyn. However, Peter had another love -- collecting trains. The thrill of the hunt was an exuberating adventure for Peter, who realized that he could profit from the collectible Lionel trains he found at garage sales, train shows, and newspaper ads. Making great profits through the sales he made and money he saved up through the beauty salon, Peter envisioned creating a magical toy train hobby shop, and with determination, he and Aileen took a chance and opened TrainWorld.

Inevitably, Peter’s children went into the train business -- Anthony Bianco (shipping); Ken Bianco Sr. (manager); and Diane Napilatano (sales). Recently some of the third-generation kids have entered into the business too, including Ken Bianco Jr., Paul Bianco Jr., Nicky Napolitano and Vinny Napolitano. Ken Jr. expanded their DCC products and brought in the SoundTraxx line, which he says are “some of the best sound decoders on the market.”

“We have noticed a flight to quality in the train industry,” continues Ken Jr. “Our customers want the best for their layout and SoundTraxx is well-known by all. Our sales in SoundTraxx has increased by tenfold and our customers are glad we are carrying their decoders.”

TrainWorld                                                  Trainland

751 McDonald Ave.                                    293 Sunrise Hwy.
Brooklyn, NY 11218                                   Lynbrook, NY 11563
(800) 541-7010                                          (516) 599-7080

Tech Tip: Programming on Main
Last time we discussed in detail programming CVs using the programming track. This time, we’ll get into the details on using the Programming on the Main (Operations Mode, Ops Mode) option.
There are many conflicting ideas about the realities and myths of using the mainline to program decoders. Some individuals and clubs forbid this practice, while others embrace the technology. To help, let’s clarify what it means to program on the mainline and how it can work for you, as well as dispel some of the misconceptions about it.
The biggest misunderstanding is that programming on the mainline will reprogram all locos on the layout with the new changes, therefore cause undesired or disastrous results. This is simply not true. When sending out a programming command on the mainline, the command station (CS) first sends out an address command, indicating which loco(s) will listen to the programming command. In this light, it is no different than sending out a function command, like blowing the whistle. Only the loco with the designated address selected in the programming process on your throttle or CS will respond and accept any programming changes that come next in the DCC packet. For example, when using the NCE throttle to program, the second step (after selecting “Programming on the Main”) is to select the loco address to which the commands will be sent.

This eliminates the possibility that all locos will be changed forever. Be sure to reference your DCC system’s instructions, as there is the possibility on some systems to turn the entire mainline into a programming track, which will then behave as we discussed last post.
One of the biggest advantages of Ops Mode Programming, especially with the sound decoders, is you can instantly hear or see the changes you made in the decoder’s behavior. When using the programming track, especially for volume controls, you’d have to remember how it sounded as you switch from programming track to mainline, which may not be located near each other.

It is also possible to program the address using Mainline Programming. Many systems allow you to do this by simply selecting “Address” after selecting “Programming on Main” and the loco number. Be careful with this option when using a Tsunami decoder, as it will not allow you to make changes to the address type that is active. What this means is that you can change the default short (2-digit, primary, 1-127) address to a long (4-digit, extended 0001-9999) address on the mainline, but you cannot change a short address to another short address. For example if you wanted to set the address from the default address of 3 to another short address of 20, the decoder will reject it. But if you wanted to change the default address of 3 to a long address of 1896, the decoder will accept it. With over 200 CVs, this helps prevent you from possibly losing command of your loco if you incorrectly input a number into the throttle or CS. You also can change a long address to a short address on the mainline. This allows you to ‘work around’ the short address to another short address on the mainline by first programming in an arbitrary long address (e.g. loco 1000) gain control of your loco, and then change the address again to the new desired short address. If something does not take, or you do lose control of the loco, a programming track with a PTB-100 booster will allow you to regain control of the loco because the programming track commands are not address-specific. It also makes constructing loco consists on the fly much easier by simply changing a few CVs during the simulated time it would take for the railroad crew to connect any MU hoses and cables on the real locomotives!

Programming on the Mainline is available in most DCC systems. Some are on the throttles while others are only on the base station or the CS. Once you become more familiar with using this option, it will not only become easier, but also make running your railroad more fun!

SoundBytes February 15, 2013

Hard to believe we are already halfway through February and we have lots to talk about this post. Here at SoundTraxx we have a much-anticipated announcement for a new sound file and we have been working on a few new install documents for the decoder selector. Last for our Tech Tip, we’ll discuss the different modes of programming, starting with Service Mode or programming on the programming track.

New Decoder Announcement: TSU-AT1000 for NRE GenSet Locomotives

There have been many requests for a proper sound decoder for the NRE GenSet 3GS21-B Switchers, recently released by Atlas Models. We are pleased to say that we have been working hard on this project to faithfully mimic the operation of the prototype GenSet Switchers. This new decoder will be available in the TSU-AT1000 format, perfect as a drop-in decoder for the Atlas model. The Atlas model comes with prototypical front and rear non-flashing ditch lights that will easily utilize the decoder’s four lighting functions.

Each GenSet prime mover will have its own sound channel that will startup at the proper throttle notch, completely independently of the others, and will rev up and down based on the throttle use and remain on as the loco is used. After use at idle, a timer starts to count and shuts down the second and third GenSet engines as they “cool down.” This independent control of each GenSet engine is what makes this loco unique. You can pre-order yours from your favorite hobby shop now.

The sound sample can be found here: http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/1000at.php#bot

Application Notes for Athearn Models

We have been working hard to get more installation documents up and listed on our website. These can be found in the Decoder Selector section. This month, we have posted the Athearn Genesis HO SD70MAC. This model uses the TSU-GN1000 for EMD 710 (P.N. 828052) and our small oval (16mm x 35mm) speaker (P.N. 810113).

Athearn Genesis HO SD70MAC Application Note: http://www.soundtraxx.com/documents/appnotes/athearn_sd70mac.pdf

Also, we have added one for the Athearn Ready-To-Roll HO GP35. This model uses the TSU-AT1000 for EMD 567D Turbo (P.N. 828039) and our small oval (16mm x 35mm) speaker (P.N. 810113).

Athearn Ready-To-Roll HO GP35 Application Note: http://www.soundtraxx.com/documents/appnotes/athearn_gp35.pdf

Last, we added the Athearn Ready-To-Roll HO CF-7. This model uses the TSU-AT1000 for EMD 567 (P.N. 828040) and our small oval (16mm x 35mm) speaker (P.N. 810113).

Athearn Ready-To-Roll HO CF-7 Application Note: http://www.soundtraxx.com/documents/appnotes/athearn_cf7.pdf

All of these decoders and speakers are available to ship now.

Tech Tip: Service Mode Programming

With all the discussion on programming tutorials, it seems that the methods can sometimes be overlooked in the process. In the next couple of posts, we’ll share a bit about service mode programming and operations mode programming to set the CVs and the advantages of each method. Starting this time, we’ll look closely at service mode programming using the programming track.

The programming track is an isolated section of track that is designed to communicate programming commands to a decoder. Any loco/decoder on this section of track will accept any programming changes sent from the DCC system. The command station (CS) sends a programming command and the decoder listens and makes the CV changes accordingly. When the decoder acknowledges that is has accepted the change, it then sends a pulse of power to the motor. The CS then detects this small surge of current on the track and relays that it has been programmed okay. If there is not a motor hooked up to the decoder, the command is still obeyed, but the CS will not get the acknowledgement pulse due to the open circuit. This is why many modelers will opt to use a small resistor across the motor leads to simulate the motor load, and consequently the decoder’s acknowledgement pulse.

Programming on the programming track is helpful because you do not need to know the decoder’s address, you can easily make changes, or you can easily regain control of a decoder whose address is not known.
The programming track also allows you to read a CV value, but this is not accomplished as one would expect. To read a CV value, the CS and the decoder play a game of “256 Questions.” The game goes like this: “Is the value of CV# 0?… Is the value of CV# 255?… Is the value of CV# 1?…2?….3?….…254? When the decoder wants to answer “Yes,” the decoder then sends a pulse of power to the motor circuit for the CS to detect a small surge in current. The surge of current is read as a positive answer to the value in question, and the answer is displayed in the CS screen. If there is no motor, or load across the motor leads, the decoder can never be read.

Service mode programming also was designed to be used as a test-bed for decoder installations before going to the mainline. The power on the programming track was set to about ½ power to help protect any faulty wiring from causing permanent damage to the decoder. At the time, non-sound mobile decoders were all that was available, so this worked well. Simply send a programming command and if the decoder accepted the programming, it was ready for the mainline! Now with sound--using the SoundTraxx Tsunami--becoming more dominant in the industry, the lower power available on the programming track is not quite sufficient to “wake up” the higher-powered processors on the sound decoder for programming. This warrants the need of a PTB-100 or Programming Track Booster. Our PTB-100 will amplify the signal on the programming track to allow sound decoders to now reliably read and write CVs on the programming track. It also offers short-circuit protection against faulty wiring to protect the delicate electronics involved, so it does not need to be removed when programming non-sound decoders.

 The PTB-100 also will indicate the stages of the programming process, so you can easily see that the decoder is acknowledging the programming and reading commands. It easily hooks up between the CS and the programming track, so you can set it up once and be done. More information on the PTB-100 can be found here: http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/ptb100.php   

Next time, we’ll look at programming on the mainline, also known as operation mode, and its advantages.

SoundBytes, January 17, 2013

Happy 2013!

It’s hard to believe it’s 2013 already! With the New Year, we’d like to thank each of you for helping make 2012 another successful year! We are looking to the future, so help us make 2013 our best ever! We have our new state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment in place and operational. With this in place, we can shift our sights to the future.

Its NFL Playoffs again, and this year, the New England Patriots and again hosting the Baltimore Ravens.  This year, in anticipation of the event, we had some fun at the office ganging up on Allison and her lone 'paid' Ravens supporter! 

In this post, we’ll say goodbye to a member of the SoundTraxx family, finish our Tech Tip discussion on consist lighting and we’ll visit Yankee Dabbler’s new store in New Jersey.

Farewell and Good Luck!
One of our employees, Rebecca Balboni, decided to leave the fold here at SoundTraxx and pursue a pro cycling career. She has competed across the states and has had great finishes. As she leaves to train, we are hoping to see her at the Olympics in Rio in 2016. If you are interested, you can follow her progress from her blog at http://www.rebeccabalboni.com/  

Customer Newsletter

Starting this month, we will be sending out an official customer newsletter. This will be similar to the blog, but more specifically SoundTraxx and Blackstone Models news only. You can sign up by sending an email to customernews@soundtraxx.com.

Upcoming Show: Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show, Jan. 26 & 27, Eastern States Expo FairgroundsWest Springfield, MA

www.railroadhobbyshow.com/

We’re excited to head east for the Railroad Hobby Show! Find us in the Better Living Center, Sec. 27, Tables D, E and F. Just look for the big helium balloon! At the show, we’ll have rebate cards available for customers who purchase select SoundTraxx and Blackstone Models products that weekend.

Dealer Spotlight: Yankee Dabbler

Yankee Dabbler has been a strong dealer for SoundTraxx products since April 2009. As a full-line hobby supplier, they have been appearing at shows and selling on the Internet for many years. Now, Bob and his son Mike have opened a new retail store in Bellmawr, NJ.

Catering to the seasoned modeler, this full-line hobby shop is filled with your critical model railroad needs, including SoundTraxx, and soon Blackstone Models! They are located at 101 West Kings Highway in Bellmawr and are open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contact them at (856) 312-8084 and they are always open on the web at www.yankeedabbler.com.

Tech Tip: Lighting for a Consist, Part Deux
Last post, we took a moment to understand how consists are set up using CV 19, 21 and 22. This time, we will look at the lighting specifically and see how this method can be used to better enhance the lighting.

First, let’s look at what lights could be on display of any loco. For all locos, there is the headlight and reverse light. Also in the diesel era, there are auxiliary warning lights, such as Mars light, rotary beacon and ditch lights. As the Tsunami can do all of these and more, the key is to determine which function (F0f, FX5, etc) does what and how these lights are displayed on the loco, or group of locos. For an example for this exercise, we’ll use two locos: a lead loco with ditch lights, and a trailing loco with a rotary beacon.

Lead loco needs to be set up for the lights to operate consistently. For alternating ditch lights, it is common to assign them to a single function button so that they both turn on and off together. In this example we’ll select F5. To do this, a few CVs need to be set, CVs 39, 40, 51, 52. CV39 controls what happens when F5 is active. Since we want both ditch lights on F5, set CV39 to 6 (2 + 4). Since CV40 governs F6, we’ll set that to 0. After this, F5 will illuminate both ditch lights, while pressing F6 will do nothing. To set up the alternating ditch lights, set CV51 to 41 and CV52 to 57 (See User’s Guide for details).

On the trailing loco, the rotary beacon will be set to F6. Typically, it would be wired up to the green wire, but if not, it can be reassigned by changing CVs using a similar method as outlined for the lead loco. Because we’ll assume it is wired to the green wire, the only CV programming for the lighting effects necessary on the trailing unit is to set up the rotary beacon. To accomplish this, set CV52 to 7.

CV49-52

To set up our consist, for this exercise, we’ll look at the lights only. Referring to Section 5.9.1 of the General Code of Railroad (GCOR) rulebook (also known as Rule 17), the lead loco should display the headlights on and dimmable, as well as the ditch lights on. The reverse light would not illuminate because it is facing into the rear unit. The trailing unit would display the reverse light, and optionally the rotary beacon (there is not a universal rule for warning devices, such as our rotary beacon on trailing units, so in this exercise, we will illuminate it because it looks cool. Refer to your prototype railroad’s rulebook for detailed information). Using the method described in our last post, we will set the CVs. First, select a consist address and assign CV19 accordingly. For the lead loco, set CV 21 to 86 (2 + 4 + 16 + 64) and set CV22 to 1. Now set up the trailing loco by setting CV21 to 96 (32 + 64) and CV 22 to 2.

CV21

CV22

Now activate F0, F5 and F6. Your headlight should be on when moving the consist forward, the ditch lights will be illuminated and the trailing loco’s beacon will be on. Pressing F7 will dim the headlight. Press the horn (F2) to initiate the alternating flashing ditch lights. Reverse direction and the headlight on the front unit will go out while the rearward facing light on the trailing unit will come on.

SoundBytes 12-13-12

The Holidays are upon us and it’s time for gifts! While our fellow modelers are collecting Tsunami sound decoders for that new loco they are getting, we have been getting gifts here too -- new SMT equipment to keep our assembly technology state-of-the-art! We’ll share some photos of us opening our early Christmas presents with you. Since we are focusing on our production floor, we’ll also introduce you to our Production Manager, Brad.

Holiday Hours
We will be closed the week of Christmas from Dec. 24 -28 and on New Year’s Day. We wish a safe and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our friends!

Brad Schulz: Production Manager
We are happy to introduce you to our Production Manager, Brad Schulz. Brad came to SoundTraxx from South Dakota where he worked in industrial electronics manufacturing making many of the big video screens at sports stadiums around the country.

Brad grew up in Montana with a love for the outdoors. He played football at Chadron State College in Nebraska and also earned a master’s degree in industrial management while working in South Dakota.
During his college football days, Brad played against Fort Lewis College, located here in Durango, and fell in love with the area. When we posted the job opening for a production manager, he jumped at the opportunity to live here full time!
Brad has been at SoundTraxx for 3 years. Since he has come on board, he has helped maintain steady stock levels to minimize backorders, and has lead the expansion of our production team from 5 to 12 people.

New Equipment! It’s Christmas in December!.. Oh… Wait…
Last week, we received a few new machines to improve our production process with the latest and greatest technologies.
For starters, we have a new oven. After the pick-and-place machines locate the components on the raw circuit boards, the panel (consisting of 12-20 decoders) then travels through the oven. This heats up the entire panel to melt the solder paste and permanently attach the components down to the board. The new oven is much bigger to allow better flow of the solder on the board to the components. This has the newest technologies to insure even and consistent soldering while being large enough to expand our production capacities.

Next is our new selective soldering machine. This machine is designed to solder larger solid components to the circuit board using through holes, so this no longer has to be performed by hand soldering. An example of this would be the large super-capacitor mounted on the lighting decoders for the Blackstone Models coaches and cabooses. This has a robotic arm that does the work for more predictable and consistent results.

Also, within a week, we will be receiving a flying probe tester. This machine will go around the circuit boards and electronically test each component to insure that it is the correct part, it is functioning, and that it performs properly in the circuit. This will not replace the functional test we perform on each decoder that allows us to know the decoder is operating as it should.

With the addition of these machines, we are proud to say that our automated decoder manufacturing process has now become lead-free. We are looking forward to the more streamlined manufacturing process and possible expansion capabilities these new machines will bring. By adding in the newest technologies to our process, you can be sure you are getting a quality-manufactured product from the United States!

Tech Tip: Lighting for a Consist, Part 1

This tech tip was requested at Trainfest in Milwaukee by a show attendee. To fully explain this feature, first we must understand how to set up advanced consists. Many command stations offer consist setup, but this is usually stored in the command station, and the function commands are sent to only the lead unit. Therefore, to have the consist of locos perform properly, as if a single loco, they need to be set up using an advanced consist.

First, look at the consist address, which is stored in CV19. This is a two-digit alias that the consist responds to. This is a number between 1 and 127. This address could be the last two digits of the lead loco, a train number on a timetable, a club member ID number, etc. This number is programmed into CV19. When the loco is facing backwards, add 128 to the address. (Ex. Consist 20 for a forward-facing loco would have 20 programmed into CV19, and a rear-facing loco would get 148 programmed in CV19. To control the locos, select loco 20 with the cab and run them together, even though they are facing opposite directions.)

Next, determine which locos are to do what functions based on their location in the consist. These are set using CVs 21 and 22. CV 21 activates F1 through F8,

while CV 22 activates F0f, F0r, and F9 through F12.

The location of the loco determines what functions are active. For an example of two locos consisted, the lead loco will have the headlight (F0f), bell (F1), horn and short horn (F2&3), dynamic brakes (F4), dim (F7) and mute (F8), and brakes (F11). For this example, we will not be using FX5 or 6, or manual notching. The trailing loco will have dynamic brakes (F4), mute (F8), brakes (F11) and the coupler (F12). Now determine the CV values. Following the chart for the lead loco, CV21 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 64 + 128, so enter a value of 207. CV22 = 1+16, so enter a value of 17. For the trailing loco, CV21 = 8+128, so enter a value of 136. CV22 = 16 + 32, so enter a value of 48. If you had a third loco in the middle, just leave out the coupler clank. This becomes fun, especially when all locos in the consist behave as if they are all one long loco!

Next post, we’ll look in depth at the lights for each loco in the consist.

SoundBytes 11-19-12

First, we want to wish a safe and happy Thanksgiving to all of our fans, customers, fellow modelers and hobby shop dealers. SoundTraxx will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22 and 23, so we can feast with our families and friends.

Trade show season is in full swing now. As the weather turns colder, trains are now taking center stage for hobbyists. We have our last show of 2012 coming up in the next month. Also, we’ve been out visiting stores and giving clinics.

Upcoming Show: Oklahoma City Train Show, Dec. 1-2, Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City
www.okctrainshow.com
We hope to see you at the Oklahoma City Train Show, which has been named one of the Best Train Shows by “Cowcatcher Magazine.”

Show Recap: Trainfest, Nov. 9-11, Wisconsin Exposition Center, Milwaukee
www.trainfest.com
If you were able to attend, you could easily tell this was a great weekend up in Milwaukee. The weather was great and there was a record-setting 25,500+ in attendance.

We were busy greeting our fellow modelers and sharing the great features of the Tsunami decoders. Thanks to all who came and saw us. We always enjoy these shows!

Dealer Spotlight: Traintek, Waltham, Massachusetts
SoundTraxx Vice President Nancy Workman recently visited Traintek in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Nancy met with the owner, Gary Paulino, who graciously showed her his operation.

As you would expect, Gary stocks a lot of product, geared primarily for DCC users. She was happy to see their installation department busily working on installing a Tsunami Digital Sound Decoder during her visit.

If you live in the Boston area, please visit Traintek! They are located at 39 Emerson Road, Suite 203 in Waltham. Their phone number is 888.339.8724. They have an efficient business geared toward customer service, installation, and product availability and would be happy to see you. You also can visit them each year in January at the Big Railroad Show in West Springfield, Massachusetts (at the Big E). Please visit their website at www.traintekllc.com. 

Fan Photo Submission

We are always happy to see what the modelers have been doing with our Blackstone Models products. This submission was from one of our dealers in Luxembourg, KSPS Commerce SARL.

Good to see the flavor of the narrow gauge has infected the European modelers! You can visit their website at http://www.modellbau.lux-cnc.net/  

Clinic Recap
George gave a clinic at the Greeley Freight Station Museum for the Northern Colorado Model Railroad club on Oct. 25.

They filled the house for their business meeting and the clinic.

Another clinic was given at Caboose Hobbies in Denver on Oct. 27. A good crowd was in attendance, as well as some of their employees. A special “Thank You” for the hospitality and interest by both the Northern Colorado Model Railroad Club and Caboose Hobbies for having us up there for these clinics. You can find out more information about the Greeley Freight Station Museum at www.gfsm.org and about the Northern Colorado Model Railroad Club at www.ncmrc.org/index.php.  You can also visit Caboose Hobbies at www.caboosehobbies.com. 

George also taught a clinic at Enginehouse Services in Green Bay, Wisconsin, just before Trainfest on Nov. 6. The clinic was held in a nearby vacant office space to accommodate all who attended.

As always, we want to thank Enginehouse Services for their hospitality and to their patrons for coming out to see what we had to share! You can visit Enginehouse Services at www.enginehouseservices.com. 
SoundTraxx in the News
SoundTraxx was mentioned in the latest La Plata County Economic Development Alliance newsletter. You can see the information here: http://www.investors.yeslpc.com/267/economic-development-alliance-investor-updates/investor-update-october-30-2012. 

Thank you to all of our loyal customers who have helped us become what we are today!