How to operate TTS sound?

[TeejayTj]

Hi there.

I am a very new beginner to model railroading, and I would like a slowly , detailed response please.

I recently received the BR A3 Class Flying Scotsman Era 11 with TTS sound for my birthday, I was very excited. I also got gifted with everything I needed to get it up and running. But while It was running around my layout, I noticed the engine was dead silent, I looked on the box, and it said "TTS SOUND FITTED". I was confused, because there was clearly no sound.

I searched it up, and I found out about how you need to have "DCC controllers" and all that stuff. The engine is DCC fitted. Do you need this 'controller' to be able to use the sounds? And If i do, how do I program the engine, and how can I use every seperate sound? 

I hope this makes sense.

 

[96RAF]

Welcme TJ

TTS sound decoders will control a loco speed and direction on DC circuits but there will be no sound. This is stated in the TTS manual that comes with your loco.

 

To operate the sounds you need a DCC controller such as the Select, Elite or eLInk/Railmaster combo. Read about them on the Hotnby main site. These sounds are operated using Function buttons on the DCC controller. These function numbers are also  listed in the manual.

 

A word of warning though once you convert your circuit to run on DCC then you should not run DC locos on that track Or you are in danger of burning the motors out. It is OK to run DCC locos on DC but as stated you will not get any sounds.

 

Rob

[Chrissaf]

Hi there.

I am a very new beginner to model railroading, and I would like a slowly, detailed response please.

.

If you convert your layout from DC to DCC. It is a bit more complicated than JUST changing the controller and installing DCC decoders into your existing DC Analogue locomotives. The track will ALSO need to be modified for DCC working and any existing DC Analogue power track / clips either modified for DCC or replaced with a DCC compatible version.

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As Rob said above and I stress again here. You can run a DCC loco on your DC Analogue layout, but without being able to access your TTS sounds. But if you convert your layout to DCC operation, DO NOT put your unmodified DC Analogue locos on the DCC track without first fitting a DCC decoder. You risk overheating the electric motors and permanently damaging them.

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You can read more about what needs to be done to convert a DC Analogue track layout to DCC working in Chapter 6 of my downloadable 'Getting Started, including Track Expansion Packs'  PDF document. The download link for it can be found in the sticky post with the same title located at the top of the General Discussion sub-forum.

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I also got gifted with everything I needed to get it up and running.

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Please detail what these additional gifted items were?

Did these additional gifted items include a DCC controller. If so what model?

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In principal and common to any brand / model of DCC controller. These are the step actions needed to operate the TTS loco.

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Out of the box, brand new the TTS loco will have been set at the factory with DCC address 003.

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Each DCC decoder fitted loco will need to have the factory default address changed to something unique on your layout other than 003. But that is for another day to explain.

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So, if the TTS is address 003. This address needs to be selected on the controller so that the controller knows what loco to control. The controller set to address 003 will only communicate with a loco decoder configured with the same address, in this case 003.

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Once the controller is set to the loco DCC address. You use the controller to send a 'Function' command. To turn the sound on using a TTS decoder, this function command will be F1 (Function number 1).

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To play the individual sounds such as whistles for example, you use the controller to send the function commands (i.e F2, F3 etc) as listed on the TTS loco instruction sheet. Note that the controller still needs to have the loco DCC address selected (i.e 003) as per the earlier step.

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Once the loco being controlled is running at the speed you want. Then you use the controller to select a DIFFERENT loco DCC address for one of the other DCC decoder fitted locos and then use the SAME controller to control that loco instead.

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A DCC controller CAN ONLY control ONE loco at a time, so it has to be switched between the different DCC decoder addresses of the locos being operated each time you want to make an operational change.

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An Elite controller has TWO knobs on it, each knob can be assigned to operate a different DCC decoder fitted loco independently, but only one of the two knobs is operational at a time and the user has to select which knob of the two in turn that will be functional.

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TIP: I write long posts. If you intend to write a reply, it would be appreciated if you didn't use the 'White Arrow in Blue Box' button. This is not a 'Reply to this post button. It is best to write any reply you want to make in the 'Reply Text Box' at the very bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

[TeejayTj]

Thank you both, you have been quite helpful. The items I received was basically a normal 12v transformer, some track, and the power pack. The functions for everything And how how to program the locomotives were very clear. Thank you for giving me the information to not put a DC locomotive on DCC track, I would of done that in the future.

[Yelrow]

Teejay. Hi, many of us happily run DC layouts. Your loco will come to no harm running as a normal DC loco, and provide hours of enjoyment. DCC, is more expensive, and in my view, more complicated, when starting out. Your track/coaches, etc, will all transfer to DCC, as funds permit, if that is your chosen route. My advice, play trains, enjoy it, read up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[TeejayTj]

Okay, thank you for advice, much appreciated. (:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Chrissaf]

TJ,

TIP: You will have better luck with your replies if you do not use the 'white arrow in the blue box' button. This is not a 'Reply to this post' button. It is better to write your reply in the 'Reply text box' at the bottom of the page and click the green 'Reply' button.

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Not having a go, using the blue button is something all relative newbies on the forum seem to do for some reason. I blame the forum SW developers for putting it there, just where a 'Reply' button is expected to be.