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I have a Berkshire Jr. (6-18765) from the Horseshoe Curve Freight Set (6-30180) that I recently install the ERR CC Lite board in the locomotive. I would like to add a tether and wire the sound board in the Tender (6-18765T) to control the sound from the Cab1. Does any one know if, and how, I can wire the CC Lite board to control the whistle and bell on the sound board. The sound board is # 691-RSN1-A00. This is the all in one board, no separate mother board, power board or sound board. I tried the ERR Co. and they replied that they are not elec. engineers and that I should ask the elec. engineers on this site. So, are there any elec. engineer out there that can help me with this? Thanks for any help or advice ya’ll can offer. 

Norm

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A CC lite comes with an R4LC. Pin 24 is serial data out. Pin 24 has to go through your tether to the Railsounds board. The Railsounds manual will show you where the serial data input pin is on that board.

I assume you also have a chuff switch. If its in the engine there is a chuff input on your cruise lite. If its in your tender there is second chuff input on the Railsounds board. You use one or the other, not both.

This is a pretty simple question that someone at 3rd Rail should have been able to answer.

Pete

Thanks for your reply Pete. I would have thought that since ERR has an email address, and it says to contact them about technical questions on that email address, that they would be able to help me with this. Definitely not the reply I expected. 

Unfortunately I do not have a manual for the sound board. I have searched Lionel's manuals on line but can't find anything on this RS board. This is from an older RTR set and the sound board is controlled by the horn and bell buttons on the transformer. I am not sure how the serial output on the CC Lite board sends its signal, so I'm not sure if connection directly to this sound board is possible. I have read where the older whistle and sound boards need to have a separate circuit board to create the higher and lower voltage signal to control the horn and whistle. I have also read about them being connected directly to the board on the newer RS boards. Some show them soldered to a circuit on the bottom some on the top. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it done for my sound board. I was hoping some one had done this to one of these boards before. RS Circuit BoardRS Circuit Board2I have attached a picture of the board, if it will help.  

 

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  • RS Circuit Board2

Norm,

I do not believe you can drive the conventional Railsounds board you have directly from the CC Lite. ERR had sold a Sound Converter board which I was able to use to adapt my conventional Railsounds board to the ERR motor driver board but that board is no longer available, I wish I had purchased more of them.

Ray

Thanks Ray, I was hoping to make this work, but it's starting to look like I'll probably have to get the ERR sound board for this loco. I was trying to save a few bucks on this, but if I have to buy another board to make it work it, I will probably be better off spending the $$ and buy the Railsounds commander board. Thanks for your help.

After some thought...

The RS Command board operates directly off the track. Bell and whistle and voltage / speed are picked up directly from the track in conventional mode. There is no need to connect it to a Cruise Lite board for conventional operation. Just track power, speaker, volume ( if it's an OEM board). We actually use this method to test our boards before shipping. Scott

Last edited by sdmann

Ok, so i did what you said John and it worked perfectly. I even got a pleasant surprise, not only did the Bell and Whistle work, but this board also has towercom, Crewtalk (the Crewtalk where they actually say things you can understand) and steam sounds activated by the Cab1. It's a generic steam board and the whistle sounds like a shay or 4-4-2, but it works! Now all I need is a tether and connector and I'll be in business. John and everyone else, who go out of your way to help all who ask, I can't thank you enough!!

Norm

One more thing on this board, whenever it crosses over a turnout the sound drops out. I would like to install a battery to keep continuous sound. Does anyone know which 2 pin the battery connects to? There are 2 available, one by the Chuff switch in (J3) and one by the vol ctrl in (J8). Thanks for any assistance you can offer.

Normd55 posted:

Ok, so i did what you said John and it worked perfectly. I even got a pleasant surprise, not only did the Bell and Whistle work, but this board also has towercom, Crewtalk (the Crewtalk where they actually say things you can understand) and steam sounds activated by the Cab1. It's a generic steam board and the whistle sounds like a shay or 4-4-2, but it works! Now all I need is a tether and connector and I'll be in business. John and everyone else, who go out of your way to help all who ask, I can't thank you enough!!

Norm

I might suggest looking at the draw bars for a LionChief berk, like the PE. Those have a 4 pin conductors and only 2 are used for sound. Just an idea. 

3844636928653T22

3844626208653087

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Last edited by Jayhawk500

Chris, great suggestion for the tether, However, I remember reading somewhere that the IR drawbars require some kind of protocols from the Main board to the RS board to communicate. I’m not sure about the ERRCC v4.1 having the protocol but I’m pretty sure the RS board I have doesn’t. I could be wrong on this, if so please let me know. I was able to make a 2 pin tether that works but it is quite a pita to connect and disconnect. If a wireless would work, I would definitely love to install it. If anyone knows for sure please let me know.

Thanks for a great idea!!

Norm

Normd55 posted:

I added a picture with inputs labeled. I have no idea what the other 2 and 9 pin connections are for.RS Circuit Board

Norm, how many pins does the plug for the chuff switch have ?   I can't be sure but it looks like three which would indicate a Hall sensor. Does your loco use a mechanical switch or a Hall sensor for chuff timing and which pins are used within that socket ?  I have several loco's kitbashed from Rivarossi Casey Jones kits and it looks like this board or the ERR Railsounds Lite and a speaker might be the only TMCC combination that will fit in the tender.  Railsounds 4 with two boards and a motherboard is just too large.  Thanks          j

Last edited by JohnActon

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