Push Button Sound Box

Push Button Sound Box
Device Information Manufacturer Train Control Systems Type Trackside WOWSound SKU 3200 Release Date [Unreleased] Retail Price [To be announced] Protocols DC; AC (Optional) Power Supply DC 9V-15V Output Rating Internal: 2W (max) Line Out: Unamplified Scale All Scales Dimensions (LxWxH) 3.94” x 5.91” x 2.28” 100mm x 150mm x 58mm

Overview

The Push Button Sound Box from Train Control Systems is a standalone product capable of playing sounds from TCS' massive library of bells, horns, whistles, and more! Equipped with an internal 2 Watt speaker and adjustable volume control, the Push Button Sound Box can deliver clear and powerful audio to your train room or around the Christmas tree! Also included is a 3.5mm mono line out for externally amplified speakers. See the section below for Setting up Line Out for more information.

The Push Button Sound Box can also play TCS' entire library of motive sounds, but requires an external power pack. See the section below for Setting Up Operation With a Power Pack for more information.

Features

• Integrated 2 Watt speaker
• Volume control knob
• Mono-channel Line Out for externally-amplified speakers (PC speakers, home stereo system, etc.)
• Includes TCS' complete library of Steam and Diesel sounds! (See List of Sounds for comprehensive list)
  • 64 Bells
  • 54 Horns
  • 75 Whistles
  • 13 Steam Chuff Sets
  • 32 Diesel Prime Movers
  • And More!

Setup Instructions

Basic Setup

The Push Button Sound Box includes a 15V power supply. Simply plugging in the power supply is all that is required to begin using this product. In this mode, the Bell, Horn, Whistle, and Change Sound buttons will operate. If no audio is heard, ensure that the Volume Knob on the rear is not turned to the Off position. The volume control only affects the internal speaker, unless set to the Off position. Simply pressing the buttons on the top will operate the sound functions. See the section below for Operational Behaviors to learn more about how each button operates.

Setting Up Line Out

The Push Button Sound Box can be connected to external speakers using the included Line Out jack on the back. The output is mono-channel, but the jack has been configured to work with mono or stereo cables so that the same sound will play through both L and R channels, rather than one or the other. If a cable has been plugged into the Line Out jack, the internal speaker will be disabled.

You will need to supply your own cable to adapt the 3.5mm Mono Line Out to whatever input is used by your speakers. PC speakers often also use 3.5mm stereo cable, which can be connected directly. Home stereo systems may require an adapter to change the 3.5mm output cable to RCA/component in. Consult your stereo's user manual for available input options. The input chosen must have an internal-amplification in order to be audible.

The output volume will be controlled by the connected output device, but the output from the Push Button Sound Box can be disabled by turning the volume control knob to the Off position.

Setting Up Operation With a Power Pack

The featureset of the Push Button Sound Box can be expanded to include Diesel Prime Mover and Steam Chuff sounds when used in conjunction with a DC or AC power supply. Out of the box, only bells, horns, and whistles are playable; however, with a connected DC or AC power supply, the Push Button Sound Box can play diesel prime mover or steam chuffs, along with other peripheral sounds such as air compressors and others. These sounds will start up once an external power supply is detected, either DC or AC. It is not possible to use DCC to control the Push Button Sound Box.

To integrate the Push Button Sound Box into your layout or display, follow these steps:

1. Turn off your power pack.
2. Connect one wire to each of the track output terminals on the power pack.
3. Locate the screw terminal plug on the back of the Push Button Sound Box. Disconnect if necessary.
4. Connect both wires from the power pack to the terminal block. Ensure the screws are tight. Reconnect the terminal block to the back of thePush Button Sound Box if it was removed in the previous step.

Recommended Practices:

• It is recommended, but not required, that you tin the wires before connecting them to the terminal block. Ensure that no strands of wire are protruding from the terminal block.
• For DC-powered layouts, particularly with older power packs, it is recommended that you use an analog filter to stabilize the voltage output from your power pack.
• For power packs that have more than a single output, DO NOT connect both outputs to the Push Button Sound Box at the same time! If you would like to be able to use each output with the Push Button Sound Box, you should connect a double-pole double-throw switch (break before make or center-off) switch to change the input to the Push Button Sound Box between the controls.

NOTE: The track input is high-impedance. Without the load from an actual locomotive on the rails to dissipate the energy from the power pack, the throttle response will not be accurate.

Calibrating Sound Operation

The Push Button Sound Box can store configurations for up to three different locomotives. Each of these locomotives can have the throttle/sound response individually calibrated to provide the most realistic operation. In order to use this feature, you must have already followed the steps above to connect to your power pack.

To calibrate the throttle response for a locomotive, follow these steps:

1. Run the locomotive you would like to calibrate for a minimum of three minutes before calibrating to warm up the motor and ensure it is working.
2. Place the locomotive on a straight and level piece of track (if possible).
3. Turn on your power pack.
4. Slowly turn up the voltage on your power pack until the idling sounds start, then wait ~5 seconds.
5. Press the "Rotate Sound" button until you hear the correct prime mover or chuff set you would like to use for the locomotive.†
6. Enter calibration mode by pressing and holding both the BELL and CHANGE SOUND button for ten seconds.
7. Select a "locomotive" by pressing the HORN button.‡
8. Follow the steps as given by the audio prompts to perform the calibration process.
9. Exit Calibration Mode by pressing the CHANGE SOUND button.

NOTE: Avoid removing the power supply while in calibration mode.

† If the bell, horn, or whistle sound changes instead, increase and then decrease the speed control on your power pack. The Change Sound button responds to the most recently played sound type - changing the speed should play a chuff or change the prime mover notch.

‡ The calibration process can be repeated for up to three different locomotives. The calibration process will save the active prime mover or chuff set, as well as the relevant voltage levels.

NOTE: The reliability and accuracy of the calibration is affected by the stability of the voltage from your power pack. Using a power pack with poor regulation will affect the accuracy of the calibration process.

It is a good idea to have saved profiles for the locomotives you run frequently. Once you have saved profiles, you can select the active locomotive by entering calibration mode, using the HORN button to select the locomotive number, and then pressing the CHANGE SOUND button to exit. Doing so will load the profile for the selected locomotive number, including the calibration levels and engine sounds.

Out of the box, the factory calibration levels are set based on TCS' testing of commonly-available power packs as follows:

- Locomotive 1: Bachmann Regulated 16V DC Power Pack (PN 44211)

- Locomotive 2: Lionel Chief 16V AC Power Pack

Operational Behaviors

Button Operation

On the top of thePush Button Sound Box are four buttons. From left to right (looking at the front side with the speaker facing toward you), the buttons are BELL, HORN, WHISTLE, and CHANGE SOUND.

1. Bell Button - Press once to toggle the Bell sound ON. Press again to toggle the bell sound OFF.
2. Horn Button - Press and hold to play the Horn sound. Release to stop.
3. Whistle Button - Press and hold to play the Whistle sound. Release to stop.
4. Change Sound Button - See below:

Change Sound Operation

The fourth button on the Push Button Sound Box is labeled "Change Sound" and does precisely as labeled - the most recently played sound type will be changed to a new sound of the same type if pressed. Therefore, if you would like to change the Bell sound, press the bell button and then the Change Sound Button.

When changing sounds, a short sample of the new sound will be played. A bell will ring, horn will blow, or whistle will chime each time the button is pressed. The sound that is heard will be the new sound that will be played any time you press the corresponding sound button afterwards.

Change Sound can also be used to change the motive power (Chuff/Prime mover) sounds. In order to do this, you must have set up and connected a power pack as described in the power pack setup section above. Locomotive sounds will start up once an external power supply is detected, either DC or AC, and the voltage input reaches a certain threshold. Increase and then decrease the speed control on your power pack - changing the speed should play chuffs or change the prime mover notch. So long as no other sound buttons are pressed, the Change Sound Button will change the locomotive type. When changing locomotive types, the Push Button Sound Box will toggle between steam chuff sets and diesel prime movers.

NOTE: The "mute" locomotive type will disable the engine sounds completely, but will not interfere with the sound buttons.

Many of the peripheral sounds, such as the air compressor and air spitter, will change along with the locomotive type. The sounds will be automatically changed to be the most accurate for the locomotive type selected. It is not possible to change these sounds manually.

Diesel Operation

When a Diesel Prime Mover locomotive sound type is selected, and a power pack is being used, the Push Button Sound Box will behave int he following ways:

• Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Air Compressor will kick on.
• Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Air Spitter sound will play.
• As the speed of the locomotive increases, the notch of the prime mover will increase. The inverse is also true.
• After a period of inactivity (while stationary/zero voltage), the prime mover will play a shutdown sequence. To restart the prime mover, increase the throttle/voltage.

Steam Operation

When a Steam locomotive sound type is selected, and a power pack is being used, the Push Button Sound Box will behave int he following ways:

• Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Air Pump will kick on.
• Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Injector sound will play.
• Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Coal Shoving sounds will play.
• Periodically, when at idle or at low speed, the Safety Valve sounds will activate.
• When stationary or at low speed, idling sounds (boiler noise) will play. As the locomotive accelerates, these sounds will fade out.
• After remaining stationary for some time, then starting to accelerate, Cylinder Cocks sounds will play. Once a certain speed has been reached, these sounds will stop.
• As the locomotive accelerates, Rod Clank sounds will fade in. As the speed continues to increase, these sounds will fade out.
• Chuff sounds will change pace with changes to the speed/voltage.
• After a period of inactivity, the idle sounds will stop. To restart them, increase the throttle/voltage.

List of Sounds

11 Diesel Air Compressors

13 Steam Air Pumps

9 Diesel Air Spitters

Bells

64 Bells

Horns

54 Horns

Whistles

Air Chime Corporation #6

Alamo Michigan Plant Whistle

American Steam Gauge Single Note

Santa Fe Original 6-Chime

Santa Fe Reproduction 6-Chime

Tweetsie RR Baldwin 3-Chime

Baltimore & Ohio 3-Chime

Boston & Maine 6-Chime

Buffalo Creek & Gauley 3-Chime

Canadian National 5-Chime

Canadian Pacific 5-Chime

Cass Scenic RR Shay #5

Central NJ 3-Chime

Chicago Burlington & Quincy RR 3-Chime

Cleveland Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis 5-Chime

Crosby Steam Gauge 6-Chime

Cumbrees & Toltec #488 K36 5-Chime

Cumbrees & Toltec #484 K36 5-Chime

Cumbrees & Toltec #484 K36 5-Chime (Alternate)

Grand Trunk & Western 6-Chime

Great Northern RR 5-Chime

Great Northern RR 5-Chime (Alternate)

Hancock 3-Chime Short-bell

Illinois Central Nathan 3-Chime

Kingsly RR 4-Chime

Lehigh & New England 3-Chime

Lehigh Valley RR Crosby 3-Chime

Lehigh Valley RR Hancock 3-Chime

Louisville & Nashville 3-Chime

Lunkenheimer Single-note

Lunkenheimer 3-Chime

Nathan 5-Chime

Lehigh Coal #126 Nathan 5-Chime

Lehigh Coal #126 Nathan 5-Chime (Alternate)

Nickel Plate Road #765

Norfolk & Western "Hooter"

Norfolk & Western Single-chime Long-bell

Norfolk & Western Single-chime Short-bell

Norfolk & Western Nathan 3-Chime

PRR "Banshee"

PRR 3-Chime

PRR 3-Chime (Alternate)

PRR K4 Whistle

Reading RR "Hooter"

Reading RR "Hooter" (Alternate)

Reading RR G2 #179 6-Chime

Reading Pacific G2 6-Chime

Reading RR 6-Chime

Reading RR 6-Chime (Alternate)

Rio Grande Southern RR #41

Southern Pacific 5-Chime

Southern Pacific "Daylight" 6-Chime

Southern RR Single-Chime

Southern RR 3-Chime

Southern RR 6-Chime

London & North Eastern Crosby 3-Chime

UK Whistle (Type 1)

UK Whistle (Type 2)

UK Whistle (Type 3)

UK Whistle (Type 4)

Consett Iron Co. Class A #5

Consett Iron Co. Class A #5 (Alternate)

British Single-Chime Whistle

Unknown Whistle (Type 1)

Unknown Whistle (Type 2)

Unknown Whistle (Type 3)

Unknown Whistle (Type 4)

Unknown Whistle (Type 5)

Hancock 3-Chime

Union Pacific 3-Chime Long-bell

Wabash 3-Chime

Wabash 6-Chime

Western Maryland Decapod #1114 Nathan 3-Chime

Western Maryland K2 #204 3-Chime

WW2-Era 3-Chime

Steam Chuff Sets

Chuffinity Chuffset 1 | 0-4-0ST Vulcan Iron Works (Type 1)

Chuffinity Chuffset 2 | K-36 Narrow-Gauge (Type 1)

Chuffinity Chuffset 3 | K-36 Narrow-Gauge (Type 2)

Chuffinity Chuffset 4 | 4-6-0 Baldwin "Ten-wheeler"

Chuffinity Chuffset 5 | 4-6-2 Baldwin "Pacific"

Chuffinity Chuffset 6 | 2-8-4 Lima Locomotive Works "Berkshire"

Chuffinity Chuffset 7 | 0-4-0ST Narrow-gauge

Chuffinity Chuffset 8 | 4-6-0 Rogers Locomotive & Machine Works "Sierra"

Chuffinity Chuffset 9 | 2-8-0 Baldwin "Consolidation"

Chuffinity Chuffset 10 | 0-4-0T Vulcan Iron Works (Type 1)

Chuffinity Chuffset 11 | 3-cyl Shay

Chuffinity Chuffset 12 | 2-8-0 ALCo "Mogul"

Chuffinity Chuffset 13 | 0-6-0ST Vulcan Iron Works

Diesel Prime Movers

ALCo	ALCo 244D 12-Cylinder Turbo
	ALCo 251B 12-Cylinder Turbo
	ALCo 251D 6-Clinder Turbo
	ALCo 251C 12-Cylinder Turbo
	ALCo 539T 6-Cylinder ALCo Turbo (RS1)
	ALCo 539T 6-Cylinder Buchi Turbo (S4)
	ALCo 539T 6-Cylinder ALCo Turbo (S4)
Baldwin	Baldwin 8-VO (VO-1000)
	Baldwin 606-A (S12)
	Baldwin 606-NA (DS-4-4-750)
	De La Vergne 608SC (AS616)
MUTE	Disables the motive power sounds
Detroit Diesel	MTU 16V2000 S96R
EMD	EMD 567C 8-Cylinder (SW)
	EMD 567BC 16-Cylinder (FP7)
	EMD 567C 16-Cylinder (GP9u)
	EMD 567C 16-Cylinder (GP9)
	EMD 567D2 16-Cylinder Turbo (GP20)
	EMD 645E 12-Cylinder (SW1500)
	EMD 645E 12-Cylinder (Type 2)
	EMD 645E 12-Cylinder (Type 3)
	EMD 645E 16-Cylinder (GP38-3)
	EMD 645E 16-Cylinder (GP38H-3)
	EMD 645E 16-Cylinder Turbo (SD40)
	EMD 710-G3 16-Cylinder Turbo (SD70-series)
Fairbanks Morse	38D-8 1/8 (H-12-44)
GE	Cummins 6-Cylinder (80-Tonner)
	GE FDL-12 (U23B)
	GE FDL-12 (Type 2)
	GE FDL-16 (U25B)
	GE 7FDL-16 (C39-8)
	GE 7FDL-16 (Type 2)
	GE GEVO-12 (ES44)