Large Scale Central

SoundTraxx Sierra systems, circa early 2000s ;)

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

I’ve been asked a couple questions I personally can not answer (w/o slicing a box open) .

_Using DC analog power. Can the sounds- Bell and Horn- be activated with reed switches and track magnets?

_ Are reed switches and assorted hardware included in the Sierra package

(ex. 831002, software vers. 1.2) ?

! George S. page contents imply yes to both;

http://web.archive.org/web/20141205095428/http://girr.org/girr/tips/tips6/sierra_tips.html#other

But I could be reading his article wrong. Notable mention is of that the included stock battery (lead-acid) should be replaced with at least a NiMh config’.

thanks for any additional info,

doug c

#2

_Using DC analog power. Can the sounds- Bell and Horn- be activated with reed switches and track magnets?

Yes.

_ Are reed switches and assorted hardware included in the Sierra package

Not in the ones I have purchased.

Notable mention is of that the included stock battery (lead-acid) should be replaced with at least a NiMh config’.

Yes, the lead acid could be replaced with another lead acid, but they are expensive and they don’t like to come back once they have been totally drained.

#3

Yes,

Coupler clank, dynamic brake, airhorn, and bell can all be triggered by reed/momentary switches.

Instructions say that the box includes (new) circuit board, speaker, pre-wired 6-volt gel pack, power switch, and three lengths of hook-up wire. A remove volume switch (momentary center off spdt) and charging jack are noted in the instructions, and I seem to recall getting them in new boxes, but could be wrong. I think that the coupler clank switch may have also been included (mounts to coupler) because I remember it being really tiny and broke easily. I replaced it with some brass contacts.

Even on a “new” sealed unit, the gel pack would be worthless at this point. I replace these with supercaps.

#4

Todd, some I bought had the remote volume switch, and some didn’t. I used a pair of push buttons I got at the Shack (Radio Shack) on all of my installs. As for that darn micro-switch for the coupler clank, I think I have one of them around here too, but I never installed one, because my engineer and brakeman hook up “so quiet you can hear the pin drop.” (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)