Paragon3 Automatic Whistle

Donstaff Apr 22, 2021

  1. Donstaff

    Donstaff TrainBoard Member

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    The Paragon3 sound decoder in my N scale BLI 2-8-2 Heavy Mikado enables setting the whistle to operate automatically with direction change. This is achieved by setting CV 227 to 6. This works great, except that the sound doesn't play until after the engine has started moving. In prototypical operation, the engineer would blow the whistle before starting to move. Is there any way to program a CV to make this happen this way with the Paragon3?
     
  2. FlightRisk

    FlightRisk TrainBoard Member

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    I see no one has answered you. You would probably have to contact the decoder manufacturer. I imagine the decoder should store the direction for each throttle packet and when the first packet it sees with a different direction bit arrives, it activates the linked sound.

    I know that even if you are stopped and hit the fwd and rev buttons on the throttle, a new packet is sent with the direction bit changed. So you have to find out why they need the throttle set to something higher than "stop".

    Since most locos would probably not respond to a throttle level of 1 or 2 set a very low throttle speed that won't move the loco, and then give it more throttle to have a pause in there. A 2 step process. You could use the "user function override" (aka "filters") command in DCC++EX so that it looks at each throttle command, sees if it is to a particular loco address, and if so, compare a saved direction, and if it is different, send a 1 or 2 for a speed command, then a stop. Then it would respond normally to the next throttle command that didn't send a reverse. It would be just a few (5 or 6 lines) to add to the config file.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2021
  3. ntex

    ntex TrainBoard Supporter

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    See my reply to your re-post in the N Scale forum.
     
  4. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    I think I'm beginning to have some understanding of DCC. It seems rather similar to programing CNC (computer numerical control) metal machining machines.
    Maybe that will help. :coffee:
     

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