The diagram below suggest how all of our soundcards can be installed very simply in DCC locomotives with minimal technical knowledge. Wiring is simple and, best of all, you don’t have to fiddle with any DCC addresses or CVs to make it work. The rechargeable battery keeps the sound going when the loco is stationary and will be recharged automatically when the loco is running. The key to the simplicity is the automation which can be selected in the soundcard. For example, a light diesel can be set up to start the engine when the throttle is give a small tweak, an airbrake release and a horn blast on moving off, a timed horn when running, a brake squeal on stopping and engine shut down after a minute of inactivity. All of this can be set to happen automatically using the TV remote control. The universal steam, diesel and electric soundcards all have similar automation facilities.

For those who are more knowledgeable about DCC, there are more advanced options. The battery can be discarded in favour of connecting to the decoder’s constant voltage output in the range of 8v to 22v. If you know how to handle CVs, the horn, guard’s whistle, engine start/stop, etc can be triggered by the controller buttons using the function outputs or servo outputs with a servo switch.