Lionel Railsounds Commander User manual

Railsounds Commander
Instruction Manual
Revised: October 2009

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Railsounds Commander Kit
Cool Features
Combines Railsounds 4.0 standard hardware with next generation technology
Compact size, uses Railsounds Audio Board only, no Power Board required
Multiple trigger options for chuff and diesel ramp up/down
No adjustments required
Provisions for battery and Railsounds/Signalsounds switch
Fully compliant with TMCC standards
Conventional and Command mode operation
Easily interfaced with other Electric Railroad Company products
Only 1.95" L x 1.25" W x 0.95" H
Overview
The Electric Railroad Company RailSounds Commander is the smallest, most full
featured, highest performance RailSounds 4.0 upgrade available for your locomotives.
This innovative upgrade utilizes Lionel Railsounds 4.0 technology, combined with a
single power controller that supports Command and conventional mode, including
battery backup. The RailSounds Commander operates standalone, or in conjunction
with the full product line of Electric Railroad’s TMCC upgrades. The small size and
interface flexibility is unparalleled in the marketplace, so just about every locomotive
can have a high performance sound system.
Railsounds Commander Railsounds Audio Board

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Parts Included
•Railsounds Commander circuit board
•Railsounds audio circuit board
•Speaker & baffle
•3 Position to 4 position power & data cable assembly
•4 Position Battery & RS/SS switch cable assembly
•Mounting hardware
•Heat shrink tubing
•Cable ties (2)
•Instruction manual
Additional Parts in Diesel Kit:
•2 Position VCO cable assembly
Additional Parts in Steam Kit:
•3 Position trigger cable assembly
•Reed switch assembly
•Magnet
Recommended Tools
•Low wattage soldering iron
•Rosin core solder
•Heat gun
•Small screwdrivers - phillips & flathead
•Small wire cutters
•Small long-nose pliers
•Wire strippers
•Zap-A-Gap CA+ glue or equivalent (for steamer installations)

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Reference Diagrams
At the rear of this manual are the following diagrams which may be removed and
placed nearby for easy reference while performing the steps in the instructions:
¾Railsounds Commander Connector Pin Designations
¾Wiring Diagram for Conventional Diesel & Electric Units
¾Wiring Diagram for Conventional Steamers
¾Wiring Diagram for Cruise Commander in Powered Diesel & Electric Units
¾Wiring Diagram for Cruise Commander in Powered Steamers
¾Wiring Diagram for AC / DC Commander in Powered Diesel & Electric Units
¾Wiring Diagram for AC / DC Commander in Powered Steamers
¾Wiring Diagram for Mini Commander 2 in Powered Diesel & Electric Units
¾Wiring Diagram for Mini Commander 2 in Powered Steamers
Important Notes
If the project will involve drilling, cutting, or filing of metal parts, it is important to
protect any installed electronics from metal debris. De-burr holes that will contain
wires to prevent chaffing. Special precautions should be taken when working on and
around Magne-Traction equipped units that will attract and collect metal debris.
Leave circuit boards in their anti-static packaging until ready to be installed.
Dissipate any static electricity before handling by touching a grounded metal object.
Avoid working on carpeted floors in cool dry areas and, if possible, use an antistatic
wrist strap. It’s best to hold circuit boards by the edges and avoid touching contacts
and components.
Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables and plug-in circuit boards. When
disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable connector, not on the cable itself.
The wire colors used in locomotive production may vary over time and differ from
what is pictured in this manual. Tracing individual wires to their end point to verify
identity is highly recommended.
Pictures of products may vary from actual products received. The Electric Railroad
Company reserves the right to improve the products on successive manufacturing
cycles.

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Installation
Before beginning, please take time to read through all the instructions and plan out your
installation. If other Electric Railroad Company products are being installed together
with the Railsounds Commander, familiarize yourself with each one, as well as how
they connect together.
Overview
The installation process involves mounting the Railsounds Commander circuit board,
mounting and connecting the speaker, and then making the other necessary connections:
power, serial data, as well as trigger or motor sensing. Most important of all the steps,
is placement of the speaker and use of a baffle. These are absolutely essential in order
to obtain the highest quality sounds.
Preparation
If existing hardware is being replaced, begin with an examination of the unit to
determine what to keep and what parts will not be needed. For some projects, existing
parts may still be useful. Although this will vary, depending on the project, possible
candidates include slide switches, triggering mechanisms/switches, and mounting
brackets. Note that existing speakers will generally be lower quality than the one
provided with the Railsounds Commander kit. However, a larger oval, unusual design,
or recently manufactured speaker may be acceptable if still in good condition and rated
at 8 ohms and at least 0.5 watts. When handling existing wires, be careful not to flex
soldered connections excessively.
Mounting
Before mounting the new parts, it’s important to spend some time trying out different
placement options. Consider where chassis holes exist or could be drilled if needed.
Don’t forget to check the shell for obstructions and, of course, ensure it can be
reinstalled without coming into contact with newly installed parts or wiring.
1. A high quality speaker and matching baffle are included in the Railsounds
Commander kit. As shown in Figure 1, the baffle may be mounted in a variety of
ways, using the mounting ears, with double stick tape, or a small hole may be drilled
and a self-taping screw used.

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Figure 1 – Speaker & baffle with mounting options
If possible, mounting options that direct the sound downward will give the best
results. Ensure that there are plenty of holes in front of the speaker to enable sounds
to be radiated outward. With other mounting options, ensure that there is an
opening in the shell, such as open windows.
Carefully install the speaker in the baffle, ensuring that wires are routed through the
cut-out and will not be pinched. Snap the speaker into the baffle by applying
pressure on the rim of the speaker only.
2. After test fitting the Railsounds Commander & Railsounds Audio Board together,
carefully unplug the Railsounds Audio Board and set it aside before permanently
mounting the Railsounds Commander circuit board. Refer to Figure 2 and, when
ready, use two layers of double stick tape 1 ½ inches by 1 inch to mount the
Railsounds Commander circuit board.

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Figure 2 – Circuit board mounted
Wiring
The appropriate wiring diagram and connector pin designation drawing may be
removed from the rear of this manual for easy reference while performing the following
steps. Take your time while wiring. Wires may be trimmed to remove excess length,
but don’t overdo it. Strip wire ends ¼ inch and then twist the exposed strands before
making connections.
The Railsounds Commander is a very flexible design that can be used in a wide variety
of applications. As a result, all of the steps that follow will not be required to
successfully complete a specific project. Therefore, each step includes ‘Applies To’
information to help you determine the appropriate steps that apply to your project.
1. Speaker connection.
Applies To: All powered, un-powered, conventional, and TMCC applications.
Refer to Figure 3 and plug in the 2 position connector at the designated point on the
Railsounds commander circuit board.

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Figure 3 – Speaker connection
2. Motor Sense (VCO) connections.
Applies To: Powered diesel and electric units, conventional and command (TMCC),
with AC or DC motors. This step is not needed for Steamers or un-powered diesel
& electric units that require an external trigger for chuffing or to detect motion.
Locate the 2 position VCO cable assembly which has two gray wires. Refer to
Figure 4 and connect each wire to one of the motor brush wires or connections. It
does not matter which wire goes where. Plug in the 2 position connector at the
designated point on the Railsounds commander circuit board.

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Figure 4 – Motor sense (VCO) connections
3. Battery and RS/SS switch connections
Applies To: All powered, un-powered, conventional, and command (TMCC)
applications.
A 9 volt battery will enable sounds to keep playing when the power is low or is
interrupted. This is recommended when some or all operations will be in
conventional mode. For command mode operations, use of a battery is optional.
The RS/SS switch enables selecting between full Railsounds (RS) and Signalsounds
(SS), which includes only horn & bell sounds. Installation is optional and a switch
is not included. Without the switch, the full compliment of Railsounds is always
enabled.
To use these features, refer to Figure 5 and locate the 4 position Battery & RS/SS
switch cable assembly. Plug in the 4 position connector at the designated point on
the Railsounds commander circuit board.

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Use only a standard (non-rechargeable) 9 volt battery and do not allow the metal
case to contact circuit boards or other electrical connections. To provide for future
use of a battery, install the cable assembly and then cover the battery clip, as shown
in Figure 5, so that the contacts do not accidentally touch other internal parts.
Figure 5 – Battery clip installed with protective cover
If installing an RS/SS switch (not included), connect the blue wires to the switch.
When the two wires are connected together (SS - switch closed) the Railsounds
Commander will be in Signalsounds mode and only horn and bell sounds will be
played. In the opposite position (RS - switch open), the full compliment of
Railsounds will be played.
Caution - If installing an RS/SS switch, both of the blue wires must be connected
directly to the switch. Any connection from the switch to the chassis or to a chassis
(AC) common connection will result in a destroyed Railsounds Commander.
If no switch is being installed, either cut the blue wires at the connector or take
measures to ensure no exposed wires will come in contact with other internal parts.