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Austrains NR Class DCC Sound Installation

with Lighting Modifications

Now available with our NEW Remastered Custom Sound Project

including "Full Throttle - Drive Hold" feature

About The NR Class

The NR class are a class of diesel locomotive built by A Goninan & Co for National Rail between 1996 and 1998. 

In September 1995 A Goninan & Co were awarded a contract for 120 locomotives from National Rail which were built at their Broadmeadow (NR1-NR60) and Bassendean (NR61-NR120) factories. The frames were built at Hexham and the bogies at Goninan's Landsdowne Engineering subsidiary in Taree. The first NR locomotive entered service in October 1996.

The entire NR fleet was delivered in the original National Rail Livery in grey and marigold colours.

While the NR Class was mainly used on freight services they also were used on Indian Pacific (NR25,26,27,28,18), The Ghan (NR74,75,109) and Southern Spirit (NR84,85) passenger services and were painted in their appropriate livery.

With Pacific National ownership changes, the original National Rail livery was replaced and repainted into Pacific National livery.


In June 2006, NR33 was involved in a level crossing incident and was written off and scrapped. Several others have been involved in accidents or fires but have been rebuilt and put back into service.

DCC with Sound and Light Modifications

About the Austrains NR Class

In 2000, Austrains released the first NR Class, which was a DC only model with incandescent light bulbs for the headlights. 

Several releases followed over the years and in 2009, Austrains released an improved production run included an 8 Pin socket for fitting a DCC decoder and for the first time LED lighting for the Headlights, Marker Lights and Ditch Lights. In the original factory setup, when operating in DC or DCC, all the lights operate directional. Switches are included on the bottom of the fuel tank, allowing you to turn off the lights when running the locomotive.

About the SDS/Austrains NEO Models NR Class

In 2017, SDS Models took over production of the Austrian's NR class and released the SDS/Austrains NEO branded version of the NR class

The model features the current tooling from Austrains and includes operating headlights, marker and ditch lights and included Kadee couplers and an 8 pin socket for DCC. The release included powered and non-powered models.

About the SDS Models NR Class

Late in 2019, SDS released its own NR Class model, which included further tooling improvements from the Austrains model and now included a 21 pin socket for DCC.


For the Austrains/SDS NR Class installation, we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 (Sound) with our remastered Custom Sound Project for the NR Class or the LokPilot 5 (No Sound) for those not wishing sound

We offer a light modification for this NR Class to separate the lights for a more prototypical operation.

For the later production run models of the NR Class which include LED lights we are able to separate the headlights, white markers, red markers and ditch lights for individual DCC control to provide more prototypical lighting operation when running your NR Class model.

For early production run models of the NR Class, that have incandescent light bulbs for the headlights, we will replace these with LEDs.

The DCC Solutions NR Class Custom Sound Project

is packed with sounds and features not found on other sound decoders, especially factory fitted sound.

Factory Fitted Sound only offers you very basic sound

So why not get fully featured sound from DCC Solutions

Our Custom Sound Project now includes these fantastic features:

Full Throttle – Drive Hold

This feature allows you to simulate a hard-working loaded train by pressing the F1 function button. When the button is pressed, the motor will remain at a constant speed, while the sound can be controlled independently by adjusting the speed on the throttle, so this can simulate a hard-working locomotive. This exciting feature gives the operator the ability to have the loco crawling in notch 8 or coasting at 100 km/h along the track. Release the Drive Hold function button, and you simply go back to throttle-controlled speed, motion and sound. Available only from DCC Solutions, our Drive Hold will stop your loco when you reduce the speed to zero, even while the function is still active. Your ESU factory sound or sound from other providers will not stop your loco at speed step 0 with the drive hold switched on, which can damage your model because you ran into something.

Coasting On Demand

This feature allows you to enter coasting mode whenever you want with a press of a button. Often, when coming to a stop, the throttle of a real locomotive is put into idle and the locomotive coasts to a stop. Another situation that occurs is that once a train is up to speed when operating over rolling countryside, the driver can coast to maintain a certain speed. By pressing the coast function button, the sound drops into coasting and remains there. Using the throttle speed control, you can now speed up or slow down the train, with the sound remaining in coasting mode. Press the function button to exit coasting, the sound will return to the speed that's set when exiting.

Working Brake

Press the Brake Function button, and your locomotive will come to a stop at a much shorter distance than if you were to bring it to a stop by reducing the throttle speed. Release the brake and your locomotive will move off again, or choose to have it remain stationary when the brake is released. The brake can also be used while driving to slow the locomotive up.

Working Dynamic Brake

Apply the Dynamic Brakes and the Prime Mover will wind down to idle and slow up then the Dynamic Fans engage to assist with cooling. Reduce the throttle, and the decoder's dynamic braking logic will reduce your speed faster than normal. Disengage Dynamic Braking and the primer mover will return to it's notched speed and the fans will turn off.

Brake Squeal on Deceleration

Activate this function and when you reduce the throttle speed, your locomotive will begin braking and slow up quicker as you continue to lower the throttle speed, and you will hear the squeal of the brakes. Accelerating will release the brakes.

Random Start-up Sequences with Move Off and Stopping Sounds

Now, with random start-up sequences, your start-up and shut down will not always sound the same.

As your locomotive begins to move off you will hear the sounds of brakes releasing with random speed activated wheel squeal, rail noises and other sounds. Some of these sounds are random or speed sensitive that will turn on/off automatically depending on your take-off speed. When the locomotive comes to a stop you will hear the squeal of the brakes, air releases and then the compressor will cut in automatically to fill the reservoirs with air until full and will cut out.

Remastered Horn Sounds

A new remastered Australian Kockum Sonics 5 Chime playable and short blast horn.

Random Sounds

While the factory fitted sound will only offer you 1-2 random sounds, DCC Solutions will have up to 10 random sounds that will play when either the loco is stopping or moving, to create even more realism to running your model.

Manual Notching

For those who really want to drive their train and manually control the notching rather than letting the decoder do it.

And includes all these great features to make your Austrains/SDS NR Class model drive and sound impressive

  • GE 7FDL-16 Turbo NR Class Custom Built Sound Project

  • Australian Kockum Sonics 5 Chime Short Blast and Playable Horn

  • Random Start-up sequences, including Automatic Hot or Cold Engine Start

  • Low Idle Mode

  • Air and Brake Release Sounds when loco moves off and stops, including Brake Squeal

  • When the loco stops after braking, the compressor cuts in to fill the reservoir and will turn off when the tanks are full

  • Speed sensitive Wheel Squeal and Rail Noise when the loco moves off

  • Full Throttle Drive Hold - Lock the loco speed and control the sound independently to simulate a heavy loaded or empty train

  • Coasting On Demand

  • Working Brake to bring your locomotive to a stop even when Full Throttle Drive Hold is active, unlike other ESU sound files

  • Proper Working Dynamic Brakes: When activated, automatically slows down with Dynamic braking, cooling fans operate 

  • Directional Coupling and Release with brake line release plus auto active shunting mode to reduce the speed of the loco

  • Stop & Drive Random Sounds including fans, compressor, rail noise, track wheel squeal, air releases and more!

  • The "whoop" GE air compressor

  • Wheel Squeal

  • Brake Squeal on deceleration and off on acceleration

  • Guard's Whistle for Passenger Services

  • Shunting Bell

  • Manual Notching - manually control the notching rather than letting the decoder do it

  • And more (See below for full list)

  • Modified Lighting Option for more prototypical light operation

  • Low beam to High beam Headlight operation

  • Motor settings and sound volumes tuned to specifically suit the Austrains/SDS NR Class Locomotive Model

  • Motor Tuned for Slow Speed performance, perfect for shunting

  • Play 10 different sounds simultaneously

  • Individual sounds slots and master sound volumes can be adjusted by the user to suit personal requirements

  • Full function button remapping to suit your personal requirements

DCC INSTALLATION AND MODIFICATION FEATURES

Standard DCC Installation: Non-sound decoder with no lighting modifications

Premium Sound Installation: ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder with our Custom NR Class Sound Project. No lighting modifications.

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification: Upgrade to 8 Function lighting outputs with the DCC Solutions Light Modification to separate all lighting for individual function control on your DCC throttle, plus our ESU LokSound 5 Custom NR Class Sound Project

DCC Solutions SOUND and FUNCTION Labels

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification using the ESU LokSound 5

F0    Directional Headlights

F1    Full Throttle Drive Hold

F2    Kockum Sonics 5 Chime Horn

F3    High Beam Headlight

F4    Working Dynamic Brakes

F5    Coasting on Demand

F6    Brake

F7    Brake Squeal on Deceleration

F8    Prime Mover Start Up/Shut Down/Mute

F9    Front White Markers On/Off

F10  Rear Red Markers On/Off

F11  Rear White Markers On/Off

F12  Front Red Markers On/Off

F13  Directional Marker Lights

F14  Directional Ditch Lights

F15  Fan

F16  Compressor

F17  Coupling /Uncoupling + DCCS Shunting Mode

F18  Wheel Squeal

F19  Shunting Bell / Guard's Whistle

F20  Sanding Valve

F21  Volume Fader - Reduces Sound 50%

F22  Front Headlight

F23  Ditch Light Switch_Front/Rear/Directional

F24  Spitter Valves

F25  Manual Notching

F26  Notch Up / Short Air Release

F27  Notch Down / Cab Door

F28  Rail Clank

Note: The above functions are for the LokSound 5 Decoder programmed with DCC Solutions Premium Custom Sound Installation with Light Modification.

The functions and sounds will be different from any standard generic ESU Sound Files or other Sound Decoders. To learn how to use these functions, see the Info & Help page.

All functions can be reprogrammed to suit your own personal requirements.

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