top of page

Eureka CPH/CTH Class Diesel Rail Motor 

DCC Sound Installation with Light Modifications

Now available with our NEW Remastered Custom Sound Project

including "Full Throttle - Drive Hold" feature

About The CPH Rail Motor

The CPH rail motors were introduced by the New South Wales Government Railways in 1923 to provide feeder service on country branch lines. Often referred to as "Tin Hares", the first vehicle was placed in service on 17 December 1923 and based at Culcairn, in southern New South Wales. They were lightweight vehicles, with one of the most innovative features was the under frame that was fabricated entirely by welding. The body was of timber construction, using mainly Queensland yellow wood, pines and cedars. The cars were finished externally with tongue and grooved timber below the window line.


When built, they were fitted with petrol engines, the first four (CPH 3-6) receiving a 6-cylinder 75 hp Thornycroft Z6 and the others a 6-cylinder 95 hp Leyland type and a four-speed mechanical transmission controlled by a lever in the cab. Some units were later fitted with a 6-cylinder 150 hp Leyland petrol engine. Beginning in 1945, a program began to replace the petrol engines with 6-cylinder GM Detroit Diesel 71 Series engines and Twin Disc 3-position hydraulic transmissions. It was also at this time that multiple unit controls were fitted. A single driver's cab and multiple unit controls were fitted to the No.2 End of the five trailer cars at this time.


A total of 37 vehicles were built, and they operated many branch line services throughout the state as well as extensively through the Central West regions, until their widespread withdrawal in November 1983. A fleet of 12 CPH rail motors continued to be used extensively in the Wollongong area, working north to Waterfall, west to Moss Vale and south to Port Kembla and Kiama. In Newcastle, a CPH provided passenger services until these ceased in April 1971. They also operated a pre-electrification service on many Sydney suburban services. In November 1984 the last Sydney area motors were withdrawn with the final two CPH rail motors, No.36 and 37, were withdrawn after the Moss Vale to Wollongong service ceased in September 1985.

DCC with Sound and Light Modifications

In 2009, Eureka Models originally released the non-sound versions of the CPH/CTH rail motor sets, while the QSI sound equipped versions followed later in 2011. The non sound versions included an 8 Pin socket for fitting a DCC decoder in both the CPH and CTH, which only requires a function decoder to operate the CTH lights. The model includes front and rear headlights, plus white and red markers. Interior lights operate in both cars, however the interior lights in the CTH are powered directly from the track with no way to turn them on/off. In DC/DCC, all the lights operate directional.


For this DCC installation, we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 (Sound) with our remastered Custom Sound Project for the NSW CPH/CTH Rail Motor or the LokPilot 5 (No Sound) for those not wishing sound.


We offer a light modification for the Eureka CPH/CTH Class to separate the lights for a more prototypical operation

Standard factory lighting in the model has all lights “ON” in the direction of travel, requiring just 2 function lighting outputs in DCC.

Upgraded from the factory standard 2 to 7 Function lighting outputs with the DCC Solutions light modification where we will separate the headlights, white markers lights, red markers lights and interior carriage lights for individual DCC control to provide more prototypical lighting operation when running your Eureka CPH/CTH Rail Motor model. Directional light control will still be available.

Our light modification will allow running the CPH on its own with front and rear lights, or coupled to the CTH, with front lights operating on the CPH and rear lights on the CTH. (No rear lights operating on the rear of the CPH)


The DCC Solutions NSW CPH/CTH Rail Motor 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 the very basic sound 

So why not get fully featured sound from DCC Solutions

Our Custom Sound Project now includes these fantastic features:

Custom Built NSW CPH/CTH Class Sound Project

This is not just a basic factory sound project but a completely custom-built sound project by DCC Solutions that contains recorded sounds with customised sound programming plus extra features that will make your NSW CPH/CTH Rail Motor model a uniquely, impressive driving and sounding loco that will turn heads!

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.

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

New remastered NSW CPH/CTH 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.

And includes all these great features to make your Eureka CPH/CTH model drive and sound impressive

  • GM Detroit Diesel 6-71 Series NSW CPH Rail Motor Custom Built Sound Project

  • NSW CPH/CTH Short Blast and Playable Horn

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

  • 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

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

  • NSW CPH class compressor

  • Wheel Squeal

  • Brake Squeal on deceleration and off on acceleration

  • Guard's Whistle

  • And more (See below for full list)

  • Modified Lighting Option for more prototypical light operation

  • Low beam to High beam Headlight operation

  • Motor settings tuned for slow speed performance, perfect for shunting

  • Sound volumes tuned to specifically suit the Eureka CPH Rail Motor using the DCC Solutions speaker

  • Play 10 different sounds simultaneously

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

  • DCC Solutions High Performance Dynamic Speaker producing fantastic sound

  • 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 CPH/CTH Class Sound Project-No light modifications

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification: Upgrade to 7 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 CPH/CTH Rail Motor Class Sound Project

Factory QSI Sound Decoder Replacement: Replace the original factory sound decoder using the ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW CPH/CTH Rail Motor Sound Project

DCC Solutions SOUND and FUNCTION Labels

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification using the ESU LokSound 5

F0    Directional Lights - CPH/CTH 

F1    Full Throttle Drive Hold

F2    CPH Playable Horn

F3    High Beam Headlight

F4    CPH Short Blast Horn

F5    Coasting on Demand

F6    Brake

F7    Brake Squeal on Deceleration

F8    Prime Mover Start Up/Shut Down/Mute

F9    Directional Lights - CPH Only

F10  Interior Lights On/Off

F11  Reserved (Light Mods)

F12  Reserved (Light Mods)

F13  Reserved (Light Mods)

F14  Reserved (Light Mods)

F15  Fan

F16  Compressor

F17  CPH Short Horn

F18  Wheel Squeal

F19  Guard's Whistle

F20  Sanding Valve

F21  Volume Fader - Reduces Sound 50%

F22  Front Headlight

F23  Load/Unload Parcels

F24  Volume Control

F25  Shunting Mode - Reduces Speed 50%

F26  Short Air Release

F27  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.

bottom of page