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Gopher Models B Class Diesel Locomotive 
DCC Sound Installation 

Now available with our NEW Remastered Custom Sound Project

including "Full Throttle - Drive Hold" feature

About the Victorian B Class

The B class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways in 1952-1953, with a total of 26 units being built. The B Class were the first mainline diesel locomotives built for the Victorian Railways and initiated the dieselisation of the Victorian rail system. They were used on both passenger and freight services, with many remaining in service today, both in preserved and revenue service. The design was based on the very successful American EMD F-unit locomotives with the distinctive bulldog nose, however they were unusual in having a streamlined driver's cab at each end.

 

In service, the 26 locomotives of the class operated on broad gauge lines throughout Victoria, working the majority of the important passenger trains, as well as fast freights. While costing more than steam locomotives to run, the Victorian Chief Engineers Office found that one B class did the work of three steam locomotives. So, a decision was fast tracked, and steam locomotives began to be scrapped in large numbers. The B Class success led to further dieselisation, with the delivery of the T class branch line units from 1955, and the single ended S class mainline units from 1957.

 

In the 1980's, it was decided to rebuild the B class with new traction equipment as the A class. The rebuild contract was given to Clyde Engineering, Rosewater, in January 1983 with the first unit entering service in May 1984. The project was abandoned in mid 1985 after rising costs due to structural fatigue, with the 11th and final rebuild delivered in August 1985. At the same time, newer high power locomotives had been delivered, including the N class passenger units and the G class freight locomotives.

The B class were gradually retired by V/Line from 1982 with some scrapped. Six were purchased by West Coast Railway in the early 1990's but following West Coast Railway's demise in August 2004 these were sold to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and refurbished with some being resold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad. This saw some converted to standard gauge and their operation increased to include New South Wales.

DCC with Sound Installation

In January 2018, Gopher Models released the B Class locomotive in N-Scale, which is not DCC ready with no socket for a decoder installation. The tiny PCB in the fuel tank provides solder tabs to hard-wire a decoder. There is no provision to install a speaker. The model only comes with LED headlights and white marker with numberboard lights. No red marker lights were included. In DC/DCC, all lights operate directional.

 

For this DCC installation, we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 (Sound) with our remastered Custom Sound Project for the VIC B Class or the LokPilot 5 (No Sound) for those not wishing sound.

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The DCC Solutions Victorian B 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 very basic sound and features

So why not get fully featured sound from DCC Solutions

Our Custom Sound Project now includes these fantastic features:

Custom Built Victorian B 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 Victorian B Class Auscision 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.

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

New remastered WABCo Pneuphonic A&B series 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 Gopher B Class model drive and sound impressive

  • Victorian B Class EMD 16-567BC Turbo Custom Built Sound Project

  • WABCo Pneuphonic A&B 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, 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!

  • Victorian B class compressor

  • Wheel Squeal

  • Brake Squeal on deceleration and off on acceleration

  • Guard's Whistle

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

  • And more (See below for full list)

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

  • Sound volumes tuned to specifically suit the Gopher B Class Locomotive Model 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

  • This Sound Project is also suitable for other brands of B Class Models

DCC INSTALLATION

Standard DCC Installation: Non-sound decoder

Premium Sound Installation: ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder with our Custom VIC B 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    VIC B Class Horn

F3    High Beam Headlight*

F4    Dynamic Brake

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  Numberboards On/Off*

F15  Fan

F16  Compressor

F17  Coupling /Uncoupling + DCCS Shunting Mode

F18  Wheel Squeal

F19  Guard's Whistle

F20  Sanding Valve

F21  Volume Fader - Reduces Sound 50%

F22  Front Headlight*

F23  Manual Handbrake Ratchet Set/Release

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. Learn how to use these functions, see the Info & Help page.

* Not Available on the Gopher Models N-Scale B Class

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