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Ixion Models VIC J Class 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive

DCC Sound Installation

Now available with a NEW​ Remastered Custom Sound Project

including "Full Throttle - Heavy Load" feature

About the Victorian J Class Locomotive

The Victorian Railways J class was a branch line steam locomotive operated by the Victorian Railways (VR) between 1954 and 1972. 

The J Class was an evolution of the highly successful K class design, made to be gauge convertible with a number of modernised features, and it was the last of the steam locomotive introduced on the VR network.

A total of sixty J class locomotives were built by the Vulcan Foundry in Lancashire, England. 

With fluctuating oil prices and an unreliable supply of coal in the early 1950s, the VR decided to order thirty of the class as coal burners (J500 - J529) and thirty as oil burners (J530 - J559)

The J Class locomotives were introduced for both passenger and goods traffic on Victoria's branch lines, but they were only in service for a relatively short time, as they were introduced around the start of the diesel-electric locomotive era that ultimately superseded them with the first J Class being scrapped in November 1967 (J523) with the last J550 surviving in revenue service until 25th May 1972.

Of the 60 locomotives produced, J549 was recently overhauled and is currently operational at the Victorian Goldfields Railways, and J515 and J541 are both being overhauled to return to service. With 49 scrapped, the remaining 8 are either stored or on static display.

DCC with Sound

The Ixion J Class was released on 29th September 2021 as a DC model with a 21 pin socket for fitting a DCC decoder. There is no provision for installing a speaker. It has a working headlight when running forward and 3 rear marker lights when running in reverse.


For this installation we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 decoder for sound programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom J Class Sound Project or the ESU LokPilot 5 for those no requiring sound. 

The DCC Solutions VIC J Class Custom Sound Project is packed with 

sounds and features not found on other sound decoders

and will have your model sounding just like a real steam locomotive


So why not get fully featured sound from DCC Solutions

Our Custom Sound Project now includes these fantastic features:

Cold and Hot Start Up Sequences

Coal Burners - Select the Cold Start Up and you will activate the cold boiler preheat long start to hear the water being pumped into the boiler, the light of a match to start the fire, the sound of the fire crackling, coal shovelling and the sounds of the pressure building up to reach the correct level before commencing to move off. Now that's something you won't hear from other sound decoders!

Oil Burners - Select the Cold Start Up and you will activate the cold boiler preheat long start to hear the water being pumped into the boiler, the oil being ignited and the sounds of the pressure building up to reach the correct level before commencing to move off. Now that's definitely something you won't hear from other sound decoders!

Select the Hot Start-Up to activate the hot boiler quick start to skip the preheat assuming the correct boiler pressure is almost reached. 

Shut down your J Class and the sound just doesn't stop. Steam releases and other sounds will be heard as the locomotive shuts down.

Full Throttle – Heavy Load

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 changes into an intense chuff, so this can simulate a hard-working steam locomotive. This exciting, new feature gives the operator the ability to have the train crawling along the track while producing an intense chuff. 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.

Coasting on Demand

This feature allows you to enter coasting mode whenever you want with a press of a button. The loco will enter the coasting mode and remain in coasting until you turn it off, regardless of changes in the speed. Experiment with turning it on and off while the loco is moving at speed to hear the sound changes of a steam locomotive when you want. With this feature, you can have your model sounding like a real steam locomotive.

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.

Coupling and Release with DCCS Shunting Mode

Activate coupling or release and your locomotive will automatically reduce its speed to allow for a more realistic coupling or release operation. Once the coupling operation is completed, your locomotive will automatically stop while once uncoupled will continue to run at slow speed for a few more seconds before returning to the speed set on your throttle.

Prototypical Headlight Operation

We have also modified the headlight operation to resemble the prototypical operation.

In the past you would have turned off the sound (Pressing F8) and all the sounds including the generator would stop playing, but your headlight would remain on, and you would have to turn it off separately. Well not anymore...

Press the headlight button (F0) to turn on the generator. The headlight won't turn on until enough power has been generated to turn the light on, dimmed. While the generator is on, the headlight stays on. If you press F8 to shut down and turn the loco sound off which will include the generator, then the headlight will also turn off even if you haven't turned the headlight off itself using the headlight button.

Also, added for lighting are:

Automatic High Beam Headlight Function when the locomotive begins to drive. Bring the loco to a stop, and it will return to a dim state.

Low Beam Front Headlight when reversing is also available.

Selectable high to low beam while driving.

Remastered Whistle

A new remastered J Class whistle that includes user selectable options

  • Playable with varying starts and ends to the whistle.

  • Three additional versions of the playable whistle

  • A reversing whistle

And includes all these great features to make your Ixion J Class drive and sound impressive

  • Coal Burner or Oil Burner Custom Sound Projects - User selectable with a single CV value
  • Cold Boiler Start Up Sequence including boiler water fill, fire up sequence, boiler pressure reached before moving off
  • Optional Quick Hot Start Up Sequence - Straight to waiting for boiler pressure to be reach before moving off (Coal and Oil Burners)
  • Full Throttle Heavy Load - Lock the loco speed and control the chuff sound independently to simulate a hard-working locomotive
  • Coasting On Demand
  • Working Brake
  • Brake squeal on deceleration and turns off on acceleration
  • VIC J Class Whistle with variations including a reversing whistle
  • VIC J Class Compressor
  • Playable Stop Sounds including boiler/steam sounds, safety values, blower and more
  • Random Drive Sounds including track squeal, compressor, injectors, coal shovelling, and more
  • Individual Coupling and Release Options depending on the locomotive's direction with DCCS shunting mode
  • Water filling tender sounds
  • Generator controlled Headlight. The headlight is controlled by the generator sound
  • Automatic High Beam Headlight Function when the locomotive begins to drive and returning to a dim state at stop
  • Optional low beam headlight when reversing or while driving.
  • Guard's Whistle
  • Wheel Squeal and Rail Clanking
  • Can play up to 10 different sounds simultaneously
  • Sound volumes tuned to specifically suit the Ixion J Class Locomotive Model using the DCC Solutions speaker

    Motor settings tuned to provide Slow Speed motor performance

  • Individual sounds slots and master sound volumes can be adjusted by the user to suit personal requirements
  • Full 28 function button remapping to suit your personal requirements
  • DCC Solutions High-Performance Speaker delivering impressive sound
  • DCC INSTALLATION OPTIONS

    Standard DCC Installation: Non-sound decoder

    Premium Sound Installation: ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom Vic J Class Sound Project

    Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification: Not Available

    DCC Solutions SOUND and FUNCTION Labels

    Premium Sound Installation using the ESU LokSound 5

    F0     Headlight - FWD-Bright_REV-Off_STOP-Dim

    F1     Drive Hold - Heavy Load

    F2     Playable Whistle

    F3     Low Beam Headlight while driving

    F4     Cylinder Steam Release

    F5     Coasting On Demand

    F6     Brake

    F7     Brake Squeal on Deceleration

    F8     Boiler Start Up Sound On/Off/Mute

    F9     Directional Rear White Marker Lights

    F10   Reserved (Light Mods)

    F11   Rear White Markers

    F12   Reserved (Light Mods)

    F13   Headlight - FWD-Bright_REV-Dim_STOP-Dim

    F14   Reserved (Light Mods)

    F15   Blower / Oil Burner

    F16   Compressor

    F17   Coupling /Uncoupling + DCCS Shunting Mode

    F18   Wheel Squeal

    F19   Guard's Whistle

    F20   Sanding

    F21   Volume Fader - Reduces Sound 50%

    F22   Headlight On/Off (No Generator for Silent Running)

    F23   Tender Water Fill

    F24   Injectors

    F25   Safety Valves

    F26   Coal Shovelling (Coal Burner Models Only)

    F27   Shunting Mode

    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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