By Maxwell Brisben

After installing the decoder you will most likely need to match the steam chuff sound with the wheel rotation rate in order for your locomotive to look and sound prototypical. To do this you will need to adjust CV 57 and 58 using your preferred DCC command control system.

  1. Place the locomotive on a flat, straight section of track and turn the sound on with F8. Drive the locomotive forward at speed step 1. If the locomotive does not move at speed step 1, increase the speed by increments of 1 until the locomotive is moving at its slowest possible speed.
  2. Using a stopwatch, measure the amount of time in seconds it takes the drivers to complete one full rotation.
  3. CV 57 is used to define the amount of time between chuffs at speed step 1. This CV is measured in a multiple of 32 milliseconds. Take the amount of time in seconds you measured and multiply it by 32. Then, divide this value by 2. For example, if it takes 3 seconds for the drivers to make one full rotation, you will set CV 57 to 48.
  4. Observe the locomotive and check if there are too many or too few chuffs per revolution. If there are too many, increase the value of CV 57. If there are too few, decrease the value of CV 57. This should be done in increments of 1 or 2.
  5. CV 58 determines the gear factor of the locomotive. Set CV 58 to 43. This is an average value to use as a starting point.
  6. Drive the locomotive forward at speed step 10 and observe the drive wheels. You should hear 4 chuffs per revolution. If there are too many, increase the value of CV 58. If there are too few, decrease the value of CV 58 until you are satisfied with the outcome.