BN SD40-2's

SD40-2's were a new addition to the BN fleet back in 1973, and I've always enjoyed the way they look. I took this photo in Balmer Yard sometime in the 80's. Ever since then, I have collected HO versions of the SD40-2's whenever a manufacturer would make them. Athearn, Kato, Genesis, you name it. But recently ScaleTrains released some, and they are truly amazing models. Partly because of all the gee whiz features in sound and light that they implemented with the ESU V4.0 decoder inside.

So, trying to restrain myself, I bought only two of them, pictured below. However, out of the box, their decoder settings just didn't work for me, especially when running them together in a consist. However, I am (relatively) happy to report that after all the work described in my previous blog to figure out how to use a PC emulator to drive ESU software and the ESU LokProgrammer, these babies are now reaching their full potential. Here's a list of some of the changes that I found needed to get them to "play well with others".

1. The speed was set to max at 50 SMPH and midrange at 25 SMPH, similar to all my other locos.
2. The "back EMF" was auto-calibrated on the test track (set CV54=0, turn on the DCC operations mode, and press F1).
3. The front headlight was set up to activate on F0 in both directions, and the rear light on F4 in both directions.
4. The dimmer function was moved from somewhere in the double digits to F7. I have a lot of legacy cabs that only go up to F9, so I have to prioritize which functions get the single digit numbers.
5. The working marker lights (which, amazingly, can be set to white, green, red, or off!) were moved to F5.
6. The rotating beacon was moved to F6, along with the working number board lights. This was needed because the factory setting was to turn on the number board lights at the same time as turning on the sound (F8). This makes no sense, because in a consist you don't want all the loco's marker lights on, only the lead loco's. I figured if a loco was functioning as a lead loco, you would want both the rotating beacon and the number board lights to be on.
7. The "dynamic brake" was set to come on at F9, along with the "sound slot 13". I gave the braking rate for the dynamic brake a setting of 60 and the overall deceleration rate (CV4) a setting of 215. This means that the consist will coast when the throttle is turned off until the brake is applied on F9. The sound slot 13 gives an odd and continuous air whooshing sound which lets you know the brake is applied, although I would prefer to find out which sound slot gives the brake squeal sound, and use that. Let me know if you know. I put "dynamic brake" in quotes because I am using it as a train brake, and it works as such, as long as you deactivate the sound slot 6, which is the sound of dynamic brake fans whirring.
8. F8 (engine sound startup) and F9 (brakes) were programmed so they would respond to consist commands. This means that they all brake together, and all the engines will start making noise together.

So, to summarize, "all" you have to do to start up a consist with one of these engines in the lead is: press F8 to get the sound turned on for all the units in the consist, F6 for the rotating beacon and number board lights (lead loco only), F0 to turn on the headlight, F5 to set the color of any marker lights needed for that train, F1 to start the bell ringing, F2 for a couple of horn blasts, and you are on your way!

Here are the locos ready to go in Evertt's Bayside Yard: