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Casula Hobbies Z19 Steam Locomotive

DCC Sound Installation with Lighting Modifications

Now available with a NEW​ Remastered Custom Sound Project

including "Full Throttle - Heavy Load" feature

About the NSW Z19 Class

The Z19 class (formally A.93 class) were a steam locomotive built for and operated by the NSW Government Railways of Australia.

Between 1877 and 1881, the initial order of 50 of these 0-6-0 wheel arrangement locomotives were delivered from Beyer, Peacock and Company, then between 1880 and 1891 a further 9 were delivered. Henry Vale and Company also delivered 18 locomotive.

When the entered service, the load which these locomotives could haul over the Blue Mountains line was 128 tonnes at 11–13 km/h.

Following the reclassification of locomotives in 1891, three additional similar locomotives were added to the class and the Z19 class was relegated to secondary roles and coal services in Newcastle. Between April 1902 and February 1910, fourteen were converted to the 20 class 2-6-4 tank engines at Eveleigh Railway Workshops. By 1933 many had been withdrawn, with only 36 remaining in service.


Having a short wheelbase and no leading bogie, the locomotives had a tendency to derail, and they were ultimately restricted to a maximum speed of 40 km/h and relegated to shunting and branch line traffic. Driven slowly, they could negotiate the most appalling curves and badly maintained or unballasted tracks. They were therefore ideal in goods yards, such as Darling Harbour and Port Waratah with the last two withdrawn in August 1972. Branch lines such as those to Dorrigo, Batlow and Oberon where grades of up to 1 in 25 (4%) and curves as sharp as 100.6 m radius could be encountered were ideal for this class and these were the only locomotives permitted on these lines until dieselisation.


Four locomotives of the class have survived into preservation: 1904, 1905, 1919 and 1923

DCC with Sound and Light Modifications

The Casula Hobbies Z19 Class Locomotive was released in January 2022. 

The model is DCC and Sound Ready with an 18-pin Next-18 socket for fitting a DCC decoder and a speaker is included in the model. The use of this decoder socket is a first for an Australian HO Scale model.

The clever design of the tender by DCC Solutions requires only the coal load to be removed to access the DCC socket, so no tools are required to open up the tender for a DCC installation.

Solder tabs are visible on top of the main PCB for the installation of a two-wired stay alive device, and an isolation switch is included to turn off the stay alive for DCC programming if required.

The model has working headlights and marker lights.

A DCC Sound model is available with an OEM factory sound project provided by DCC Solutions.


For this installation, we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 (Sound) with our remastered Custom Sound Project for the NSW Z19 Class or the LokPilot 5 (No Sound) for those not wishing sound.


DCC Solutions offers a light modification for the Casula Hobbies Z19 Class 

Individual DCC Light Control

Here at DCC Solutions, we offer a light modification to separate the headlights, white and red marker lights for individual DCC control to provide more prototypical lighting operation when running your Z19 Class model. Now you can operate the front and rear red markers only as common practise when shunting around a yard.

New Headlight Operation

We have modified the headlight operation to resemble the prototypical operation of a real steam locomotive, where the light generator controls the operation rather than the light function. No more turning off the sound and the light stays on waiting for you to turn it off.

Also, added are:

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

* Low Beam Front Headlight when reversing is also available.

The DCC Solutions NSW Z19 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:

Custom Built NSW Z19 Class Sound Project

This is not the factory sound project but a completely custom-built sound project by DCC Solutions that contains additional sounds with customised sound programming plus extra features not available on the factory sound project that will make your NSW Z19 Class model a uniquely, impressive driving and sounding loco with prototypical lighting operation that will turn heads!

Cold and Hot Start Up Sequences

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!

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

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 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. This fantastic feature is a must for those who will use the Z19 for shunting purposes.

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.

Light Modifications for individual DCC controlled headlights and marker lights (Optional)

Remastered Whistle

A new remastered 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 Casula Hobbies Z19 Class drive and sound impressive

  • NSW Z19 Steam 0-6-0 Locomotive Custom Built Sound Project

  • 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

  • Full Throttle Heavy Load - Lock the loco speed and control the chuff sound independently to simulate a hard-working locomotive

  • Driving and Coast on Demand allows you to drive your model like a real steam locomotive

  • Working Brake

  • Brake Squeal on deceleration and turns off on acceleration

  • NSWGR Short Blast and Playable Whistle

  • NSWGR 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

  • Shunting mode for slow speed shunting operations

  • Light Modification for individual DCC control lighting (Optional)

  • Can play up to 10 different sounds simultaneously

  • Motor settings and sound volumes tuned to specifically suit the Casula Hobbies Z19 Class locomotive model

  • Slow Speed Motor settings for improved 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 INSTALLATION OPTIONS

Standard DCC Installation: Non-sound decoder

Premium Sound Installation: ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW Z19 Class Sound Project.

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification: ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW Z19 Class Sound Project with separated headlight and marker lights for individual DCC control.

DCC Solutions SOUND and FUNCTION Labels

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification 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    Front White Markers

F10  Rear Red Markers

F11  Rear White Markers

F12  Front Red Markers

F13  Front Headlight - FWD-Bright_REV-Dim_STOP-Dim

F14  Rear Headlight - REV-Bright_FWD-Dim_STOP-Dim

F15  Blower

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

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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