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Eureka D50 Class 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 NSWGR D50 Class

The D50 class, originally the T524 class before 1924 re-classification, was a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotives built for the New South Wales Government Railways between 1896–1916 with a total of 280 units built using five different companies over 20 years. The first was delivered in May 1896 by Beyer, Peacock and Company, which built 151 locomotives. Other builders included Dübs and Company – 5, Neilson and Company – 10, North British Locomotive Company – 84 and Clyde Engineering Company Limited – 30.

The D50 Class was designed with their second and third coupled wheel tyres were flangeless to reduce curve friction. The last 75 were built with superheaters and after being judged a success many of the class were retrofitted. Many of the class received turret type tenders in later years, which provided better visibility when operating in reverse.


These locomotives, together with the later D53-class and the D55-class, became known as the Standard Goods engines. In the 1930s, 72 were withdrawn and after being used during the load testing of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 with most of these locomotives being later scrapped, although 14 were rebuilt with superheaters and returned to service. By mid-1964 there were only 113 left in service with the class now normally restricted to working coal trains in the Hunter Valley that were commonly made up of 4-wheel hopper wagons not fitted with continuous air-brakes, and shunting duties in the larger marshalling yards throughout the system. Several of these heavy shunters were fitted with automatic couplings on the front buffer beam from 1960 onwards.


The last of D50 class in service were finally withdrawn in the 1970s and only 4 have been preserved – 5069, 5096, 5112 and 5132. 

DCC with Sound and Light Modifications

The Eureka D50 Class was released in September 2015 with a factory fitted QSI sound decoder and a non-sound DCC ready model with an 8 Pin Socket for fitting a DCC decoder. The model includes 16 wheel track electrical pick-up plus an LED headlight with red and white marker lights on the locomotive and tender.


For this installation, we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 (Sound) with our remastered Custom Sound Project for the D50 Class or the LokPilot 5 (No Sound) for those not wishing sound.

We offer a light modification for the Eureka D50 Class

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.

Separate the lights

Standard factory lighting in the model has all lights “ON” in the direction of travel, requiring just 2 function lighting outputs in DCC.

Upgraded from the factory standard 2 to 4 Function lighting outputs with the DCC Solutions light modification where we will separate the front headlight with the front white markers, rear white markers and both front/rear red markers lights for individual DCC control to provide more prototypical lighting operation when running your Eureka D50 Class model. Directional light control will still be available.

Due to the design of this 50 Class model, the front white markers will work with the headlight and will not have individual control as they share a single LED for their operation.

The DCC Solutions NSW D50 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

Factory Fitted Sound only offers you the very basic sound 

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

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 D50 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. The ESU downloadable sound file or ESU 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 D50 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 Eureka D50 Class drive and sound impressive

  • 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

  • Coasting On Demand

  • Working Brake

  • Brake squeal on deceleration and turns off on acceleration

  • NSWGR D50 Class Whistle with variations including a reversing whistle

  • NSWGR D50 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 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 Eureka D50 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 function button remapping to suit your personal requirements

  • DCC Solutions High-Performance Speaker delivering impressive sound

  • Modified Lighting Option for more prototypical light operation

  • This Sound Project is also suitable for other brands of D50 Class Models

DCC INSTALLATION OPTIONS

Standard DCC Installation: Non-sound decoder

Premium Sound Installation: ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW D50 Class Sound Project

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification: Upgrade to 4 Function lighting outputs with the DCC Solutions Light Modification to separate the lighting for individual function control on your DCC throttle, plus the ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW D50 Class Sound Project 

Factory QSI Sound Decoder Replacement: Replace the original factory sound decoder using the ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW D50 Class Sound Project

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    Directional Rear Marker Lights

F10  Rear Red Markers

F11  Rear White Markers

F12  Front Red Markers

F13  Headlight - FWD-Bright_REV-Dim_STOP-Dim

F14  Reserved (Light Mods)

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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