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IDR Models NSW 70 Class

DCC Sound Installation with Stay Alive

Now available with a NEW​ Remastered Custom Sound Project

including "Full Throttle - Drive Hold" feature

About the NSW 70 Class Locomotive

The NSW 70 class were a class of diesel-hydraulic locomotives built by Commonwealth Engineering, Granville for the New South Wales Government Railways in 1960-61. They were ordered to replace steam locomotives at Port Kembla. Only 10 units were built with the first locomotive, 7001, entering service on the 15th of August 1960 and the last to enter service, 7010, on the 11th of May 1961.


The 70 Class were a very different type of locomotive. They were diesel-hydraulic rather than diesel-electric. But the most obvious difference was they were of an 0-6-0 design, rather than a more conventional Bo-Bo or Co-Co wheel arrangement. Their light axle load was specified to allow them to work on the industrial branch and wharf lines in Port Kembla (Near Wollongong, NSW) where they would spend most of their working life around that area. They were also seen shunting around other yards in Sydney including Darling Harbour and Chullora while occasionally used as passenger trains. The 70 class had been found to travel as far as Casino in northern NSW.

On 10th February 1984, 7009 was taken out of service and sent to Eveleigh Railway Workshops with 7008 following on 21st June and 7002 on 13th August, all three were officially withdrawn.  Then on the 12th November 1984, the 73 class took over all shunting and transfer duties at Port Kembla, resulting in only 3 of the 70 class locos to remain operational. On 10th September 1986, loco 7010 last operated and 7006 stopped the following day, bringing an end to the NSW 70 class in operation.

Two of the 70 class locos are preserved, 7007 and 7010 with 7006 and 7008 being preserved-operational.

DCC with Sound, Light Modifications and Stay Alive

In September 2018, IDR Models released the NSW 70 Class Locomotive, which includes an 8 Pin socket for fitting a DCC decoder.

In DCC, the Headlights and Marker Lights will operate directional.


​For this installation, we recommend the ESU LokSound 5 (Sound) with our remastered Custom Sound Project for the 70 Class or the LokPilot 5 (No Sound) for those not wishing sound

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 70 Class model.

The installation of the DCCS PowerPlus Stay Alive is highly recommended, enabling uninterrupted performance at super slow speeds, especially travelling through insulfrog points.

The DCC Solutions NSW 70 Class Custom Sound Project is packed with

sounds and features not found on other sound decoders

 or even the supplied factory fitted sound

So why not get fully featured sound from DCC Solutions

Our Custom Sound Project now includes these fantastic features:

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 can be controlled independently by adjusting the speed on the throttle, so this can simulate a hard-working locomotive. This exciting feature gives the operator the ability to have the loco crawling in notch 8 or coasting at 100 km/h along the track. 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, which can damage your model because you ran into something.

Coasting On Demand

This feature allows you to enter coasting mode whenever you want with a press of a button. Often, when coming to a stop, the throttle of a real locomotive is put into idle and the locomotive coasts to a stop. Another situation that occurs is that once a train is up to speed when operating over rolling countryside, the driver can coast to maintain a certain speed. By pressing the coast function button, the sound drops into coasting and remains there. Using the throttle speed control, you can now speed up or slow down the train, with the sound remaining in coasting mode. Press the function button to exit coasting, the sound will return to the speed that's set when exiting.

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.

Random Start-up Sequences with Move Off and Stopping Sounds

Now, with random start-up sequences, your start-up and shut down will not always sound the same.

As your locomotive begins to move off you will hear the sounds of brakes releasing with random speed activated wheel squeal, rail noises and other sounds. Some of these sounds are random or speed sensitive that will turn on/off automatically depending on your take-off speed. When the locomotive comes to a stop you will hear the squeal of the brakes, air releases and then the compressor will cut in automatically to fill the reservoirs with air until full and will cut out.

Random Sounds

While the factory fitted sound will only offer you 1-2 random sounds, DCC Solutions will have up to 10 random sounds that will play when either the loco is stopping or moving, to create even more realism to running your model.

And includes all these great features to make your IDR Models 70 Class drive and sound impressive

  • Caterpillar D397 Turbo NSW 70 Class Custom Built Sound Project

  • Random Start-up sequences, including Automatic Hot or Cold Engine Starts.

  • NSWGR WABCo A/B Series playable and short blast horn

  • Air and Brake Release Sounds when loco moves off and stops, including Brake Squeal.

  • When the loco stops after braking, the compressor cuts in to fill the reservoir and will turn off when the tanks are full.

  • Speed sensitive Wheel Squeal and Rail Noise when the loco moves off.

  • Full Throttle Drive Hold - Lock the loco speed and control the sound independently to simulate a heavy loaded or empty train

  • Coasting On Demand

  • Working Brake to bring your locomotive to a stop even when Full Throttle Drive Hold is active, unlike other ESU sound files.

  • Directional Coupling and Release with brake line release plus auto active shunting mode to reduce the speed of the loco.

  • Stop & Drive Random Sounds including, compressor, rail noise, track wheel squeal, air releases and more!

  • Wheel Squeal

  • Brake Squeal on deceleration and off on acceleration.

  • Guard's Whistle

  • And more (See below for full list)

  • Optional light modifications for individual light control for more prototypical operation.

  • Low Beam/High Beam Headlight

  • Play 10 different sounds simultaneously.

  • Motor settings and sound volumes tuned to specifically suit the IDR 70 Class Locomotive Model.

  • Slow Speed performance, perfect for shunting

  • 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 Solution's High Performance Dynamic Speaker producing fantastic sound.

  • DCC PowerPlus Stay Alive providing uninterrupted performance at slow speeds, especially travelling through insulfrog points.

DCC INSTALLATION OPTIONS

Standard DCC Installation: ESU Non-sound decoder

Premium Sound Installation: ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW 70 Sound Project with a Stay Alive

Premium Sound Installation and Light Modification: ESU LokSound 5 programmed with the DCC Solutions Custom NSW 70 Class Sound Project, Stay Alive plus upgrade to 6 Function lighting outputs with the DCC Solutions Light Modification to separate the headlights 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

F1    Drive Hold - Full Throttle

F2    Horn

F3    High Beam Headlight

F4    Reserved

F5    Coasting On Demand

F6    Brake

F7    Brake Squeal on Deceleration

F8    Prime Mover Start Up/Shut Down

F9    Front White Markers

F10  Rear Red Markers

F11  Rear White Markers

F12  Front Red Markers

F13  Directional Markers Lights

F14  Reserved - For Light Mods

F15  Fan

F16  Compressor

F17  Coupling /Uncoupling + DCCS Shunting Mode

F18  Wheel Squeal

F19  Guard's Whistle

F20  Sanding Valve

F21  Volume Fader - Reduces Sound 50%

F22  Front Headlight

F23  Reserved

F24  Spitter Valves

F25  Manual Notching

F26  Notch Up / Short Air Release

F27  Notch Down / Cab Door

F28  Rail Clank

Note: The above functions are for the LokSound 5 Decoder programmed with DCC Solutions Premium Custom Sound Installation with Stay Alive Device

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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