NEW: Dual Mode (DCC), ULT Sounds, Load/Brake Dynamic Momentum Features Avaialble

[William Brillinger]

The New Features have officially been announced and are now available...

Posted today on Ring Engineering Website:  (http://ringengineering.com/WhatsNew.htm)

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DCC support Added to LM-3(S) and LM-2(S) modules

RailPro locomotive modules are now Dual Mode! They can be controlled by typical DCC DCC systems or by Direct Radio!

New Video - DCC + Radio Control

New Ultimate Series Sounds!
We have new sound technology for RailPro! Our new sound technology is powered by full digital recordings of real locomotives, precision mixing, and when coupled with our new motion technology truly creates the ultimate in sounds experience. One of the many new features in our new sound solution, is a feature that eliminates the annoying looping effect that exists in even high-end DCC offerings.

New Ultimate Series Sound Files  Only sound files that end in ULT are Ultimate Series Sounds.
Alco 251 ULT
EMD 645 Turbo ULT
EMD 710 ACE ULT
GE 7FDL-16 ULT

New True Motion Technology!
Our new True Motion Technology uses a mathematical model that simulates static friction, dynamic friction, and more to make your locomotive run with more realism than ever before! And this technology is real easy to use. Just set the amount of user load and crank up the throttle. Hear and see your locomotive pound out the horsepower and smoothly break away from a dead stop. Feel the effects of the inertia as you drop off the throttle!

New Light Effects and Light Effect Editor!
RailPro has now added a light effect editor to its easy to use RailPro Assistant Software. You can create almost any imaginable light effect that you want. The light effect editor allows you to make custom light effect files for your locomotives and Accessory projects.
New light effect capabilities include new natural fade on off light effects!

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I'm sure the Beta testers will have lots to say about these new features in the coming days.

[darryl.trains]

Ahhh "soon" is getting very close now after all, it has been sometime in the making. Cheers, TOF in Arid-Zona

[William Brillinger]

Just to be clear: SOON is NOW 

All the new features can be loaded up on your LM-2 or LM-3 modules and HC-2 or HC-2B controllers by updating the product programs to the 2.02 versions.

You will also Need to update any lighting effects to the REV2 versions.

I haven't looked over the manual yet to see if it covers the use of the load and Brake buttons yet, so if there are questions about setting these features up, please ask.

[MtRR75]

Are the True Motion Technology and Ultimate Sounds going to be applied to steam locomotives, too?

[TwinStar]

The new sounds are amazing.

The LOAD function is really, really cool.

I'm looking forward to working with the new light effects.

RailPro now more than ever needs a 'Keep Alive' type of technology native to RP. Too much power demand for intermittent power. This is a must. Power interruptions while using the LOAD function are incredibly annoying.

Tim needs to be here addressing his users directly.

How does the DCC compatiablity help RP users?

[William Brillinger]

How does the DCC compatiablity help RP users?

Dual Mode DCC allows 3 things to happen:

1, it allows RailPro users to consist their RP units with DCC units. (like that's ever going to happen!)
2, it lets people feel more comfortable during transition from DCC to RP because they can switch back to DCC if they don't like RP and have not wasted their investment.
3, it lets DCC people take advantage of the Super Easy Programming via the CI-1 and Fantastic Sound that RP now offers thereby expanding the market for the LM.

I think the big driver behind the Dual Mode integration is point 3, market expansion.
Otherwise DCC integration is no big deal for a RailPro user.

[William Brillinger]

Are the True Motion Technology and Ultimate Sounds going to be applied to steam locomotives, too?

That's a very good question, and one that I don't have an answer for.

I suspect the "true motion technology" would be basically the same for Steam as it is for diesel, since it is based around the physics of momentum.

For sounds, I suspect Tim Ring will need somebody who has good access to Steam Locomotives to make various improved recordings like Bruce has done for Diesels before any Ultimate steam sounds will be created.

[nodcc4me]

Since the steam chuffs are related to revolutions of the drivers, and not on prime mover notching, I doubt the load function has an effect on steam engines. I'll try it later and report back.

[William Brillinger]

Since the steam chuffs are related to revolutions of the drivers, and not on prime mover notching, I doubt the load function has an effect on steam engines. I'll try it later and report back.

Good Point, if you have a sensor for revolutions already, you have momentum based sound

DISCLAIMER: I don't know anything about modelling steam engines.

[G8B4Life]

You will also Need to update any lighting effects to the REV2 versions.

I think I might scream under my breath, it appears Ditch REV2 has a bug. There is also something to be wary of with Dim Rev2. Those who use it may notice slight flickering of LED's when using the Dim REV2 function (bulbs may not have noticeable flickering). I'll explain how to fix it after the sun has come up.

I haven't looked over the manual yet to see if it covers the use of the load and Brake buttons yet, so if there are questions about setting these features up, please ask.

The new manual covers the load and brake functions.

I didn't pay close attention when I downloaded the 645 Turbo ULT file but it appears a bunch on new ULT prime movers were uploaded inbetween my downloading and when I just checked again a few minutes ago.

- Tim

[KPack]

Guys, the new features are a huge change to Railpro.  I've been testing them for the past month or so and absolutely love it.  Here's a quick break down of some of the things you'll find:

1. Sounds

• Nww ULT (ultimate) files include 645T (645E3), 710 (710-G3B), 710 ACe (710-G3-T2), 7FDL-16, and Alco 251.
• The new sounds are fantastic.  Excellent recordings and excellent editing.  Tim has made it so you can't detect loops and when you have two locomotives linked up playing the same sound file they still sound unique.
• Notching up and down through multiple notches is now smooth
• Sound of Power....when ramping up with a load, the sound volume increases slightly, mimicing the much louder exhaust that can be heard on prototypes under load.  When you back the throttle off, the sound volume decreases similar to the prototype.
• New ULT prime mover files are much larger.  They will fit on a LM-2S but depending on which one is being used, you may not have much room for lots of other sounds.  The LM-3S is well-suited for the new sounds and program.
• Dynamic brake....Now when you push the dynamic brake button it spools the prime mover all the way down to idle.  It does not yet do that for all locomotives across a consist.  It does not slow the train down.  Early in the beta testing it did slow the train down, but we all agreed that we prefer that it just affect the sound, and the operator would control the rate of deceleration with the knob.  This way an operator could have the dynamic brakes on while the train went downhill, yet retain a constant speed.

2. Load and Brake settings

• Set locomotive to Auto notching and set up a "load" function button.  Tapping the button brings up a slider that you adjust with the wheel, from 0% load to 100% load.
• As an experiment, set load to 100% and crank the throttle all the way up to 100% power.  Listen as the prime mover spools up and watch as the locomotive slowly begins to move and build up momentum.  Don't forget that because the locomotive(s) have a heavy "load" behind them that it will also take a long time to come to a stop.
• New brake function button.  Set to momentary.  When power to prime movers is turned down, press and hold brake button to slow train, release when at desired speed.  This makes switching ops very interesting and challenging.
• Random brake sounds play when train comes to a stop using the brake.
• Load and brake functions work beautifully across consists.

3. HC

• HC now shows model number on the main startup screen
• Large file transfer button now has a much better graphic
• Button added to clear active locomotive list
• **Option to change to locomotive list when selecting locomotives rather than scrolling through page after page of pictures.  If you have a large fleet of locomotives, using the new list feature is very fast and very convenient!
• Speed tables!  There is a speed table in the locomotive set up screen that you can adjust all the values on, if you like.

4. Steam

• Angle cock sound does not play until after a few minutes
• 4 chuffs per revolution can be set by setting up the speed table, then setting 4 chuffs/revolution at a specific speed.  It should then work across all speeds.

5. DCC compatibility

• This has been in testing for over a year and is fully functional.  It is designed more for those who have lots of DCC equipment and don't want to have their Railpro stuff kept totally separate.
   Railpro locomotives can be controlled by DCC controllers and consisted with DCC locomotives when the Railpro DCC mode has been activated.  They can still be controlled by the Railpro controller,
   but the Railpro controller cannot control the DCC locomotives.
• This will be of limited use to those of us who are fully invested in Railpro.  And once someone coming from DCC has had the chance to MU in Railpro, my guess is that they will loose their appetite for trying to consist with DCC.

6. Lighting

• RPA now has lighting effect editor.  You can create all your own lighting effects now.
• New Rev2 lighting effects make lighting much more realistic.  Old lighting effects still work if you want to keep them.
• On/Off now has prototypical fade on and fade off time.  No longer instant on.  Also you can adjust the overall brightness of the lights with this function now.
• Dim Rev2 now has prototypical fade on and off.  This is a bit counterintuitive, but when it says 100% brightness for the dim function, it is referring to "100% of the available light for dim".  Meaning, if you have dim set at 100% it will dim normally.  If you have it set lower, it will dim every more dramatically.  I found that keeping dim at 100% is more than enough dimming.
• New On/Off dual ouput.  If you have ditchlights wired with two separate outputs, now you have have one button turn both of them on at the same time, rather than turning each one on separately and using up a function slot.

-Kevin

[TwinStar]

Kevin, may I copy and paste your above detailed message to the Free-mo yahoo! group?

[KPack]

Absolutely Jacob.  There's more than what I wrote, but this gives a basic overview of the main features.  What I wrote is geared more towards people already familiar with Railpro, but it's still handy info for others to read.

-Kevin

[TwinStar]

Thanks Kevin. People like soundbite news and I thought your summary would be beneficial.

We need to get you involved in Free-mo as well.

[PatP]

Is there a way to download the files without using RPA? We seem to be stuck downloading on an as used basis. I had the vision of pulling the files ahead of time, since a prime mover file seems to take about an hour to download and another half hour to upload to an LM-3S. My copy of RPA is now at 4% free space while the laptop has over 4TB. I guess I'll be deleting files to be able to update the HCs and LM-3Ss then re-downloading sounds. At least we can do this. Most of the DCC folks never heard of downloading a different sound.

PatP

Some, not all, but some of the download time is my not remembering to disable the virus for a long enough time. Have I said how much I hate Windows? I really feel for you PC guys.