I finally had a chance to run my Athearn Santa Fe FP 45 with DCC and Sound Traxx sound decoder on my layout ,which of course is DC. The sound is very nice although a bit loud at the factory default setting. When running in DC you get brake release, nice engine rev up, a bell which does not stay on long enough at slower speeds to allow moving through a yard or station with bell ringing. Then we get to that Annoying Horn. As the instruction sheet states when running in DC the horn blows a standard crossing signal. This would be ok if it came on about every two minutes,but it does not. It goes off about every ten to fifteen seconds and is like being awakened at night by a car alarm (horn type) going off. The only way to shut off the horn is to have DCC and a programing track. Instructions also state the loco can be programed so that horn sounds two short blasts at start up and three when stoping. This would be better that a crossing blast every ten seconds as you travel around the layout. I guess I will have to visit one of my DCC buddies to get it reset. Oh there is (flange) brake squeel when stopping. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake,Utah.
