As mentioned earlier in this article, this installation will not be using the reed switch function triggers supplied by Phoenix in the sound systems kit. Instead, the small flat-style (B type) reed switches as pictured below will be used. Note the size of these units as compared to the dime, these switches are very small, but very reliable.

Each of the three (whistle, bell, and chuff) small reed switches is fitted with a black, 12" piece of 30 gauge, wire-wrap wire at each of the reed switch's ends, as pictured below. Using a small set of needle-nose pliers, I bend approximately 1/8" of each end of the reed switch's ends back onto itself, creating small loops at both ends of each reed switch. Next, I strip approximately 1/4" of the wire's insulation jacket from each end of the six, 12" long pieces. I then pass one end of each piece of wire through a loop at the ends of the reed switches and wrap it back around to itself, as shown in the picture below. This action basically interlocks the wire and the reed switch's lead or end to hold the two together for soldering.

The photo below shows the wire 12" leads being affixed to the reed switch using solder. Always use solder for joining these connections, never rely just on mechanical or pressure connection.

Although this style of reed switch is already sealed, a small piece of black heat-shrink is used to cover and protect the entire switch and its solder joints. The finished product is extremely small, as can be seen with its comparison to the dime in the picture. The whistle and bell triggers are made just as pictured below, but the chuff trigger differs in the fact that a lead is folded over so that both leads exit a single end of its heat-shrink sheath (sorry, I forgot to snap a picture).

The new bell and whistle triggers are placed on the bottom-center cross-support of the tenders rear wheel truck. This cross-support is composed of a single piece of spring steel. The cross-support's strength and rigidity allow the bell and whistle triggers to be centered and their leads physically wrapped around the cross-support. A dab of Goo under the ends of each trigger help to keep it in place. Each pair of leads from both the bell and the whistle are twisted together and trailed up through the same hole, as used for the rear truck's power pick up leads. Below is a photo of the bell and whistle triggers affixed in place and their wiring passed through to the top side of the pan.

The installation of the chuff trigger is a little more complicated than those for the bell and whistle triggers. The chuff trigger must be placed above an axle on the tender's front truck. This will allow magnets affixed to the axle to trigger the chuff sound as the axle rotates; the faster the loco goes, the faster the tender's axle will rotate, and thus increasing the rate of chuffs the sound system creates. The trigger is located above the axle to make it as far from the track surface as possible, this ensures that a track-magnet used to trigger a bell or whistle event will not cause a "false chuff". In this installation the chuff trigger (reed switch) is held in place with Goo. The chuff trigger leads are passed through to the upper side of the pan via the same hole as this truck's track power leads use.

 The picture above shows the normal installation and placement of the chuff trigger magnets. Normal installations use 2 chuff magnets mounted to an axle, but directly opposed or across from one another. I affix the magnets using a dab of Goo. Note that the axle should be centered in the truck and the magnets mounted directly overtop the reed switch. This alignment will allow the chuff trigger to still occur properly as the axle floats from side-to-side in normal operation. Note that for true 4 valve chuffing, some sound systems would require 4 magnets mounted in a similar manner; however, the Phoenix system gives the 4 valve effect with just the 2 chuff magnets.

 In the picture above, the axle has been rotated 90 degrees to give a little better look at the chuff trigger and the method of its operation. The installations of these alternate-style bell, whistle, and chuff triggers makes the bottom side of the tender less conspicuous and gives an overall cleaner look to the loco. Most people don't even notice the triggers at first glance while looking straight down on the inverted tender - I must point them out specifically.

At this point a conductivity test is done with an Ohm-meter and a magnet to ensure that all three triggers are functioning properly.

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