Searching for a whistle...

[Jim Duda]

My brother asked me to suggest a "Christmas Train" that will encircle the tree, be "classic old school" with one Absolutely Essential Requirement - the whistle must be kickbutt realistic! Conventional control only! Smoke output is not critical.

I have the K-Line scale Hudson w/TMCC - RS 4.0...and it sounds Very Nice!
The Polar Express (as a starter set) is out because it uses the old air whistle. I'm suggesting a set of Williams baby Madison cars behind a Berkshire, a circle of Fast Track, and an MRC pure sine wave Txfrmr.

Questions:
1. Does the Berkshire (any brand) sound generically the same as my K-Line Hudson?
2. Does MTH compare soundwise to RS 4 or RS 5 as far as steamer whistles go?
3. What loco/tender would you folks recommend?
4. Total expenditure (track + Txfrmr + cars + loco) ~ $600-$700)

[dougdagrump]

Jim, Davis Trains in SnOhio has two B&O sets, my road of choice, on sale now. They are the scale Pacifics from K-Line, one is B&O blue with a passenger consist the other is black with a freight consist. Both sets are originally listed in the $1200 bracket. As for me I just love the steam whistle on my K-Line Mikado. The only thing I don't know is whether these sets come with track and transformer. They work for me. [^]

[Jim Duda]

Doug - can you "shape" the whistle sounds depending how hard and how long you press the whisle button? That's what makes the Hudson so cool...but maybe that's a standard function of TMCC and RS-4 on the the K-Line stuff...?

[dougdagrump]

Jim, On my Mikado I can so I would assume that it can be done on the Pacifics as well.

[ChiefEagles]

Jimmy, I have only one "modern" steamer. It is a MTH G4 with DCS. Very good sounds and a very good whistle sound.

[Jim Duda]

Now the hard part...to find one! Looks like the K-Line scale Mikado w/TMCC has bubbled up to the top of the list, any road name (as long as it's a black color). Since K-Line doesn't have a Product Locater as MTH does, I guess the search begins. Anyone know of a good source for one?

Thanks and have a Merry Christmas week, all...

[ChiefEagles]

CTT magazine adds. Think Trainworld still ahs some.