Terry - Welcome to trains.com!
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
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You might want to check out the Dream Player from Pricom Design. At $39, it is one of the cheapest decoders out there, plus it has interfaces that will allow it to be trigger by block detection, motion detectors, push buttons, etc. I think it can run off track power or 12V DC, so should not have any problem fitting this into a module and still keeping the module self contained and fully transportable.
And if you really want to keep the speakers out of site, you might experiment with sound exciters. You can attach those to any solid surface and use that as the speaker. They are affordable (~$20) and by definition, completely concealed.
Another source for sound that I might recommend is Fantasonics. They work closely with Pricom to provide sound tracks for the Dream Player as well as consult on sound projects for museums and big layouts.
Good luck with your project, and keep us posted on how it goes.
Terry
I have a TM on my layout and use it for switching one siding that a loco can't switch due to the facing points of the turnout. With it's short wheel base, all frogs in it's territory should be powered. I have a problem with mine going over / through a crossing as it stalls unless there is some speed on it. Since TM's can be driven on a road, I have no problem picking it up and placing it where I need it during operating sessions.
There is a chicken feed mill close to where I live (15 miles away) and they use one for switching covered grain hoppers. I have seen it handle about six to eight cars at a time. I never have heard a bell. I may just have to stop and ask when I see it working next time I go through there.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Thanks for the info everyone! Great link Rich, you're right, lots of good stuff there. You all have answered my question, I'll use an HO sound decoder (you guys just saved me about a hundred bucks! lol).
The few buildings I'm scratchbuilding extend past the edge of the layout and I'm leaving the backs of these buildings open (or covered with plexiglass), eventually adding detailed interiors (as soon as I figure out what is in them...and how to model it). I figured I'd attach a speaker enclosure under the layout, facing up, with holes or some kind of acoustically invisible barrier (maybe something like a heavy coat of ground foam on aluminum screen?) to hide it from sight. The buildings must be easily removable for transport so I'd rather not install the speaker there, but will continue to consider it (the TM will be delivered, I hope, Sept-Oct, so I have some time to think about it).
The TM does have a horn (sounds like a semi truck horn) but I haven't heard a bell, maybe they have a driver-activated beeper (like when big trucks backup) for when they are on-road or near other people/equipment, but I haven't heard that either.
I can't wait to get the TM and start work on it; I've read quite a few threads about installing headlights, flashing beacon, and a coupler. I have high hopes for this critter, I hope it doesn't overwhelm me! I will reevaluate my plans once I actually have it in hand and can study the instructions.
I'd love to hear more about how others use their TM's, if they work, how well they work, any tweaks they have made to improve it (visually or performance). I'm thinking a train will drop off cars on a 'yard' track, then the TM can shuttle those cars to their appropriate spots (I'm hoping 2 or 3 cars can be moved at once but I've only seen 1 car being moved on videos). I'm also thinking a small strip of steel under the track, and a magnet on the TM will increase tractive effort...I hope the TM lives up to all these expectations!
Thanks everyone, I will continue to follow this thread for new information and give updates when I get my TM.
http://delray1967.shutterfly.com/pictures/5
SEMI Free-Mo@groups.io
A large scale sound system, a-la Phoenix sound, would really be overkill for your needs. A ten watt power amplifier would be loud enough to make your whole layout vibrate with large speakers.
A Tsunami or LokSound Select connected to a 2 or 3 inch speaker would give you all the sound you need and then some. Just remember to wire a 100 Ohm resistor to the motor output wires of the decoder or you won't get any throttle increase/decrease effects.
Since a TrackMobile works only in small industries to move one or two cars around, do they even have a bell or horn? It doesn't seem to me that they would need one.
For those who might be interested, you can hear all of the available sounds of a Phoenix large-scale sound system at the following site:
http://www.phoenixsound.com/library/library.html
HO scale should be ok.
The below link has some info about using a decoder for in a building or a under table.
http://www.mrdccu.com/curriculum/soundtraxx/tsunami.htm
Scroll to the bottom and also look though his site for a lot of good DCC info.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I personally think that you can use a good quality HO sound decoder. The speaker and enclosure is what is going to make the difference. You don't have to be stuck with the tiny speakers but can use something around 2 inches. I would also mount the speaker in a building near where the TM will be working, and not under the layout. Mounted in a building will allow the sound to have a bit of an echo. Be sure the windows are open.
I am not familiar with large scale sound decoders, can someone who owns one give some advice?
I have an HO scale Trackmobile(TM), with DCC installed, on order and am trying to think of a good (easy) way to add sound. Given the size of the TM, under layout sound is my only choice. I have a Free-mo switching layout (2' x 12' total, made up of three 2' x 4' modules) and have been thinking a large scale decoder will have a bigger amp to produce more volume. I don't want separate computer speakers, or a separate audio amp (and all the weight, wiring and AC power supply issues that come along with it (remember this is a portable free-mo layout...less complexity is better for me).
I was thinking a large scale decoder has better sound (16-bit, possibly stereo?) than an HO decoder. The decoder would only need to be wired to the DCC buss and the speakers located just under the layout surface (my buildings have interior detail and will be removable for transport). I don't need 5.1 Dolby surround sound, just enough to be audible through the scenery in a large room (where Free-mo layouts are frequently setup) with people talking. I'd rather have it too loud (I can always turn it down) than too soft (wasted time and money on something barely noticeable).
The biggest downfall is the cost of large scale decoders (one I saw was $190!), is this a typical price range? Hmmm, this TM is getting expensive! and I don't even know if it will fit my bill (or work reliably) on a 19.5 degree atlas diamond (the plastic frogs look kinda long for a TM to run over...but I have an idea how to fix that) and ME code 70 track, #6 ME turnouts. If this all proves too much time and money, I have a C&O switcher that might have to be used instead of the TM (but the TM would be cool!).
BTW, anyone know where I can find a 6 cyl turbo diesel soundfile for the TM? I think a Galloping Goose (even tho it's the wrong engine) or other small gas loco sounds pretty close to the real TM I've seen working this industry. I'm considering recording my own sound file...but that's a story for another thread!