Locomotives with sound

[Anonymous]

Ever since I got into DCC. 3months now. I have changed my ways of the engines I buy. I am going to buy every new engine with sound. It is more realistic and fun. I think the extra cost is well worth it. I also belive that manfactures will start producing more engines with sound. Its not easy to just go and buy one with the sound installed. Espically an engine you want. What do you think will be the outlook for the HO industry. DCC seems to be building up steam. (no train pun intended)

[AntonioFP45]

Hello Train2525 [;)]

Sound is becoming more and more popular. Predictions are that within 5 years sound equipped Ready to Run locomotives will be the norm. Several manufacturers are currently pursuing this aggresively. I've posted several threads on this topic. I am very excited! [swg]

I'm assuming that you already know that you have a very good option.

Whether you model steam or diesel you can have high quality sound installed in your locomotives from N scale and up. Currently, Soundtraxx makes excellent sound/motor decoders. You can go to their website and try out the sound samples offered in the DCC category on the left side of the page. If you wi***o consider having sound decoders installed in your locomotives, go to your search engine, type in and check out these two vendors: Litchfield Station and Tony's Train Xchange. Prices are reasonable and the work quality is top notch! I lean more towards Litchfield Station, personally. Litchfield owner, Bruce, has sample pictures of his installation work as well as letters from very satisfied customers. Bruce answered all of my questions within a few days. [tup] [swg]

Take your time and check out these two guys, if you haven't before I think you will be impressed. You can also e-mail them with any questions that you may have.

I currently am planning to have sound installed on two Athearn Santa Fe FP45s, two Athearn Seaboard Coast Line U33Bs, one Atlas SCL FP7, and a Stewart Hobbies NYC F7, all HO scale units. It can be expensive, but that's why most of us budget! Hope this helps.

BTW: Please tell us about your interests, what scale you are modeling in, what type of locomotives you are using, railroad theme, etc. Thanks! [8D][:D][8D][swg]

[Anonymous]

Train2525 [#welcome] to the forum!

Sound is becoming a big feature. Both in locos and on layouts. I notice more and more advertising for sound, both locos and your layout, cows, sheep, birds, etc. and some even allow you to record your own sound.

[mikebonellisr]

I am finding sound to be a great addition to my layout.The coupler clank, whistle signals and wheel squeel are my favorites.I'm waiting for someone to come out w/ a steam service facility sound system... coal chute, water filling ash pit ,general roundhouse sounds in the background...what else??? It makes running the layout more FUN.

[Anonymous]

Sound is awesome!!!! But, after awhile, especially if you have it in all of your locomotives, it becomes noise.

[AntonioFP45]

4884BigBoy,

You're right. [;)] I remember when my LHS, Happy Hobo Trains, demonstrated a BLI E7. It was beautiful and the sound was fantastic [:D][8D] and yet, it become a little overbearing after 5 minutes.[:0]

I could be mistaking, but a few years back it was Tony Koester that basically stated that: The simple secret to keeping sound enjoyable is to keep the volume turned down low! Good advice![^][tup]

With the upcoming Tsunami sound decoder from Soundtraxx, the ideal situation would be to keep the sound volume turned down lowbut program the reverb feature to a higher level to give a very realistic effect of distance.
[8)][:D][8D][:)]

Hopefully we will see the Tsunami within the next month! [C=:-)]
Peace out!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for you advise. I decided tio use Litchfield Station to put a decoder in some of my Athern engines. I will also have them put sound in my good engines first. I have a 25 foot HO layout with 3 levels running the length a my basement. I am still rebuilding it. Also, I was going to order a few engines from Tonys Train exchange. Probroley an Atlas Dash -40 BW with sound. Debating on the issue tho. Mabey I will buy the engines and Hobbylinc.com and have Linchfield install the sound card. I dont have time to do my instaling that is why I prefer to have it installed.

[Anonymous]

I wish I knew when the Tsunami would come out. Thats all you need. No decoder and sound card to be seperate. The Tsunami does it all. Anyone have any updated info about the Tsunami ?

[orsonroy]

Onboard sound is the way to go. The Tsunami is only good for six speakers, which may be good for low bass, but definitely doesn't have enough channels to trick the human ear that the sound is really coming from the engine, except in a small room. My layout's 12x25, and there's no other way to get realistic sound except for onboard.

Is onboard sound perfect? Nope, especially in N and HO. The speakers are too small to get good low-end sound, and at higher volumes distort all over the place. But I'm hugely impressed with my two BLI USRA heavy mikes. QSI partially solved the distortion by adding two speakers. When I'm slowly running my mikes uphill with 15 cars, I can get the engines to sound EXACTLY like a working steamer. I've amazed lots of people with the sound realism from a BLI engine, including people who work with steam.

[AntonioFP45]

Orsonroy, - (Tsunami only good for six speakers)??[%-)]

I'm not sure I totally follow you, as the Tsunami from Soundtraxx is an integrated decoder designed for onboard sound. The dynamic range is greater than that of the previous DSD 150 decoder. From what I've read, if the space is available, two speakers can be used on the same HO locomotive but the installer should be electronically knowledgeable as the decoders can be damaged, unnecessarily. Don't take my word for it though, do the research.

Train2525 - I think what you're reffering to is a "motor control" decoder and a separate "sound decoder", not a sound card. Soundtraxx has had motor/sound decoders available as well as "Sound Only" decoders (DSX series). So one still has the option of installing separate motor and sound decoders, or installing a single decoder with motor control and sound combined. A friend of mine has equipped several HO units with TCS decoders> he's now planning on purchasing Soundtraxx DSX decoders to install in the same units. [8D]

One tip I did learn was that, in the case of diesels, it's helpful to have good solid baffling as well as "see thru" radiator grills and roof fans if the speaker(s) must be mounted on or near the ceiling.

This is just 2nd hand info, but two LHS dealers I've spoken to that went to the "Dealers Only" Tsunami demo stated that the sound was incredible and was actually superior to anything presently on the market, including the current QSI systems. That is impressive as many of us, including myself, were "mesmerized" with the BLI E7's sound.

Re: Tsunami's Release. Latest report is June 2004. Just join Litchfield Station's news group to stay posted on what's happening in DCC [tup]

[;)][swg][:)][8D][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

4884BigBoy,
I could be mistaking, but a few years back it was Tony Koester that basically stated that: The simple secret to keeping sound enjoyable is to keep the volume turned down low! Good advice![^][tup]

Amen Brother! [bow]
I operate weekly on a friends layout with about a dozen sound equipped engines.
What a cacaphony of noise! We found that using function 8 (kill sound) in everything except what is running is the best way to go.

[Anonymous]

I always thought that the speakers for the sound were in: the tender on a steam locomotive, or the body of a diesel.

[AntonioFP45]

4884BigBoy,

You're correct that's usually where speakers are mounted for onboard sound.

There is another option where you can mount larger speakers in strategic locations around a layout, just like museums do. Soundtraxx offers this. You'd have to go to their website to check it out.

I know that the sound might be better since larger speakers are used, but I'm just funny in the way that when I blow the horn or throtte up a specific sound equipped locomotive, I want to hear the sound coming from that particular unit! For me it's part of the fun and illusion of model railroading.

[Anonymous]

SOUND YAY

[orsonroy]

Ah, my mistake. I was thinking SURROUNDTRAXX, which is their stationary surround sound system. The Tsunami sounds like the QSI stuff in the BLI engines, but configurable (a mixer's delight, and an average modeler's nightmare!). The Tsunami sounds like the logical evolution of Soundtraxx's systems, but might end up being a bit more pricey than their basic line (which I hope they don't kill off).

I'm personally waiting for QSI to start releasing some of their stuff as add-on boards!

[AntonioFP45]

Orsonroy,

Upon last check the Tsunami was retailing for $179 but Litchfield Station is offering it for $138 if you "pre-order" it. It is slated for release in June 04.

[;)][;)]As for being pricey, I agree with you but then when you think about it, we're getting sound, motor control, plus extra features that aren't even available from other manufacturers yet. Since Soundtraxx is a small company and they have invested a great deal of time, research and a lot of money developing the Tsunami, the price may be justifiable.

Topping it off, the legal wrangling due to the MTH lawsuit has affected Soundtraxx as well. [V]

As stated before though, several manufacturers are currently working on sound/motor decoders. TCS is one of them, for sure. Soundtraxx and QSI have the high quality standards that these manufacturers have to compete with. In the long run, prices may likely begin to drop as the demand for quality sound gains momentum on competition sets in.

I still find it hard to fathom, but two professionals I've spoken to still believe that the day of the "modeler programing his/her sound decoder" by downloading specific sounds off the internet (legally or illegally) is not too many years away. It is likely that some of our bright high school teens that today are computer s a v v y will help pu***he technology to and past this point within a few years when they become employed in the computer/software industry.[;)][8D][swg][swg]

This is why I believe that it's important to encourage the teens on this forum as some of them may be involved in advancing our hobby in their adult years.

[Anonymous]

Atlas is putting sound in their HO H-15-44, and Athearn has sound in its' HO Challenger.
-----------------------
Christopher-Burlington Route is THE BEST IN THE MIDWEST!![;)]
EVERYWHERE WEST/WAY of the ZEPHYRS[8D]

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjm89

Atlas is putting sound in their HO H-15-44, and Athearn has sound in its' HO Challenger.
-----------------------
Christopher-Burlington Route is THE BEST IN THE MIDWEST!![;)]
EVERYWHERE WEST/WAY of the ZEPHYRS[8D]

That one too? Or do you mean H-24-66?