Adding a Whistle and Bell to Prewar Loco

Michael, both the Williams and ERR Railsounds only require two wires to the track, easy if your tender has pickup rollers. Then two wires to a speaker. Finally if you get the ERR board, two more wires to the chuff switch. You can go to electricrr.com and download the manual for Railsounds.

Pete

@Michael Roth posted:

I started this conversation under Tinplate Trains however i was instructed to place it hear.

So i have the following questions.

I would like to add just a Whistle and Bell to my prewar 260E i do not want to add a full sound steam card. I would like to add just the Bell and Whistle activated when pushing the buttons on my controller. I also want to mount inside of the Locomotive and not the tender.

I wasn't sure this was possible and if so what were my options.

I will also ask in advance if anyone has done this and if they can share how they did this with photos and diagrams

I am not selling anything i am looking for technical data. Maybe someone has built their own boards and is willing to share the info. With all the programs available on circuit board building i thought maybe some have tried building their own and are willing to file share.

Thanks

Not quite the answer you seek, but purchasing a whistling bill board or station was the prewar and (often) postwar solution to the sounds question. There are lots of American Flyer pre- and postwar whistling billboards to be found for cheap at train shows. Arguably, this would be an aesthetically fitting answer for a prewar steamer to the problem.

Just a thought.

Bob

There's another alternative.  Find one of these and transplant their innards into your tender:

1. Lionel  6-16655 Steam RailSounds Tender
2. Lionel  6-19833 (2426w style) Steam RailSounds Tender

Both were originally designed to be pulled by Pre- and Post-war engines to provide modern sounds by replacing the original tender completely.  But, you could easily transplant the electronics from one of them into your tender if you'd like to keep your original look.  They have everything you need including the chuff sensor.

Downside: Perfect synchronization of the sounds with the rotation of your engine's wheels is not guaranteed, since the sensor is mounted near a tender wheel and not near a driving wheel on the locomotive, but being a little off may not matter to you.  Both of the previously mentioned solutions also have this problem, unless of course you mount the chuff sensor inside the engine and not in the tender.

Mike

Ok so I have purchased three different sound boards. I am not going to post the brands however, I will post the installs (in picture) and post video of the final sound and operations.

I will list all the options with each board evaluation of those options.

The first board I’m going to install is a sound card only. no other features other than sound. Cost $ 69.00 with shipping.

Second board comes complete with speaker and accessories for chuff, and with whistle/Bell 129.00 with shipping.

Third is a sound card with a electronic e unit for AC motors (important because I am installing on a prewar Lionel 260E) $290.00 with Shipping

next week I’ll start posting the first installation.

wish me luck and hope I don’t burn up a board.victim #1

Victim #2

Victim #3