I'm wondering if there is any practical way to add a sound module to an 80's vintage U36B? I know later versions of the same chassis had sounds in them and mine even has the grate in the bottom of the fuel tank albeit the grate isn't open. That could easily be changed by drilling it out. There is certainly an abundance of space in there. The original number is 6-18801 Santa Fe 8801 it's the dual motor 8 wheel drive version with digital e unit.
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Electric Railroad RailSounds Commander, works for conventional or command operation.
There are add on sound systems available like Electric RR Co. But they offer the later GE sounds. ( Dash 8's and 9's ) and not quite right for a U-36-B. The earlier GE sounds have a chug-chug sounding exhaust that no-one ( save one) has reproduced.
Chuck Sartor posted:There are add on sound systems available like Electric RR Co. But they offer the later GE sounds. ( Dash 8's and 9's ) and not quite right for a U-36-B. The earlier GE sounds have a chug-chug sounding exhaust that no-one ( save one) has reproduced.
I will have to look into that system more. As long as I don't put a 2 stroke system in a 4 stroke loco I would say I'm coming out ahead.
The Closest Sound to a GE loco would be the ALCo soundset as of now.
IF Lionel releases the U28C Soundfile, I may go for it.
The U30C is available, it has the same GE FDL-16 prime mover.
"The earlier GE sounds have a chug-chug sounding exhaust"
A number of yeas ago I read someone in one of the train mags state: "Inside every GE there is an Alco trying to get out". This not wrong, as GE and Alco dated for years and much of GE's design work was influenced by Alco. Alco's electrical systems were GE. Much more robust than those of GM/EMD. (Baldwin's Westinghouse electricals were too.)
Alcos and at least earlier GE's have an "I got this" sound to them, like handling all that tonnage was in the bag. EMD's always sounded a bit more strained.
One of the O scale engines I still have is the Lionel TMCC CB&Q U30C. If it is the same soundset I can guarantee there is no chug - chug to it. It is one of the most boring Railsounds I've heard. A small step above an electric.
If the MTH PS3 board upgrade kit would fit, they have sounds for the GE's to load
http://mthtrains.com/22-20365-2
Just as a note, I added railsounds to my Lionel BN U-36-B I used an extra railsounds 2 circuit board from a trashed C&NW Dash 8 Lionel released as their first Railsounds GE diesel around 1995. I has to change the fuel tank to one from a RS-3 locomotive as a speaker would not fit the GP-7 style fuel tank Lionel used on the U-36-B locos.
not to digress too much from the original topic but I came across something the other day about someone who had rewired one of these dual motor loco's from parallel to series or maybe the other way around. Is this common with these? I came across a k-line switcher on ebay which was obviously a lionel rebranded after they bought k-line and it has a series-parallel switch on the bottom.
William 1 posted:One of the O scale engines I still have is the Lionel TMCC CB&Q U30C. If it is the same soundset I can guarantee there is no chug - chug to it. It is one of the most boring Railsounds I've heard. A small step above an electric.
I have the Burlington Northern U33C. I mostly agree, the prime mover sounds are pretty lame. The horn is great, though.
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