Been looking at getting a Pecos River's ATSF 4-6-4 lately and installing sound into it. I know I could have Proto sound installed, but I am starting to really like ERR cruise and then running from Legacy. Does anyone have experience with ERR railsounds? How good are they and what kind of sounds are in the generic, atlantic or articulated? Thanks.
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That is a great engine. I have the same one and will be installing ERR cruise and Railsounds. You are definitely limited with sound options through ERR and would go with the generic steam or northern sound board for that engine.
Nick
Greg - You can't go wrong with that PRB engine. They were extremely well done.
As you probably know ERR sounds are generic RS4. I have a two versions of that PRB engine. I installed a Digital Dynamics TMCC system (available before ERR) in the engine. The DD system also has RS4. I triggered the 4-chuffs per rev off a driver and it has decent sounds. The only issue I had was insulating the tender shell from the tender chassis. It is a tight fit between the two.
Also, you are probably aware that all 3rd Rail engines over the past few years have ERR with RS4.
My only complaint about control systems with RS4 sound, is that a lot of my engines sound the same.
Trevize used to install PS2 in his 3rd Rail engines and I think there are some advantages like triggering chuff, choice of sound, and smoke (if interested). Since finally am installing the DCS equipment I've had in a box for years, I might do all future conversions with PS3. My understanding is it should be out later this year. That way I will have some control over the sound set. Also, you don't have the issue with insulating brass tenders. My other PRB engine will be my first PS3 conversion so I can compare the TMCC & PS3 systems.
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I've done somewhere around a dozen TMCC ERR Cruise Commander/Railsounds Commander conversions roughly half steam and half diesel. I found the product to be rock solid and the instructions to be excellent.
I found ERR's customer support to be excellent during my first few installs when I needed help.
As for the sound sets. Well it's just what it is with proprietary Lionel and MTH command systems. You get what they give you and the choices are rather narrow.
This is one of the top ten reasons I switched from 3 Rail Scale to 2 Rail Scale and DCC. With DCC I have a huge variety of DCC decoders and prototype sound sets all compatible and interoperable up to a point with the NMRA DCC standards and recommended practices.
BUT. having said that, I repeat, I found the ERR products to be rock solid and the support excellent.
guys to let you know..some sound you can now buy from lionel now..Im going to run a TAS EOB with railsounds in my S1 duplex..now id found out now i can buy the s1 sound board with chips..