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Hogwarts Express Coach Upgrade (link to video added)

J jrmertzOGR Forum Member

Hello All,

 

I thought I would share with everyone the upgrade I made to my hogwarts express set, specifically one of the coach cars.

 

The inspiration for the project was the Tom Hanks Polar Express sound car.  I was very jealous of the car (my brother has it with his polar set) and was upset Lionel didn't offer something similar for the Hogwarts.

 

Problem was solved when I found out about ITTProducts , and a nice guy named George at that company let me know he could load custom sounds for no additional cost!

 

Project begins, I cut out 2 sound files from the first moive:

1 file is Harry asking where platform 9 and 3/4 is

1 file playing the a little of the theme music for the movies

 

Had George ITTProducts load them to chips for me.  Then I purchased the electric railroad mini commander ACC board.  This has programable outputs, perfect tripping the sound boards off from my legacy remote.  I had to build 2 of my own little circuits (far more difficult than I remembered it being in high school) and then put it all together.  The results are just what I hoped for.  Attached are some pictures and hopefully I can get a video this week so you can see this actually works

Here is a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RueEHaPI0Q

 

Below are some pictures of my build process of installing the components. 

 

Happy railroading!

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Last edited by jrmertz
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FM Former Member

I not nearly as tech savvy as the young guys out there but could this same thing be done with an Ipod ?
If you mounted 2 speakers in a car with a jack to plug in the Ipod with a roof that was easily removable .would the Ipod have enough guts to drive the speakers to a volume you could hear?
I was asking because you could load whatever you wanted into the Ipod and it would play it continuously until you turned it off.
Any Ideas??????

David

Gandalf97Gandalf97OGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by DPC:

I not nearly as tech savvy as the young guys out there but could this same thing be done with an Ipod ?
If you mounted 2 speakers in a car with a jack to plug in the Ipod with a roof that was easily removable .would the Ipod have enough guts to drive the speakers to a volume you could hear?
I was asking because you could load whatever you wanted into the Ipod and it would play it continuously until you turned it off.
Any Ideas??????

David

You'd need to find a way to turn it on and off without having to take the car apart each time or it would quickly become a massive PITN.  I really like the idea of the ERR upgrade and the custom sound chips.  Very cool.

gunrunnerjohngunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
Originally Posted by DPC:

I not nearly as tech savvy as the young guys out there but could this same thing be done with an Ipod ?
If you mounted 2 speakers in a car with a jack to plug in the Ipod with a roof that was easily removable .would the Ipod have enough guts to drive the speakers to a volume you could hear?
I was asking because you could load whatever you wanted into the Ipod and it would play it continuously until you turned it off.
Any Ideas??????

David

Well, a simple audio amplifier chip would fix it if it wasn't.  I can't say how much drive the iPod has, could be fine.

FM Former Member
Originally Posted by Gandalf97:
Originally Posted by DPC:

I not nearly as tech savvy as the young guys out there but could this same thing be done with an Ipod ?
If you mounted 2 speakers in a car with a jack to plug in the Ipod with a roof that was easily removable .would the Ipod have enough guts to drive the speakers to a volume you could hear?
I was asking because you could load whatever you wanted into the Ipod and it would play it continuously until you turned it off.
Any Ideas??????

David

You'd need to find a way to turn it on and off without having to take the car apart each time or it would quickly become a massive PITN.  I really like the idea of the ERR upgrade and the custom sound chips.  Very cool.

Okay what if you put a little velcro on the back of the Ipod and mounted it under the car?Then you wouldn't have to take the roof off and if you made a little box it wouldn't show. Then you could remove it to charge it and load sounds and adjust the volume.
I can hear my daughters now. Dad have you seen my Ipod?
Ur no honey, as my train goes by playing orange blossom special

David

DW Doug W.OGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Gandalf97:
Originally Posted by DPC:

I not nearly as tech savvy as the young guys out there but could this same thing be done with an Ipod ?
If you mounted 2 speakers in a car with a jack to plug in the Ipod with a roof that was easily removable .would the Ipod have enough guts to drive the speakers to a volume you could hear?
I was asking because you could load whatever you wanted into the Ipod and it would play it continuously until you turned it off.
Any Ideas??????

David

You'd need to find a way to turn it on and off without having to take the car apart each time or it would quickly become a massive PITN.  I really like the idea of the ERR upgrade and the custom sound chips.  Very cool.


What about a magnetic switch ?

Great upgrade Jason !

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