We have had sound tank cars and sound boxcars---isn't it time for someone to make a coal hopper car with sounds? There's plenty of room in them for a small speaker.
Scott Smith
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scott.smith posted:We have had sound tank cars and sound boxcars---isn't it time for someone to make a coal hopper car with sounds? There's plenty of room in them for a small speaker.
Scott Smith
All the years I spent training crews on the BN/BNSF, in the powder River Coal Basin, of Wyoming, I NEVER heard a coal hopper/gon make any sounds. What would you propose they sound like?
The slack as they start up and the squealing of the wheels (just like the boxcar), and the clicky-clack.
Scott Smith
scott.smith posted:The slack as they start up and the squealing of the wheels (just like the boxcar), and the clicky-clack.
Scott Smith
Loading and unloading.
While your at it, how about a "Breakdown Hopper" too! Where a trail stops suddenly because of a broken air line
I like Scott's thinking. I would like more varieties of cars to have squealing wheels and clickity clack. I don't think coal loading or unloading sounds would work because you could not use that going down the track. Maybe for that a sound shed with those sounds to place at coal operations..................Paul
Hot Water posted:All the years I spent training crews on the BN/BNSF, in the powder River Coal Basin, of Wyoming, I NEVER heard a coal hopper/gon make any sounds. What would you propose they sound like?
Wow, they must have been the newest, well maintained hoppers in the world!!
I have never worked for a railroad before, but every coal train that I've ever come by (about 4 a week), the hoppers sure make a lot of noise. ...
paul 2 posted:I don't think coal loading or unloading sounds would work because you could not use that going down the track.
I stop my trains so I could use it then much like the VL boxcars have loading and unloading sounds when stopped in addition to the squealing and banging when moving.
mjrodg3n88 posted:Hot Water posted:All the years I spent training crews on the BN/BNSF, in the powder River Coal Basin, of Wyoming, I NEVER heard a coal hopper/gon make any sounds. What would you propose they sound like?
Wow, they must have been the newest, well maintained hoppers in the world!!
I have never worked for a railroad before, but every coal train that I've ever come by (about 4 a week), the hoppers sure make a lot of noise. ...
Maybe it is crappy track in your area. Out in Wyoming, what with all the continuous welded rail and concrete ties, even the older hoppers don't make any noise, even while they are being flood loaded on the move.
Hot Water posted:What would you propose they sound like?
Flushing.
I sent emails to Mike Reagan asking for this a couple of times. (I sent them to Mike, because I was sure they would be read and answered . lol)
When I was in 3-rail, all of my railroads dragged coal ... whether 1950's CNJ or modern. And, coal hoppers are noisy.
I was in the Baltimore area on business in May, and was watching some of the CSX coal trains heading to the port for export. Those unit trains have many relatively quieter, new/rebuilt hoppers ... but you could hear the more used hoppers coming far in the distance. lol
I had a similar thought not long after Lionel brought out the Vision reefers, but with a slightly easier idea of covered ACF hoppers with sound. This way you can simulate a huge grain and wheat loading and unloading operation.
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Mikado 4501 posted:I had a similar thought not long after Lionel brought out the Vision reefers, but with a slightly easier idea of covered ACF hoppers with sound. This way you can simulate a huge grain and wheat loading and unloading operation.
Grain and coal loading/unloading sounds would be best placed in the loading and unloading structures.
Rusty
scott.smith posted:We have had sound tank cars and sound boxcars---isn't it time for someone to make a coal hopper car with sounds? There's plenty of room in them for a small speaker.
Scott Smith
There might be room in a covered hopper, but where would everything go in an empty, open hopper?
I like sound but when your running five trains all the noise becomes more annoying than not. It might be cool for five seconds if it's the only car on the track but after that I don't think so. BigRail
I would just like to have a decently detailed [read - one that doesn't look like a toy], affordable coal hopper [in N&W] available...and in stock at all times!
I can remember when N&W coal hoppers first appeared on the ex-Southern after the NS merger in 1983. There were plenty of old hoppers that creaked and groaned with plenty of flat wheels too.Seems like every time I was lucky enough to see one of the old Virginian hoppers it had a flat wheel.
Great idea from Johnny's post, have a car that sounds like it has flat spots ... or maybe not.
Diverging Clear posted:Great idea from Johnny's post, have a car that sounds like it has flat spots ... or maybe not.
What's a train without at least one hopper banging away? lol
Hopper, shmopper - how about a flatcar with sound? Yeah, that's the ticket.
...Or just the perfect sound byte for your rusty gondolas!!!!!.....
Awe, c'mon, guys! You know it's got the perfect 'shtick' for your ho-hum layout!!
Besides, your wife will swoon.....for awhile, anyway.
EBT Jim posted:Diverging Clear posted:Great idea from Johnny's post, have a car that sounds like it has flat spots ... or maybe not.
What's a train without at least one hopper banging away? lol
Or any car for that matter, I know it's not every train I see and hear, but, more often than not, there is at least one "thumper" in there somewhere. lol
For a number of years I dragged coal from Shire Oaks yard in Elrama PA up around the Horseshoe Curve and down into Altoona and quite often I thought I could hear the hoppers exclaim "ARE WE THERE YET?!?!?!" LOL Thought I was hearing things. How's that for sound?
Rick
One sound car is enough for me. Maybe 2 if it's a long train. Too much sqwealing and banging can get old fast. 
I don't see any real benifits to sounds from a hopper besides it turns outs just to be more noise.
PLEASE NO MORE NOISE!!
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I want the Hotbox reissued with Legacy sounds, and the capability to set the Smoke...
Hoppers would be interesting. If it's a covered it might be easy but uncovered and empty would be interesting too.
Jerry
wild mary posted:PLEASE NO MORE NOISE!!
But real trains make noise........... If the rivets should be there, than so should the noise.
NO
RickO posted:wild mary posted:PLEASE NO MORE NOISE!!
But real trains make noise........... If the rivets should be there, than so should the noise.
What can I say? We go to great lengths to deaden the track sound on one hand yet on the other hand we want our loco and rolling stock to make every sound imaginable. Personally the only sound I want to hear is steel wheels on steel track with a little clickety-clack.
ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper with sound.
The sounds would be coming out of speakers behind the holes in each end.
Sounds of loading and unloading.
Wheels and brakes screeching.
Coupler drawbar slack sounds.
Brakewheel and chain being tightened or loosened by a crew member.
Air filling the break cylinders.
Andrew
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SDIV Tim posted:I want the Hotbox reissued with Legacy sounds, and the capability to set the Smoke...
Hoppers would be interesting. If it's a covered it might be easy but uncovered and empty would be interesting too.
Yes!
david1 posted:I don't see any real benifits to sounds from a hopper besides it turns outs just to be more noise.
Yes David, Silence is golden, soft clickity Clacc and a little wheel squiel is all that is needed.
Is this a serious post or an April Fool's joke?
im regarding it as an april fools joke too,but i think the o.p. and some of the replies are serious ...
I know when l have been standing near track for a photo of an old elevator or station, and a train of old, empty hoppers passes, l move even further back, for some of those hoppers are banging, clanging, look like they are leaping within their couplers, and about to come off the track. If that sound could be switched on/ off, you could run a train up to pass visitors standing at the front of your layout, turn it on, and watch reactions...probably quick moves back!
Not a fan of sound cars....the real sounds are enough......but it seems a 'thump thump thump' of a bad wheel and/or bearing would make the most sense.
you can file a flat spot on a wheel for the thump effect. i did some on my ho and it was cool.
