Lionel Railsound Boards??

My understanding is the generic steam/diesel boards are available for sale. For replacement of the loco specific boards you have to send the old board in before they ship the new one.

 I just went back onto Lionel's website and looked up a Texas Special B-Unit with sounds and it appears these are in fact engine specific sound boards. I clicked on the picture next to the audio board for the TS B-unit and there is in fact a sticker on the sound chip marked TX. I would like to find out more about this, being able to get engine specific sounds would be great!!

I'd like to find out as well, I'd like to change the sounds on a couple of engines as well.

 I just got off of Lionel's website after "searching" some more for these engine specific sounds and I did in fact see them on a mulitiude of engines listed. I myself would be very interested in this.

Finding the soundsets is easy, getting one is a whole nother story.

Most are: "Must contact Lionel to order".

I've only seen the generic ones available for customer order on railsounds 5.0 types.  You can get 2.5, 3.0, and select 4.0 ones.

Jim

I don't think you can just "buy the sounds". If I'm not mistaken you "must contact Lionel to order" because they will only sell you a railsounds chip if you are exchanging it for the same type. You must return your "defective" RS chip in order to buy a new one.

Heaven forfend that a customer should be able to upgrade a licensed or converted locomotive. Lionel wants to be sure that you can't get the best sound on a TMCC engine without buying a Lionel brand locomotive. It's backfired with me, I'm so annoyed by this policy that I have bought exactly two new Lionel locos in the past five years. I'd love to be able to get a Shay sound chip to upgrade my K-Line Shay, or a Hiawatha chip to put in my Weaver Hiawathas, but they are not for sale to the lower classes of customer who bought mere licensed TMCC systems rather than a whole Lionel engine. Bah, humbug.  

I think Lionels sounds are the "holy grail" of their product. If they handed them out to whoever their would be nothing special with the latest offerings.

Are there any RS5 sound chips available without exchange?

Jeff,

Good find!  

Dave

Can you point to a specific page with a non-generic RS board listed that doesn't have the exchange restriction?

Cool!  I just looked and the DD-35A railsounds board is now available.  I'll have to check for my other locomotives too.    I'm guessing that the most recent locomotives will not be available yet, but it's a good sign for the future. 

I'd love to find an RDC sound board for a conversion that I'm doing.

 I think this is a great idea on Lionel's part to finally offer these boards for sale to there customers. I like this way of thinking. Thumbs up Lionel!!!!

 I just spent the morning at Lionel's service center in Canfield with Mike R. and they are in fact selling some engine specific sound boards at this time. This is something they apparently just started doing. This service center Mike has setup there at Lionel is a very well oiled machine. Kudo's to Mike & his staff!!

Jeff

I tried ordering a Railsounds 4.0 BN SD60 Board for my Lionel #18288 Odyssey Demonstrator. On the part number, it said contact Lionel so I did, spoke to the woman and she said they didnt even have it. She said many boards say contact Lionel, but they dont have half the ones they use to anymore. I ordered a RS4 Generic Diesel Board from another source, and the Board doesnt even work in my engine, but does in others. My odyssey says 4.0 on the Lionel Diagram, but I am wondering if the circuit chip is like on of the first modular ones.  Any suggestions on what to do? I would rather have generic diesel sounds rather then a PWC Burlington GP-9 sounds on an SD60

Do you know if there's a list of what's available?

John

    They are limited,

 http://www.lionel.com/CustomerService/ReplacementParts/index.cfm?setID=&productID=&doAction=partFilter&q=RS4&match=0&submitButton=Search

Bill

John

 I do not know exactly what is available?? This is something they just started so I would imagine it will take a little bit of time to sort through it.

Jeff

Bill, thanks for posting that link.  Not a bad selection.  I see some boards that could be quite usefull.

Gosh, a lot less limited than in the past!

Remember, those boards are specific to the engine listed.  The towercom message is going to say for example ' Burlington twenty three thirty eight, you are clear to pull'.  If you have a different engine #or road name, the message won't match the engine.  But the engine sounds still will to a matching model.  I'm not a big fan of towercom, but it's important to a lot of folks.

We are going to sell most of them for $38.00 ea. to include shipping. Send us a email as they will go fast, some are already not available.

Bill

Two types of Railsounds are listed. 4.0 and 4E. What's 4E?

Ken

RS4E  E is for extended, you have little extra programed in.

Bill

Bill, a little "extra" what?

Static

I agree. My daylight board from ERR is very static!! :-)

Bill, which of these boards do you think would be most appropriate for a 4-4-0 General?  I have an MTH one that has defunct electronics but a perfect shell.  I'm thinking of converting it to TMCC and I'd like the sound to be appropriate.

How about this one 

Just kidding but can you see the look on peoples faces when you fire that baby up.

Somehow I think that one wouldn't quite fit the mold.

I just popped the PRR #6759 board in my 3rd Rail M1a with factory TAS electronics. Now it sounds much better...

I have  Lionel CHESSIE 8204 that has a dead sound board in the tender. it looks like the insulation erroded and the board may have shorted out. Can I get a replacement board from Lionel, or will it need to be an aftermarket part/

What's the actual product number for your Chessie 8204?

What is the difference between Railsounds 4.0 and Railsounds 4E.

Also, no RS 5.0 boards yet. Maybe in the future.

I don't see any difference in the hardware, so I'm assuming the content was what made them 4E boards.