Locos with the best sound

Pretty much any Lionel locomotive with Railsounds made after 2000 and any MTH PS2/PS3 locomotives have the features you desire. 

Thanks @Lou1985.   So all those versions of their boards (ProtoSounds 1 and 2, etc.) pretty much have the sounds?  Is it possible to buy the boards and retrofit them into my locos?

Kitbasher posted:

Thanks @Lou1985.   So all those versions of their boards (ProtoSounds 1 and 2, etc.) pretty much have the sounds?  Is it possible to buy the boards and retrofit them into my locos?

Protosounds 1 is a conventional only system and no longer manufactured, though you can still buy boards from MTH. Protosounds 2, no longer manufactured, has the sounds and crewtalk you want. Protosound 3 is currently manufactured and can be retrofitted into older locomotives as  long as they have a DC can motor with a flywheel. 

Can you let us know what locomotives you have that you want to upgrade? This would make helping you out easier, as different systems (Railsounds or Protosounds 3) can be better for different types of locomotives. 

In either case you will need command control in the form of TMCC/Legacy or DCS to get all the sounds you desire out of a locomotive. 

That sounds promising.  I only run conventional, if that matters.  Here is what I have:

The best for now is Lionel legacy in either their diesels or steam. But MTH's proto 3 may be a step behind legacy but they still sound great. 

But you can upgrade almost any engine with ERR (tmcc) or proto 3

Dave

I still think that the Lionel TMCC U boats and GP30’s have the best sound around. 

@david1,  does that mean I can't use an ERR or Proto 3 if I just run traditional power (no TMCC, etc.)?

Upgrading your current locomotives is an option. Be aware that that either system(ERR TMCC/Railsounds or PS3) is going to cost about $200 per locomotive to upgrade a diesel and a little more to upgrade a steam locomotive, as the steam locomotive will likely require a new smoke unit for the upgrade. This is if you do the upgrades yourself. Expect it to be in the $300-400 range per locomotive if you pay someone else to do the work.

Kitbasher posted:

@david1,  does that mean I can't use an ERR or Proto 3 if I just run traditional power (no TMCC, etc.)?

You can run both systems conventionally (with a transformer) but the Lionel CAB-1 remote/TMCC base is required to program the ERR system, and a full DCS system is required to program a PS3 board.

Now you can install just a ERR Railsounds Commander in a conventional locomotive. However without the command capable ERR AC, DC, or Cruise Commander and a TMCC system you will be unable to access crewtalk, coupler opening, or brake sounds. You will just get horn/whistle, bell, and diesel rev/steam chuff sounds.

I love the sounds of the TMCC gp30 soundest, but I also love ESU loksound decoders for HO.

That helps a lot guys.  Thanks

For TMCC upgrades, check out the ERR by 3rd Rail website.  You can review the available sound sets for the upgrades.

If you're not up to doing the installation, I do TMCC upgrades.

Thanks @gunrunnerjohn, I have no problem doing the upgrade, but I found that site very confusing and hard to determine what board(s) would work with my locos.  I'm going to York next week, I'll see if they are there.  

Is there a published list of vendors attending York?

Well, with a DC can motor, I pretty universally select the Cruise Commander.  As for the sounds, you'll want the RailSounds Commander version that has the sound set you desire.  Those are the two basic boards that you'll use most of all.  If you have something with the open-frame AC motor, then the AC Commander and the RailSounds Commander would be what you use.

You can also download any and all the user manuals for the ERR products to help in deciding what you are getting into.

From what you've just said, and from what others have said above, that sounds like I still wouldn't get the crew chatter, maybe the uncoupling sounds, synchronized chuff, etc., without adding TMCC or DCS.  Is that true?  I did replace all my locos' original sound boards with QSI sound boards back in the 90's so would I get much more from the RailSounds Commander without TMCC or DCS?

Correct, if you run conventional, you don't get crew talk.  For conventional use, it's probably not cost effective to go that route.

FWIW, you'll get more from a PS/3 upgrade as you can access most of the sounds with conventional operation.

The PS/3 upgrade sounds good if I can get most of the sounds.  Can I just buy a PS/3 board? Someone above said I would need a DCS system to program the PS/3.

You need the upgrade kit, MTH 50-1912, comes with everything you need to do the upgrade.  The bad news is, for a conventional user you'll have to find someone to program the board with your chosen sound set as you can't do that without the DCS system.

Thanks for all your help @gunrunnerjohn.  Maybe I should bite the bullet and convert to DCS.   Can you recommend a good site or tutorial video that would explain what that would entail?  I'm reading another message thread here about it but not learning what it would take to convert.

I don't know of a video, though I'm sure there is one somewhere.  I'd start by downloading the instruction manual for the upgrade.

MTH 50-1912 PS/3 Diesel Upgrade Kit

That should help for upgrading my locos.  Thanks again.  But what about upgrading my layout to DCS so I can program the boards myself and buy new PS/3 locos?  I have a conventional system with ZW's and all electrically isolated sections of track so I could run several locos at once.  I get the feeling, all those missing pins in the center rail would have to be replaced  for continuous current for DCS.  That's the kind of things I'm unaware of.  I don't know what I don't know!

postwar steamers with postwar whistles in the tender

WOOOOOOOOOOOWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

KITBASHER,

Barry's Book has the answers you seek regarding modifying your layout for DCS.

The book is well worth the price and explains things very clearly.

Kitbasher posted:

Thanks for all your help @gunrunnerjohn.  Maybe I should bite the bullet and convert to DCS.   Can you recommend a good site or tutorial video that would explain what that would entail?  I'm reading another message thread here about it but not learning what it would take to convert.

If you convert to DCS you will have to use the MTH PS3 board.  However the DCS system can  control TMCC and Legacy in the TMCC mode all you need in addition to the DCS system is the TMCC BASE and a CAB-1 which can be had used for well under $100. Though the DCS system is going to set you back $150-300 depending if you buy new or used.  I started with the CAB-1 and BASE and later added DCS.  I have done around 35 conversions and to me the ERR system is easiest to install. That could be because I have done about twice as many TMCC conversions as DCS. I think I like having cruise without dealing with a flywheel tach tape and sensor as DCS requires.           J

The BEST Diesel horn in my opinion is the horn on the MTH Proto 2,  Illinois Central E8. It is very loud and clear. 

@RAK, what is Barry's Book?

Kitbasher posted:

@RAK, what is Barry's Book?

It's called the DCS companion, get the latest version. It is available on Amazon.

>Correct, if you run conventional, you don't get crew talk. 

I'd double check with the vendor, but my recollection is that ERR boards provide crew talk in conventional operation. It would be triggered by a short horn blow from the horn button on your transformer.

I know some Lionel conventional locomotives do that, but I'm not sure I've ever heard an ERR board do it.  Obviously, you are likely more familiar with the product line than I am.  I'm just looking in the ERR documentation, and they don't say they can do crew-talk in conventional mode.  The same statement appears for the older RS4 based RailSounds Commander as well as the new RS-Lite based RailSounds Commander.

Sorry for the thread derailment:

"Rudy Trubitt

Past Director of Audio, Lionel, LLC (2011-2018)"

First Jon, then Mike, and now Rudy. 

We're gonna miss you Rudy! Good luck in your future endeavors!

Thanks again for all your help guys.

RickO posted:

Sorry for the thread derailment:

"Rudy Trubitt

Past Director of Audio, Lionel, LLC (2011-2018)"

First Jon, then Mike, and now Rudy. 

We're gonna miss you Rudy! Good luck in your future endeavors!

 

Thanks, Rick!

RickO posted:

Sorry for the thread derailment:

"Rudy Trubitt

Past Director of Audio, Lionel, LLC (2011-2018)"

First Jon, then Mike, and now Rudy. 

We're gonna miss you Rudy! Good luck in your future endeavors!

 

Going to miss you Rudy! @Railsounds

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I know some Lionel conventional locomotives do that, but I'm not sure I've ever heard an ERR board do it.  Obviously, you are likely more familiar with the product line than I am.  I'm just looking in the ERR documentation, and they don't say they can do crew-talk in conventional mode.  The same statement appears for the older RS4 based RailSounds Commander as well as the new RS-Lite based RailSounds Commander.

 

Most/all TMCC and Legacy Lionel locomotives that have dialog will also speak when triggered by a single, short horn-blow when operating in a conventional environment. I'm guessing the documentation doesn't mention it because the bulk of the upgrades folks do start with adding command control. But I don't speak for ERR, folks should go to the source on this. 

I tied a blue tooth speaker to a flatbed car and play whatever sounds good, including train songs and my own announcements.  You can play any video anyone posts.  It's a kludge but it sounds great.  

I have to try this now Rudy, I'm curious.

BTW, can you tell us where you landed?  I'm guessing your Lionel email address is no longer valid.

I have a few mth railking mohawks/mountains to us southerns.All are ps2 with good whistles.But you guys should have seen me.The first time I heard crew talk.You see I thought it was activated from the transformer.No one told me if the locomotive set for a while.Crew talk would start on its own.I jumped and took a few steps back.I later read the instructions for the locomotive.Best sounding locomotives to me are my kline freedon train locomotive.Next the tmcc vir/c&o bershire and the last is my mth imperail railking santa fe northern.It has a well balanced sounding whistle.