New topic on O gauge sound systems for layout

What a great new idea Jerry. That would enable lots of people without the fancy engines to enjoy the sounds. Never heard it proposed before but I bet you started something new. Sitting in my deer blind with my son on a very snowy upper Michigan evening cruising the forum. Happy thanksgiving to everyone.

Matt

Jerry, while that sounds cool, it's not going to be that easy or cheap I would imagine.  Since different types of locomotives could be on the same track area, you'd have to have encoding smart enough to recognize which type was in the area.  In addition, I think you'll find that switching speakers will really sound odd if you don't use some sophisticated fading between them.

Yeah, you are right but I'm mainly considering just one engine running at a time. Apparently there are some blogs out there saying this can be done and not too difficult. Another idea maybe to have the system set up by the transformer and have a speaker in a car at the end of the train or just behind the engine and use this car to get to sound out of? Any comments?

Jerry

I had an MRC unit just like that in HO. Even the young grandson at the time, asked why the sound didn't come from the engine? You can't fool everyone.

Jerry,

 

Lionel has made several different Railsounds equipped boxcars over the years, in both steam and diesel varieties, and in both scale and traditional postwar sizes.

 

All operate in conventional and sound good when coupled behind the engine.

 

Jim

 

If you want to drag a car behind the engine for sound, why not have it come from the engine and/or tender like it does now?  I'm missing the point.

 

John,

I can understand Jim's statement. It makes a lot of sense from the cost point. Not to mention a whole lot easier. On the plus side, the sound comes from the area of the layout that the locomotive on.

I think you would be okay if the speakers were activated by blocks of insulated track and the blocks were large enough.  Whatever blocks of track the train front and rear were on would be playing.  The other problem would be the speed of the engine/train versus the speed of the train sounds coming out of the speaker.  Might be kind of a challenge to regulate that.  If it's done off of transformer voltage, would all the steam engines run at the same speed on that voltage?

 

I personally think it would be cheaper and easier to put a railsounds boxcar, diesel or steam, behind the appropriate engine.  The railsounds cars are usually triggered by the speed of the axle of the boxcar.   Basically an investment of less than $100 per boxcar.

 

I do get the point of cost reduction and I agree.  If you are not one to quibble over the correct tone of a particular steam engine whistle or how many chuffs per revolution, then a railsounds boxcar probably sounds pretty good behind postwar engines or non-equipped engines.  Or it may sound superior over some of the less expensive sound equipped engines.

I would like this idea much more, 20+ years ago.  Now, it seems like a much simpler solution to place a bluetooth speaker inside a boxcar, or perhaps place one of the "pill" styles ones as a load on a flat car.  there are many, many, styles to choose from for only a couple dollars on the auction site.  I'm unsure how loud the china brand knockoffs are but the name brand products should be loud enough in the $20-$60 range.  No muss, no fuss, and the sound comes from the train.  As for what sound's you have to play?  that's up to you.  

 

Hi John,

I have  several variations of steam and diesel engines. I do not want to have to buy one unit for every engine just to get that particular sound .  Ideally I would like to buy a steam and diesel sound unit  that has several  optional sounds on it, place the two units  next to the transformer  and buy several speakers and put them in various cars  and run them behind the train engines utilizing those particular sounds.

Can you please suggest some systems like this, what to buy and where it can be purchased?

Awaiting your reply, Jerry

I don't really have a solution that will do what you seek.

 

Hi Jerry,  

 

You would only need one such 'speaker-car', then play whatever sound you wanted at a given time.  These sorts of speakers connect through bluetooth to any modern mp3 player such as a smartphone, tablet, ipod, and even to laptop computers and such.  If I were doing this sort of project, I would do it like this:  

 

I would use a speaker like a knock-off Beats pill.  There are many fakes out there  and some of them in the $20 range look pretty good for something like this.  I don't own one to test the volume level, so I do not know if it will be loud enough for you.  These sorts of speakers are about 1.75 inches around and 7.5 inches long, and should fit fine in a plastic box car, or stuck on a flat car.  They advertise about 10 hours on a battery charge, so you will want it reasonably easy to remove to charge, and access the power switch.  

 

Once you have the speaker attached as you like, it can be connected to your music player, in my case I have an old iPhone I don't use any more that I would use.  connect to the speaker via bluetooth and play your sound track.  

 

As for what you are going to play?  I don't have any sorts of audio files already so I'd start with a clunky method to get started.  set a similar locomotive that has sound on your work bench on rollers, or carefully on it's side and connect power, then run it at a speed where you like the sounds.  With your smartphone/tablet you can record the sound.  There are many free programs to edit audio files you can then use to get something you like and edit it so the transition where it will repeat are smooth.  Once you have a recorded sound add it to your player, 'old iPhone' in my case, then set the track to repeat.  

 

When it's time to switch engines go to the next track, one recorded for that type of engine.  

 

I hope I'm not too confusing here, feel free to ask for clarification.  

This is sort of a 'easiest way I can think of' solution, however with a little more work you could build a car with the files stored on it and a button to choose which one to play.  There was a thread about something like that several months back with lots of info on cheap mp3 modules and the like.  

Thanks for all your input!!!!!! I appreciate it and will look into it.

Jerry

Thanks. What is the item #of the MRC unit?

Thanks,Jerry 

About oh seven years ago I was goofing around with emitting sounds based upon seeing messages go by on the serial port. I was using Labview, but it could be done with any of the Microsoft Visual xxxxxx products.

 

 

It's a Sound Station 312 (as seen on the top of the remote).  I remember reading a review for it when it first came out and it received a decent review.  But I believe it was discontinued a few years back.  Their website lists it as out of stock. 

A search for this item on ebay produces quite a few results.

op has a very complex idea  -Jim

Much thanks all!!!!!!!