Polar Express TrainSounds Tender

Actually, it's kind of a neat quirk that will be fun for a while - character, that train has, definitely character . . . 

Nearly pulled the trigger on this thing at least a dozen times, but there was something I've needed to ask a current owner.

I've reviewed the owner's manual but am still not sure about one thing... according to page 3, the whistle button is used for both the whistle AND crew dialog, depending on the state of the locomotive.

Can the sounds be isolated in some way?  I want all the locomotive sounds (whistle/bell/brakes/chuff), but I'd prefer to turn off the "crew talk" for good.

ams-The crew talk only comes on when the train is powered but in neutral. The whistle button is only for the whistle and the bell button is only for the bell. The steam idling and chuffing sounds are activated by the amount of voltage applied to the track. As long as your engine is moving, you won't have any crew talk. I hope this helps.

Paul - The condition you describe is exactly the reason I sold mine. Ran around the tree for a week and it drove me nuts!  Good Luck! 

After 10 seconds or so in Neutral, if you press the whistle button the whistle bows and crew chatter begins.  There is quite a lengthy interval as not to be obtrusive IMHO.  If you want, simply sound the whistle again and chatter resumes.  I usually get different chatter depending on whether I blow the whistle once or twice in short bursts.

I have had one for a while on the shelf. I must have got a lemon. I fooled with it a long time but, never could get the volume up . I could barely barely here it at all even turned all the way up.

I also wanted it for just the chuff sounds.

Larry

I purchased one last year but it came with freight sounds and with the volume all the way up ... not as load as I would like either.

I purchased one of the PE trainsounds tenders a few years ago, but never really thought the sounds were that great, at the time at least, but now with all the improvements in Lionel's sounds for the lower end trains like this, I thought maybe the sounds on this tender may have also been updated. Could you post a video of it if possible?

Polar Express 1225-I'm sorry but I don't have the capabilities.

Ok, that's not a problem at all, thanks for the reply.

I bought the upgraded tender and the conductor car for the sounds this year. The conductor car had to be sent back to Lionel for repair (no sound, conductor's lantern didn't work). The conductor car is on the way home fromLionel but won't make our Christmas party tonight.

i like the steam train chuffing with the tender, and the whistle sound is nice. It doesn't compare to the Gold PW Berkshire whistle, but that's not a fair contest. I guess I'll find out about the conductor announcement/bell issue next week.

Overall I like the sound the tender adds to the train.

Bruce