Sound, How much is too much?

When I got my 1st sound equipped locomotive, I thought it was neat.  But after a short time, yes, it did wear on me and I turned the volume to off.  Then I lost the whistle and bell.  Because it was a PS-1 locomotive, I figured out how to turn the chuff off, and turned the volume back up.  But by that time, something in me got to missing the sound.  So I turned it back on, but kept the volume low.  Since then I haven't turned the sound off on any, except turning the volume off on the train going around my Christmas tree.   The track is loud enough I don't need the locomotive making noise too all evening long.

I like sound, it just adds to the realism.

Sound is what got me into the hobby.  I enjoyed running PW trains with my father-in-law, but I had no interest in my own layout until I heard a Lionel RailSounds equipped steam engine.  Now, with the help of Alex Malliae, I'm adding sound to every engine on my layout.  Alex just added sound to a Lionel E7 B-unit and a Weaver Shark B-unit for me.  I do run the sounds at a low volume.

I like the diesel rumble and steam chuff, don't use the whistle/bell/horn as much as I probably should.  All other sounds to me are fluff.

Once the train is at a certain speed, as above 25mph, the noise of the wheels overpowers the sound of the engine anyway, maybe what they ought to have is something that cuts the engine sound out (rather than the clickety-clack cutting in at 30mph).

My Lionel GP9 has some creaking sounds that are most realistic when the engine is running slow, kind neat to hear, so matching the sounds to the speed is nice.

I have a MRC AC sounder in a RS3, but there's no varying of the diesel rumble, it just makes a constant noise.

Not sure if the cost (of having sound) is worth the results.

I try to keep the sound volume turned down on the home layout, that way when the locomotive goes "around the corner" out of sight, you don't still keep hearing the sounds. However, when operating at shows, I turn the volume up all the way.

Some call it sound, I call it noise! What amuses me most is when I see a thread talking about sound-proofing track and road bed and then they talk about adding sound to their locos!

To me the hobby is much more a visual thing than a noise....sorry, sound thing. I would rather put my dollars into more accurate LOOKING equipment. I don't care to spend ANY of my money on noise.....I mean sound!

Simon

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla, flavors for everyone.  I'd rather have accurate looking equipment with sound.

I prefer to run my trains slow and with the sound volume turned down to a fairly low level, consistent with what I feel sounds reasonable for trains viewed at a distance.

It's unfortunate that TMCC sounds come on at full volume when power is applied. At the mall display we can sit inside the layouts or roam around the room outside the layouts. A number of members start their trains with the sound turned up all the way - really LOUD - then go outside the layout and sit in another end of the room. That leaves the poor folks who are sitting inside the layouts to shout if they want to talk to each other. How inconsiderate.

I mention it to them, but now they think I am rude for nagging.

I like sound but hate cab chatter.  But, like some others, I don't want to end up deaf at the end of running trains.  Especially if running more than 1 train at a time.

Rick

The TMCC volume issue is a problem, but you can turn the manual volume down to limit the max level.  Of course, I'd just address their locomotive and turn the sound down.

I have an air horn I take to shows.

keep it under the table and touch it

off periodicaly. gets a rise outta the kids.

Indoors I usually cut the sound back. On the old Proto-1 engines I kept the sound at the 25% setting. On Proto-2/Proto-3 engines I drop the engine sounds down to about 70-80%, sometimes less. The idea is that you don't want to hear the train 70 feet away. I keep the horn at 100% so I can tell where the train is in the hidden areas of the layout.

I enjoy the sound but I do turn it down to a lower volume.

I love cranking the sounds, especially my Legacy 1225.  I usually only run one locomotive at a time though.  

The first thing I do when I start any engine is turn the sound down to the lowest level. Right now I'm only running one engine at a time. I can only imagine what 10 engines would sound like.

Run slow, run low!

On my home 2 rail layout I have QSI Titan decoders with very close to prototype accurate horns, whistles, bells and chuffing, brakes, blowdown, etc.  Each of the sounds is individually adjustable and I enjoy trying to get them balanced and then enjoy trying to find volume levels that seem as realistic as possible to me.  Always a compromise between up close and far away.  But, lotsa fun.

On our 3 rail club modular layout running my 3 rail engines I let 'r rip!!  I join in the fray and crank 'em up all the way to compete with all the other engine sounds on 4 tracks and lots of accessories sounds too.  And the general din at a train show.  Man, with 4 trains running on that K-Line hollow tubular shadow rail and the carnival scene blaring we stir up ruckus.  Kids of all ages love it!!!

3 rail --lots of smoke, too.  Every now and then someone gripes about the smoke but we play like we don't hear them.  Too much noise!!

I recently went to a layout tour in Ft Worth.  Visited two large O Scale 2 Rail layouts.  40 X 50 or thereabouts.  Hand laid steel rail.  Heavy brass engines and brass cars rolling on that steel rail.  Lights.  No sound systems.  But, those heavy engines and cars on that steel rail sounded -- well -- very realistic and satisfying.  After all when we're at trackside railfanning a long consist we spend most of the time just listening to steel wheels on steel rail.  

It's all good!!!

My display does not have much track noise, so I can adjust all the sounds lower. sure is nice thou to have a consist of five or six SD40's climbing a long 2.3% grade with all prime movers at full throttle and track speed down to 20mph or less, with light smoke pouring out.  ( Like trackside Horse Shoe Curve)   

Clem

 I run MTH's DCS system downstairs on the 2 rail. I find myself turning them down so I can hear any derails or other things when the train goes far out of sight. It doesn't derail, but I'm always on guard for it happening.

 I'm running a 3rd Rail M1 Pennsy under the tree layout upstairs that I'm guessing has sounds from the Electric RR?

 The sound chuff volume goes down whenever the loco is slowed. It simulates what my HO Broadway LTDs did with QSI sounds either labored or drift. I wish my MTH would do the same. I would enjoy hearing the engines adjust sound automatically when struggling up a climb or to get going, and then down at speed or descending. More dynamics to the sound volume and type please! I don't need loud sounds all the time. I would enjoy them with more effect.

I like the sounds turned down to "OFF".  The only thing I want to hear is steel wheels on steel rails.

A little of both.  I like quiet running, so I can hear the wheels click at the rail joints, but also I like occasional sounds.

It takes me about three minutes of sound to go back to silent running, but I like to have the option.

Id like to see a sound system with a slow fade off of sounds after a full volume start up and take off.

One thing I really like about Legacy roll speed, it creeps so slow you don't hear the joints!! With the sound low, perfect!

Id like to see a sound system with a slow fade off of sounds after a full volume start up and take off.

We have had that for over 10 years now.  Every MTH Proto 2 and 3 locomotive has a Doppler feature that can be triggered as a one shot effect or set for a specific distance custom to a layout.  As the locomotive gets closer to the center point it will increase in volume and change the pitch to match the doppler shift at that scale speed.  It is pretty cool, especially if your set center point has a grade crossing.

As for overall philosophy regarding sound my feeling is that real locomotives make specific sounds and realistic models should emulate them.  The guys I operate with tend to use sound realistically.  At our sessions it is common to have the train crew use hand signals and the engineer respond with the corresponding whistle signal.  Sound will also help alert a flagman to an approaching train just as it did in the real world.  I find the possibilities for realistic operating practices to be pretty cool!

As for volume, simply adjust as needed for your environment and taste. 

I run mine LOUD and smoky...after all real trains are LOUD & smoky 

I sometimes wonder how people can have such fantastic layouts and not have sound. It's a big part of the fun for me personally. I'd rather have it with the option of turning it down or off (not really) than not have it at all.

Originally posted by Bob Delbridge:

I have a MRC AC sounder in a RS3, but there's no varying of the diesel rumble, it just makes a constant noise.

Hmmm.... that's strange. I have installed several of these in my dummy units and the sound does vary with the amount of voltage applied to the track. Are you using the stock speaker that came with the unit? Who made/imported the RS3?

With the exception of the beep, I use a 50mm[2"] round speaker as part of the install for many of my dummy units. These speakers have a bigger magnet and are installed in the OEM speaker area of the fuel tank found in many Lionel and MTH locos as well as some Atlas O locos. Other atlas o locos I have found a bigger 4 ohm speaker by Pia that fits the Atlas O OEM speaker opening.

What amazes me is that at train shows, there are some guys who have the sound cranked up louder than the real thing...

Rusty

Some of us were doing this long before sound came around. Old dogs, new tricks? I heard the sounds in my head already. Besides 4 PW engines and 50 or 60 cars at once requires some shouting already. If I start #5 & #6, and 25 cars more going around the bedroom ceiling too, no one in the house is safe from the noise 

Thanks Ted, I knew a bit about that (but have no MTH or "digital" controls). Can any be set to shut/fade off after about 5min? Maybe

Bob, check the MRC loco I think there is a setting to turn the throttle varied sounds on and off. Im not real familiar with the site, but found this. The left page, its about the setting.  http://www.modelrec.com/resour...%20only%20Lionel.pdf

For a scale proportioned model RR it would be consistant to feature scale proportioned sound.  

As with many other aspects of indoor modeling I believe sound is best  compressed.

Doppler effects may be suited for a dispatch operator but consistant low volumn may work out better for a walk along tetherless engineer.

But then again, sound is up there with religon, sex and politics, very subjective.

Bob, check the MRC loco I think there is a setting to turn the throttle varied sounds on and off. Im not real familiar with the site, but found this. The left page, its about the setting.  http://www.modelrec.com/resour...%20only%20Lionel.pdf

 

Yep, but from what I've experienced you have to get into the "Program Mode" by turning up the voltage while pressing button 6.  That means I have to put the engine on a piece of track that isn't connected to the 18vac going to the layout when I turn it on.  It can be done with a separate piece of track (test track) but so far I've been too lazy to do it.

Curve, I'm using the original speaker that came in the RailKing RS3, gives me nice, loud voulme.

Sound is one of those things that were only a pipe dream when I was a young 'un. 

Now that it's been around for a while, it's a nice feature, but it's not the be all, end all of model railroading.  

A good looking, smooth running model trumps sound any day.

Rusty

I have a large basement (53' x 35') but the MTH engines put out quite a volume of sound & after a while I do turn the volume down.

The 2-4-0 excursion steamer at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA is so quiet that 50 yards away it's inaudible.

Standing next to it when it departs with its open-air passenger coaches, you can hear a mild chuff, and when riding in a coach, the rail noises drown out the loco.

Bad Order Hal

I have the DCS system and turn all sounds off except the bell & horn which I operate at 50% volume. I also like the sounds of the wheels on the tracks and wouldn't be able to hear them otherwise. Most of my engines are either PS2/PS3.

Joe B.

After running a short time I have had enough sound and shut it down or change

to a non-sound loco.

Mickey S.