What would a "Flat spot" wheel sound like? Re: Lionel's latest freightsound cars

Skip to 45 seconds into this video.  This is what they sound like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a_iMvFHVhY

Bob,
That is pretty severe and not representative of a normal flat spot. If you go to the 1 min. 12 sec. through 1 min. 32 sec. of this video you will find something lot more normal in the way of flat spots:  https://youtu.be/4fby9Cn7kcs

Thanks Bob and Jim, that is a familiar sound from my freight-watching days (stuck at RR crossings), although I never knew what caused it.

It could be interesting on a O-gauge freight train, set to "min" that is.

Right before the 2 minute mark there is a fairly loud one, but not that loud.

https://youtu.be/aqLy67ZDIT0

From what I hear of the new sound car, the flat wheel sounds are a bit much.

Yeah, that one is bad! I heard it for a long way off after it passed.

I have a flat spot die-cast K-Line gondola that I modified 10 - 15 years ago. It really works only on a heavy car. And it's free.

I used my Moto-Tool to grind 2, well, flat spots on the wheels of one axle, being very careful to get them directly across from each other, as real RR wheels are pressed on to the axle (just like modern 3RO, etc., wheels) and do not spin on the shaft. If one is flattened, both are, since the cause (grabbing brakes, for example) stops both wheels. Flattened wheels are generally replaced when found by inspection (real RR term "slid flat").

The K-Line gon makes a nice, proportionate bam-bam-bam as it goes by. Did I mention free?

I don't usually order sound cars, and these are not a body style that fits my era anyway. The sound should be a simple "clunk" at the rate of rotation, probably activated by a cam on the axle. Pretty simple really. 

I remember in the early days of NJ Transit (just after transfer of operations from NJDOT) riding former west coast cars that had a flat spot on the wheel.  Wasn't the the most comfortable riding car!

As for a sound car, not personally my thing, but I can see it's appeal to people who enjoy them. 

I like the idea of taking a file to the wheels on a boxcar to create a real "flat spot", that would probably sound pretty real.

I was happy to see that Lionel didn’t seem to believe that southern railroads ran their freight with flat spots of their wheels.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I like the idea of taking a file to the wheels on a boxcar to create a real "flat spot", that would probably sound pretty real.

Actually not really, a friend did that some years ago and the sound was a puny, hardly heard "tink". A replacement wheelset cured that problem. That was done with a metal wheel in two-rail O with a metal hopper. BTW, the size of the filed spot was far bigger (when scaled up) than any flat spot on a prototype wheel would ever get.

Well, I still might give it a shot, I have lots of spare wheelsets, so I'll just pick a car that's easy to slip a new one into if I don't like it.

FWIW, the Vision Line Cars had a pretty decent sounding flat wheel sound, and you could trigger it only when you wanted to from the remote.  Why they do these annoying "always on" things when they've been able to do command stuff for 10+ years escapes me.

I set my new Freight-sounds MDT/NYC Reefer to MIN and like the results.  I get the squealing wheels and occasional bump.  First video.

When the car is set at MAX it sounds quite annoying, unless sound was turned way down for the flat wheel effect.  The videos are made at maximum sound.  Second video.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

I'm thinking these would benefit from a TMCC control.  The ERR Mini-Commander could turn them on and off, and also simulate the min/max switch.  That would make these a much better behaved sound car.

Here is a video of MTH autoracks with a flat spot ground in. Sounds pretty cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3409FTm1xGs

That works well, and it also is about the right volume.  A whole lot more realistic than the hammering of the latest sound car, that's simply too loud.

Another flat spot on a locomotive, at speed 

https://youtu.be/78SdjDN0qqM

Dave,
That sounds very very good! Nice job Lad!

Dave Zucal posted:

Here is a video of MTH autoracks with a flat spot ground in. Sounds pretty cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3409FTm1xGs

How much of a grind did you have to do to get that effect?

Great discussion.  Updates from anyone who does it!

GRJ, I found that video on YouTube several years ago and always wanted to try it. However I would definitely do both the wheels that share the same axle in order to keep from creating a wobbling freight car.

I agree with doing both wheels, and in the same location of the wheel rotation.  I was just wondering how much was taken off, but that would not be that hard to determine, just do a little at a time.

Great videos with great sound effects!

You guys are ready for the Oscar special effect nominations.

I would never be able to grind the wheel myself...so I took a chance and pre-ordered one of the new cars.

Paul, I know you own a file, just take one of the wheelsets and file a flat spot on it lined up on both wheels.  Start small and test it until you get the right sound.  It actually shouldn't be rocket science.

I was thinking of just clamping two average size files on edge in a vise with a block of wood between them as though to create tracks. Then just hold the axle from turning while you push the car on the files. this way both wheels would be ground flat in the exact same location.

That should work, might be fun getting it all aligned.  I'd also have to find two identical files.

John Rowlen posted:

I set my new Freight-sounds MDT/NYC Reefer to MIN and like the results.  I get the squealing wheels and occasional bump.  First video.

When the car is set at MAX it sounds quite annoying, unless sound was turned way down for the flat wheel effect.  The videos are made at maximum sound.  Second video.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

The sound featured in the second video is really very annoying. Is it supposed to be a  "Clickety Clack" effect? Seems out of time for "Flat Spotted" wheels. Thanks for the posting.

Can anyone who purchased one of the new ps1s w flat spot post a short video.  I know the EL is in and I think one or two others.  Thanks!

Already posted, check this thread.

Lionel 2026190 UP 'flat spot' PS-1 Boxcar First Look

@D500 posted:

I have a flat spot die-cast K-Line gondola that I modified 10 - 15 years ago. It really works only on a heavy car. And it's free.

I used my Moto-Tool to grind 2, well, flat spots on the wheels of one axle, being very careful to get them directly across from each other, as real RR wheels are pressed on to the axle (just like modern 3RO, etc., wheels) and do not spin on the shaft. If one is flattened, both are, since the cause (grabbing brakes, for example) stops both wheels. Flattened wheels are generally replaced when found by inspection (real RR term "slid flat").

The K-Line gon makes a nice, proportionate bam-bam-bam as it goes by. Did I mention free?

As no one seemed to catch this, or care, I'll reply to myself.