Sound or no sound...


GGNInNScale

GGNInNScale

Granite Gorge and Northern Again
Since about 1960 or so when we first started with model RRs in O and HO, there was only the running sounds of the wheels and motors. The Lionel had the beep in the SW diesel and the blowing whistle in the tender of the steamer. Now that I have converted to N (2021) and started adding sound (2023) it has made it so much more fun. My grandson gets all excited. "Choo choos". Ran some trains in silent mode the other day- a lot less interesting...
 
In a small room, on a small layout, maybe one sound engine, and that, preferably a switch engine.
In a large space and a large layout, multiple engines going from here to there is great. The key is volume, lower it to where it is what you would hear clearly, but not overwhelmingly, from arm’s length away. This is several hundred feet, and you’re not going to hear, for example, the cab door opening from that distance.
 
GGNInNScale said:
Since about 1960 or so when we first started with model RRs in O and HO, there was only the running sounds of the wheels and motors. The Lionel had the beep in the SW diesel and the blowing whistle in the tender of the steamer. Now that I have converted to N (2021) and started adding sound (2023) it has made it so much more fun. My grandson gets all excited. "Choo choos". Ran some trains in silent mode the other day- a lot less interesting...
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Yup, as soon as I discovered sound in 1978 or so there was no turning back.
 
Yep, I designed and built a diesel sound generator back in about '84 or '85. It would read the DC track voltage, and use this signal to control volume and speed of the sound. I ran it into a 10W amp, and a 12 inch three way speaker.
 
GGNInNScale said:
Yep, I designed and built a diesel sound generator back in about '84 or '85. It would read the DC track voltage, and use this signal to control volume and speed of the sound. I ran it into a 10W amp, and a 12 inch three way speaker.
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I have been wondering... Do you think you could run the speaker wire (Of a sound generator. Like the one by MRC) back to the track and have a speaker in a loco? If wired to the pickups with the right resistor (To separate audio from dc) I think this should work. Any ideas?
 
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TheXModelRailroader said:
I have been wondering... Do you think you could run the speaker wire (Of a sound generator. Like the one by MRC) back to the track and have a speaker in a loco? If wired to the pickups with the right resistor (To separate audio from dc) I think this should work. Any ideas?
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Yes, but more than a resistor. It requires coils (chokes), capacitors, and resistors of the right sizes, not only on the speaker but also on the loco motor and lights. This is actually similar to how the PFM sound systems worked (it actually used radio frequency). Were I better organized I could probably dig up the schematics required. I know I have them, just no idea where. Pretty certain the last time I saw them was 2 moves ago.
 
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There also were commercially made sound systems for DC railroads. One manufacturer was Modeltronics, who made both diesel and steam systems. I used both. When i convert my T1 to DCC, I’m going to try to continue using the Modeltronics system, it sounds pretty good.
 
Iron Horseman said:
Yes, but more than a resistor. It requires coils (chokes), capacitors, and resistors of the right sizes, not only on the speaker but also on the loco motor and lights. This is actually similar to how the PFM sound systems worked (it actually used radio frequency). Were I better organized I could probably dig up the schematics required. I know I have them, just no idea where. Pretty certain the last time I saw them was 2 moves ago.
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Ok. Thank you. This is reassuring. If you ever find them let me know. If I get a sound generator I may do some testing.
Thanks again.
 
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