Yeah, I don't like the voice they are using either. I listen to the Tehachapi stream alot on RailroadRadio.net - Home and all of them have a chick's voice. Since I'm modeling the area just north of that, I'd like to have it the same. I wonder if they'd give you a discount if you needed a large amount of words programmed in? Let us know what they say back to you. Mike
Changing voice I got a email back from them (quick reply and nice customer service) However they advised me it would be close to if not more than $100 to change the entire voice, or at least the main ones. Like $10 bucks per word (That just sucks) They stated there were thinking about a future one that will had owner added voice but they are not there yet. He advised the best way would add some of the words together like, "SP Milepost 123.4" and then have their voice do the axle count and the rest. Not what I want. But if you are going to do it I guess you do it right and do the correct voice entirely thru. However they did like my recordings of all the detectors I have in Wav format of BNSF, 0-9, Mile Post, Detector, etc.. Mike
Some think the Trainboss(tm) Defect Detector costs too much - I disagree, I think it is an incredible bargain - if you need one. If you're one of those that thinks it cost too much, try building one yourself. I have and I plan on purchasing theTrainboss(tm). Others think their cost of programming is also too high. I encourage you to buy a Speakjet voice synthesizer and see what all is entailed in converting a .wav file , spoken voice or typed words into a digital format to drive the synthesizer. The Trainboss(tm) - I have no affiliation - is an incredible system for the price. I don't think they will ever sell enough to recoup just their development programming costs. Al
I guess I need to appologize for being a bit persnickety in my original reply. I suppose someones indulgence could be construed as trivial to another. Hell...I am looking to get one of them arc welder modules for my engine repair shop. Some would laugh and call IT silly. I need to keep an open mind about this stuff. The more I researched...and listened to actual defect detectors (thanks to Mikes link above)...the more fascinating it's become. Interesting. .
So any of you who got one using it on a N Scale layout? just want to know how hard it is to install and work. I know I heard its not 100% right on with axle counts (but who cares).
I realy like this idea! However there needs to be the approapriate voice for the railroads DED's. Also something to actually count the axles would be a plus! Maybe the temp in the room or relatively close? Just thinking here.
To make this one could have an rfid tag on each car, like the car billing thing I saw in an NSR a few years ago. Take the rfid tag reading feed ti to the computer and then it will pull up the car and say oh, this is a 45' hopper so 4 axles. then it could be all added up to get the final axle count... BNSF detector milepost 15, no defects repeat no defects, axle count 558, temperature 62 degrees BNSF detector out.
According to their website the detector uses 2 sets of IR detectors looking across the tracks to physically count the axles that pass by. That is where the slight error rate is from. Pretty ingenious really! I agree that Railroad specific voices would be better however I model 1980's Rio Grande so getting a recording of one of their Detectors is pretty much impossible.
I just finished installing one of these on my N scale layout. It works quite well, and I like the ability to custom-tailor the messages it gives. It is not that difficult to install - the hard part is cutting a channel under your track to slide the detectors underneath (see the installation instructions on the Boulder Creek web site). It would be easier to lift up the track to install the sensors, or install them before laying the track, but I didn't have those options. So I used a cordless Dremel to rout out a channel, and only had to remove two ties for each sensor. I have mine set to report dragging equipment, hotboxes and sliding wheels at a frequency of about 3 defects per 500 cars (the defects are randomly generated, so that is an "average" rate). This would not work well in a roundy-round layout, but on one like mine (point-to-point) where each train passes the detector just once, it works great. Steve Troy
Oh, and it's sensitive enough that the train length is shorter when backing over the sensors than it is when pulling over the sensors! Steve Troy
I would love to see some pictures. I'm really really thinking about installing one on a N scale (N-track) module. Great for shows.
A video is available at TrainBoss Defect Detector Features, Performance, Prices, Ordering | Boulder Creek Engineering. I would think this would be a hit on an N-trak module.
