Dear members of the board I am interested in sound but as of yet have not looked into it. What I have noticed is that those who talk about it are DCC operators and talk about it as an onboard locomotive option. I would like sound but I am not a DCC convert. If I was able to have sound I would prefer to have it as an auxilary piece of rolling stock to be placed right behind the power. The reason I would want it in auxilary rolling stock is for trouble shooting and space reasons. Any thoughts or reference to previous discussions on this particular way of using sound would be appreciated.
Well you didn't say steam or diesel so if steam the concept of a auxillary water tender behind the loco and tender with the sound gear in it is not new. Same with it in an unpowered B unit or a boxcar. Just how one would control the sound on a non DCC operation eludes me. However I do know that folks have done it back before DCC became the latest rage.
Hello Joe, I became a DCC convert because of sound... I don't know how you do credible onboard sound without it. As to the sound car, to me it's a last resort application where it's infeasible to put in the loco, tender, or dummy unit. I'm in the process of finishing one right now, see pics below. Solid electrical pickup is essential, so I used B-mann tender trucks under a gondola (Kato caboose trucks would also work) even though they are not prototypical. I also supplemented the pickup by connecting the intended companion loco to the sound car by a micro connector under the coupler; again see pic of loco. It's unobtrusive and functional if diconnected. I used a gon for a reason, but if it's all the same to you, a larger car would be an easier install with room for a capacitor and larger enclosure. Regards, Otto
Funny you should ask. I've not done it before, but I'm planning to add sound to a caboose that I will use as a shoving platform behind my NW2 in the yard. Just today I mapped out the available interior space with the speaker, capacitor and a Digitrax Soundbug. Here's a pic: The speaker is blue, the Soundbug is orange, and the capacitor is the grey cylinder. I'm using a surface mount cap in place of the one that comes with the Soundbug. If I can find a little bit bigger speaker, I'll use it, but the space is tighter than it looks. Oh, I should mention the caboose in question is an Altas 7-window cupola caboose. You might also want to look up Streamlined Backshop Services. Here's a YouTube they put out of an example of their product. As for DC sound, I'm stumped. You could use one of the MRC products meant for controlling sound decoders on a DC system, or I believe some of the sound decoders might work independently under DC... can't say for sure.
look around on E-bay, their is a guy who is selling "sound car" kits, they include the stuff you need to get the truck pickups, speaker, resistor, capacitor, weight, and some other hardware. might go that way, I am actually consittering making 2 of them myself, one diesel and one steam. Being that the Micro Tsunami are "operations programable" I could in theroy give them their own addresses, and MU them with whatever I am running at the time, then make a cheat sheet of CV values for each locomotive too small for sound. Couple the loco and sound car, pull up the sound car address, change CVs to match loco, then MU them together and off you go!! Now I know you are DC, but if you were doing this for one loco only, you could have a buddy help you get it programed to that loco and the whole last part of my previous ramble is void! [] here is the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280559456711&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I am new to the forum, but enjoying the conversations.. I do a ton of internet research for a multitude of targets... I found a place that offers r-t-r sound cars... sbs4dcc.com I think the address to check it out. I am starting an N scale layout and want to go full dcc (I am a sort-of tech geek) and have some money to spend...
car Funny but that link is the same store as the ebay link above. I like the idea of a sound car as well and will be looking into one for my fleet.
I have purchased the parts from the above link. The sound car sounds fantastic. I am very pleased with. I did buy the parts ala cart,since I had most of the parts. I feel the kit is the way to go if you don't have the parts. Here is quick video of my sound car. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqwnbCdY5Fs The car can also be left on a siding.
Back in the late 1980's there was a company (name lost in the fog of memory) that took a pair of Athearn HO GP35's, one powered, one dummy with the power pickup trucks like a powered unit, and installed a sound unit and speaker in it. I used it until the state of the art passed it by, and got onboard sound. MRC and Digitrax both make sound-only decoders that will operate on straight DC. The MRC has a radio controller that looks like a garage door opener to operate the sounds. With straight DC that would probably be the most convenient option.
