Tonight I have been hacking away at the computer and running a C&O RDC-1, Budd Railcar at the same time. I just got this thing about 2 weeks or so ago and haven't put a decoder in it. Its running on address "double-oh." No way I am going to put a silent decoder in it. However, I have been on several web sites such as Soundtraxx and Quantum listening to this and that. WHAT THE HECK did a Budd sound like? I first sampled the Soundtraxx Galloping Goose but that sounded like my Dad's old Buick 225 w/o any mufflers. I have sorta settled on one of the GE chips with dynamic brakes and stuff turned way down. The problem is, I have nothing to go on here. I can recall hearing EMD's as a kid, tons of ALCO's, etc. But a BUDD railcar? I have no clue. What did those things sound like and what DCC mobile/sound chip would be appropriate???????
Well... consider that each RDC has two or three diesel engines in it, and they don't generate electricity but actually run the wheels through a transmission sort of arrangement. They basically sound like a couple of coach buses at once... at least, that's my recollection from the ONE round trip I ever took on one. Perhaps someone who has commuted on one regularly can fill in the details. A bunch of people around my area posted things having to do with the Lewis and Clark Explorer Train a few years ago. Someone hopefully posted some video that doesn't have a piped in soundtrack so maybe you can get a sense of what they sound like. I would try keywords like Lewis, Clark, Explorer, Astoria, Rainier, Linnton... something is bound to come up. If I see something I will post a link here or PM you. Good luck.
Okay... that took about two minutes... Go here and Brian McCamish has posted a video he took. The first minutes have a soundtrack, but then it's all microphone sound off his videocamera. http://www.brian894x4.com/Lewisandclarkexplorermovie.wmv Have fun!
The music comes in and out. About 60% of the way through is the horn noise as they go through a grade crossing. Most of the noise is inside. I haven't watched the whole thing so I don't know if you get much of the outside sound. They are not super loud... definitely quieter than your average SD or GP.
Good find SteamDonkey! Thank you. That helps, at least with the horn. Plus, its a great video to watch! I actually have a Soundtraxx (GE engine) decoder that is somewhat quiet and has a similar horn. Not exact, but similar. That was fun to watch first thing in the a.m. while sippin' coffee!
Digitrax has a sound sample of an RDC that is loadable into their SFX064D sound decoders. Here's the link: http://www.digitrax.com/depot_rdc.php I don't know how good the sound sample, but I thought I would point this out. I have used the SFX064D in some of my locos for other projects with good results.
Keep us posted, Kitbash. I would love to know how this turns out for you since I am considering something much the same. I am modeling the Astoria line, and I thought having some RDC's in Lewis and Clark Explorer Train livery would be a lot of fun. It would be even more fun with sound. I wonder if I could make one sound decoder sound like three MU'd RDC's... I would have decoder with back EMF in the other two, and then make a MU consist out of them. Some RDC's have a lot more "room" for a hidden sound decoder than others. Adam
The RDC had two 275HP Detroit Diesels, each driving a dedicated truck through a constant velocity hydraulic transmission and torque converter. The diesel exhausts appeared to be well muffled. IIRC the sound was more like a purr rather than the roar of any of the first and second generation EMD's. They idled very quietly at a stop. When they accelerated, I believe they went to the rpm set by the controller, and remained there, letting the transmission change the torque to the truck. The last RDC trip I took was 55 years ago, so my memory is weak at best.
I did a bit of searching on the web when I bought my RDC (looking for way to 'chip' it) and came across www.budd-rdc.org There is a couple of video clips on there on VIA RDC's running in Canada, which give a fair idea of what they sound like. Btw, if you need info. on how to 'chip' the Proto 1000 RDC there is an excellent step by step article at: bevteccom.co.uk - DCC - Installing DCC into the Proto 1000 HO RDC Hope this helps.....
C&O_guy, thanks for the link on "chipping" the RDC. Based on the other recommendations above, I have ordered the Digitrax mobile/sound chip today. I have access to a Digitrax programmer through a dealer I know here in Virginia. My intention is to install the Digitrax unit and have it re-programmed from the above link on the RDC download file. Since I was ordering, I also ordered a couple of QSI upgrade chips that I have been neglecting with a couple of other engines. The "install" link you provided will greatly help me in putting in the RDC decoder before I take it to be re-programmed. Some most useful responses on this thread. Thanks all.
Nothing to say here on electronics..But was awed by the fact that I too pull a heavy weight (Ob) behind my RDC all the time...!!! Thought I was alone..Funny coincidence ,huh?..MarkInLA
^Hey Mark! Yep. I pull that old repainted heavy weight behind the RDC. The first pictures I had seen of the C&O Budd's were all either one or two RDC's hooked together. Then a while back I found a picture of the C&O moving a Budd RDC w/ a standard passenger car in tow. Also saw one pulling a standard baggage car in the blue/yellow/gray scheme. One of my favorite trains to run is the Sunday morning "sleeper". A small engine pulling one or two passenger cars in a "local" w/ a box or some other freight car mixed in. I will be up tomorrow running one and slurping my coffee while at the workbench. I may just assert a creative license and have an RDC do the honors tomorrow. I just got my home computer back this afternoon. If I get my picture software loaded back on tomorrow, maybe I'll throw a shot of that up on the weekend photo thread. By the way. I did get the Digitrax chip for the Budd. Got it from Tony's last week. Now I just have to load it in the Budd and get the RDC sound downloaded into it. I also purchased a second Budd (RDC-1) last weekend at the Great Scale show in Timonium, MD. If this chip/sound works out, I will have to repeat it in that one.
RDC's The Budd RDC's had two diesel engines mounted under the car. Power was through a hydraulic type drive. The cars were fairly quiet. We rode the Lewis & Clark Explorer twice. Even though the train went 100 feet from the house we had to drive 50 miles to board it.The cars are now in eastern Oregon in tourist service. The Oregon Pacific & Eastern (Ex Espee) rdc is in Galveston Texas.
The RDC's running today may be repowered with newer engines. Original engines were built by Detroit Diesel 2 cycle diesels. I beleave were 6 cylinder 110 engines. I have never heard one running but heard the smaller 71 and 92 Detroits in machinery and trucks. They sounded more like the Digi Trax sound recording.
