THERE MUST BE A WAY TO MAKE MY OWN SIMPLE SOUND OF A TRAIN BLOWING THE HORN AS IT COMES TO A CROSSING.–110 VOLT -TO A BUTTON -TO THE HORN THRU SPEAKERS I BUY!!
HELP PLEASE !!!
Maybe something like this?
No,I want to make my own to control the volume and control when it sounds off
So how does that Bachmann horn work? Is it user operated or activated by your layout?
There was such a circuit published recently in another model railroading magazine. Is it okay to refer to an article in another publisher’s magazine here?
You need a sensor of some type, there’s a bazillion of them out there, a search at Walthers might turn some up, and a sound sample playback unit with a pushbutton type trigger which you can substitute the sensor for, a speaker, a power supply to convert 110 to 12 volts, and some installation time.
Here’s a place where you can get everything except the sensor:
http://www.ittsound.com/hqpage.htm
(PS-lose the caps.)
What I did in my younger days was to go out and record a train horn, loop the recording and put the tape into a cassette player activated by a push-button. When I wanted to horn to sound I pushed the button and the horn in the recording would come blasting from the speakers.
Go down to your local auto-motive accessory store and buy one of those three chime truck airhorns and a small compressor. You’ll be able to play the horn any way your heart desires !!! [;)]
Mark.
And don’t forget each railroad has its own horn tone.A CSX horn doesn’t sound like a NS horn.
A UP horn doesn’t sound like a BNSF horn…See?
I would think it would be O.K.
Mike,
Can you please tell us about your set up? Scale? Layout size? How many locomotives and what types (steam, diesel,…Athearn, LL, Bachmann).
By giving us some more details we may be able to suggest some good options.
Peace[C=:-)][tup]
A Burlington Northern diesel sound–H.O. scale,But want to control the volume which I want kinda loud.The set is only on a 4x8 sheet of plywood now, with another figure 8 inside it.It can be 110 volt or thru the transformer to 12 volt.It must be able to control the sound thru a button-- hold it down -long blast-- hold and release short blast.Most of all it has to be pretty simple–Not something you need a degree in electrical engineering to build or repair.With parts I can get at a place like Radio Shack or like that.O.K.?
For what you want, an MRC Sound, Light & Power power pack might be good for you. Has a slide switch diesel horn with varrying volume and intensity. Look around for one, as they’re not made anymore.
It isn’t that simple.
Burlington Northern engines I’VE heard on the old C&S Trinidad - Denver - Cheyenne - Billings route have a destinctive 3 note B diminished chord sound as compared with old single note air horns.
I SUPPOSE ONE could use an acual air horn, but there is only one sound level - LOUD - and a compressor takes real bucks.
ONE gets what’s available, as swell as affordable, unless you’re a design engineer.
Don Gibson makes a good point about an accurate horn sound. Except for a few F units, most BN locomotives used primarily Leslie and Nathan 3 chime horns, though the Leslies were more common.
I’ve heard the built in diesel horn sound of the MRC unit an LHS ( Franks Trains and Hobbies ). The sound was not impressive, imho.
Mike, if you wish to go the “loop tape” or CD route, you can go to websites that have diesel locomotive horn sounds and record them. Here’s a couple:
http://www.dieselairhorns.com click on Sound Library. There’s 3 pages of horns.
http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/
Hope this helps[{(-_-)}][tup]