I am on vacation this week and while in the LHS to get some foam track bed I figured since it was not busy I would ask the clerk if I could hear a sound equipped engine from Atlas since I was planning on ordering one next week when I get paid my bonus from last month. After hearing it idle up, releasing of the brakes and a blow of the horn I did a quick check of the bank account and left with my first sound train today (an Atlas BNSF Dash 8-40b) and I don’t think I will ever get another non sound equipped engine. I should have done this sooner!
Congrats. You’ll never go back. I made the same mistake of checking one out (It was also an Atlas). Since then I’ve purchased about 15 sound/dcc loco’s
Oh man Eric you must be jumping out of your shorts right now. Let’s see some pics!!!
I also agree with buying locos with sound equipped rather than installing it in one that doesn’t. The single time I tried to install a decoder… I fried it. I will probably try an install again, but not anytime soon.
Out of BLI Paragon I and II, Proto 2000 , Tsunami, and Atlas sound, I like Atlas the BEST!
Sound is great, but it will get annoying to you after awhile. I like a mixture of both. I have about 18 engines. 7 have great sound. I still however like to here the clickety clack from my non sound engines. More than 2 sound engines on my 11X8 pike is too much for me.
That’s not the reason I don’t like to install aftermarket Tsunamis’. I like the fact that the sound equipped engines are already machined to handle 1, sometimes 2 speakers in the engine cavity. And QSI is just fantastic. Still better IMHO than aftermarket sound decoders.
I’m pleased for you and that you are happy with it.
Many here will agree with you. Others here will argue over which sound system is the “best one” for “realistic sounds”.
I’m not so crazy about sound. I don’t see it as such a big deal.
To me its about like the fake “smoking locos”. It doesn’t look really real.
I don’t think it sounds so real to me, and I also find it annoying after about 5 mins because they all sound “tinny” to me and bother my ears, regardless of which one they are using.
[2c].
What kind of decoders come equipped the Atlas locos?
That’s why I turn the sound down until I can just hear then when they’re on the part of the layout I happen to be at. It’s kinda dumb to hear sounds at the far end of the layout, especially when they’re in a tunnel.
LOL–Since when do we see sound? Or do you have special powers? [:D][:D]
John
I can honestly say, after running MTH and other sound equipped steamers for a year now, that running a plain DC ordinary steamer without sound–even a brand new Big Boy–is just plain dull.
I love hearing the powerful booming exhaust of the Paragon2 Y-6B at slow speeds–and I never was really into slow speed operation before.
Even the non-railfan guests to my house have been very impressed with the sound-equipped steamers.
They think the sound makes the monster articulateds “come alive”.
John
I am sort of hooked on sound. I love the sound of my PCM Big Boy and Y6-b (Loksound they spoiled me) still sort of like by BLI steamers and I am to the point I don’t run any of my sound diesels engines. I have started selling off the sound engines at HO Yard Sale. They just started getting on my nerves, can’t really explain why. Last 4 diesels I have bought have been none sound.
Now steam on the other hand has to have sound! I think one of the reasons I like steam sound better is the tender acts like a speaker box and make it sound more pleasing to me. All so the reason I like the PCM Engines the best, big tenders and they have tall speaker encloses.
Of all the sound diesels I have and had, I like my Blue Line RSD 15 the best.
Next to I am selling will be a BL GE AC 6000 CSX and Santa Fe PK 2000 E-7. If you like Eric PM me and I will let you know when I list them on Yahoo Yard Sale.
Cuda Ken
My new baby is in the shop. While having it upside down to install the window visor/shades it reset itself to to the ID # of 3 and then would not go. I did a reset of the CV and the magic wand thing and still no go. It seems like the reed switch is stuck as all the engine will do is tell me the ID number and say it is shutting down. Took it back the hobby shop and their DCC guru will take a look at her. Hopefully it will be an easy fix.
First the word “see” in the sentence “I don’t see it as such a big deal” does refer to how I FIND sound to be. Perhaps I should have used the word “FIND” instead of “see”.
Ahh, The word “look” in this case refers back to the smoke of the “smoking locos”- Which one would SEE if LOOKING at SMOKE.
{being nice} I assume you read that entirely wrong.
Yep, I got my first sound loco last month, a Bachmann 3 truck Shay, I love how the brakes squeal when I slow it to a stop.Sound is great.
I think volume makes or breaks the enjoyment of sound for me. My locos all seem to come from the factory cranked to their distorted max. I spent time one day adjusting the volumes to a point where if I looked at the loco whether it is in the yard or running, the volume was good. If they are idling in the yard I don’t notice them. It’s loud enough to bring the layout to life but is no longer a loud irritant.
I don’t think I will ever buy an engine without sound again.
Brent
I have also become hooked on sound. I previously had a few BLI locomotives, both steam and diesels with sound.
The steam engines were too loud and I never really liked the sound of the diesels. I only recently had a member of the local model railroad club reset the sound for these units. With some fiddling they sound great. The diesel engines did not seem to benefit from being reset.
However, that has all changed now that I obtained a couple of the new Bachmann Spectrum steam engines with the factory installed Tsunami sound.
I ordered a Shay and a couple of their 4-6-0’s and once they arrived and I tried them on my layout I was hooked. Sound certainly beats the QSI units of the BLI engines.
The sound for the Bachmann steam engines is fine right out of the box. I never had to tinker with any of the settings. I think Bachmann has a real winner with their steam/sound units.
Atlas uses QSI. Great mix of features and sound quality. They’re up there with Tsunami IMO. Their CV indexing system takes a little bit to get used to but it’s worth learning.
I have 67 modern era diesel locomotives. 42 of them have sound, 14 of which I upgraded and 28 came from the factory with sound. Of the remaining 25 I will likely upgrade just over half of them. I like QSI decoders the best, especially on Atlas Gold units, but the aftermarket units are very good. I too don’t plan to go back. I’ve got three units on the bench right now going through their sound upgrades. I just received two of the new Atlas Gold GP40-2s. I can’t believe Atlas found a way to stuff two speakers into the small shells.
I have only a few diesels, but only one has a factory-installed decoder, and that is an Atlas Gold Fairbanks Morse Train Master H24-66. If this motor is anything like the typical Atlas product, all I can say is…I want more of 'em! The Gold series have QSI, and boy are they nice.
About sound…I can’t be without it, but more than two of anything sounding on the entire layout at a time will drive me nuts. Stark raving boinkie! Even then, all my decoders have the volume reduce in the CV setting range by at least 40%, and many less than that. The distance scale is very poor, so you hear everything if your layout only takes up half a basement (what…that big?). Yup, you’d need a very large layout to have more than four or five of any kind of noise emitter not drive you crazy.
-Crandell
I’m glad for you, and hope that you will enjoy your new purchase for years to come.
A big part of the, “Sound, love it or hate it,” thing, IMHO, is how the modeler sees him(her)self in relation to the layout. The engineer or railfan, who concentrates on a single train, loves the growl, hisses, bangs, clangs and honks. The dispatcher, who wants to run the entire railroad, considers them an unnecessary distraction. The bridge between the two is a flimsy structure made of rice straw rope over a very deep chasm.
Since I am a dispatcher at heart, my locomotives will remain members of the Silent Service. But then, I don’t operate on your layout…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - quietly)