Is it just me or do you sometimes think having sound systems and a multiplicity of programmable variables (inertia simulation, sound effects) might be overkill when you just want to run a train? I have several steam engines with all the latest and greatest details, electronics and so on, but sometimes wouldn’t it be nice to just put it on the rails and go without having to program it or am I being stranger than usual?
How “Necessary” is model railroading to begin with?
Point is there is a differeance between “Necessary” and desire
You’re gonna have to answer that one for yourself. For me, sound isn’t necessary at all. I do enjoy momentum effects if not carried to the extreme. The next guy may feel like sound is mandatory and the next guy may one the locomotive headlight to flash green and purple. In each case it’s the right answer for the individual in question.
Given that model railroading has been around for over a century and quality sound is relatively new, it can hardly be called necessary. You can certainly build great model railroads without it. Having said that and having just purchased a BLI Mountain and heard what a high quality sound system is like, it does add another dimension to an already great hobby. I won’t say I’d never buy a new locomotive without sound, but I imagine eventually I will upgrade all my working locos with sound. It’s not something I have to do but something I want to do.
verry well put. i myself, prefer sound. i think it REALLY adds to running trains, seems to make it a little more real, alot more fun. but hey, thats just my opinion.[;)][:D]
Not too long ago the same question was asked about DCC. Some modelers still prefer DC and thats okay too. IMHO sound adds to the MRRing experience. Programing the variables in a DCC decoder without sound does the same thing, add to the experience. I have been bitten by the sound bug. I have purchased locos with sound in them and added sound to most of my big steamers and many of the diesels. In fact, I’m waiting for more sound decoders right now. One thing to remember, you can always turn the sound off!
Sound is NOT neccessary. Yes, sound on one or two trains can and does sound great. (pun not intended) But, when you start running several sound equiped loco’s at once it all just becomes noise. Granted this is more of problem for clubs and large home layouts, but it is still a problem none the less.
Dan
Sound is more a novelty today than anything else. Whether or not it will continue well into the future is going to depend a lot on the price of locomotives so equipped. BLI has already seen the wisdom of offering units both ways, instead of sound-only.
Having been in the hobby for many years, I have to say that I own only a single locomotive with sound, purchased specifically to amuse the grand kids when they visit. I have purchased or have on order several high-end steamers currently…none with sound.
CNJ831
I think it’s really a matter of personal preference. For myself, I get a kick out of my BLI steamers, and it DOES take me back to my youth and bring back the memories of those great iron beasts. But if I didn’t have sound, I’d still be an avid model railroader. Heck, today, I bought a BLI ‘cattle sound’ stock car just for kicks, and it’s really a hoot to hear those critters bellowing and muttering when my loco takes a curve too fast. But I’m certainly not going to run it at the head of every freight train, any more than the BLI steamers are going to displace all of my imported non-sound brass. It’s fun and I enjoy it, but it isn’t a requirement.
Tom
I wasnt sound on sound untill I saw a fellow club member with an A-B-B-A set, all soundtraxx equipped going 10 Scale MPH up a 2.5 percent grade with all engines screaming and moaning in Run-8 with 60 coal hoppers behind it and another 2 GP-9’s on the back shoving hard.
Thats something you just cant recreate with no sound.
it’s not neccesary at all- just more expense- i do not want to switch to DCC i’m perfectly happy with DC. it’ll be even better when i upgade to a MRC power pack (possibly the tech 4 260 if i can affoard it) with momentem - saw it at the LHS for $62
No sound is as bad as too much of it, just like in real life. A little of everything goes a long way. All of my locos are sound-equipped, and I mute the ones not in service so that I can appreciate the sounds of those that are working. Sound, like water, does not scale well.
I am surprised with the statement that too many sound-equipped locos would be a problem on a large layout. To me, that is where they would each shine, each piercing the air with its own roaring protest at the train behind it. Spread sufficiently far apart, they should sound great. Instead, it is when two or three locos are operating within ten feet of each other that they compete in our scales. Not unlike the real world, though.
By the way, at least for the QSI decoders, you can mute your engines all the way up to 50%. I mute mine near 30%, and it works nicely. The chuffing engine is the one I hear, but I can still hear the injectors and pump on the idling locos nearby if I strain to hear them.
No, sound is not necessary…and I would add “at all.” Neither is scenery. But few would argue that the scenery adds a great deal to the believability and gee-whiz factors. Sound is no different. When I play the flange squeel as my Challenger thunders around my 22" curves, right in front of my quests, it does more than elicit a grin. Oh yes, much more than a grin. [:D]
shortly after purchasing two ps-1 locomotives and being told “that is how they are supposed to sound”, so no need to send them back; qsi offers me an $80.00 fix, if i act now, and then i learn there is a “design flaw” which will require a $25.00 chip to unscramble the whole thing, and a bcr will have to be bought to keep it unscrambled, and if i don’t do something about the batteries while in storage, they will leak and ruin everything…
all the above plus the universal request after 20 minutes; “can we turn the sound down or off?”
my trains were fun before sound, and they were fun again after i put the offenders away in storage!
maybe someday in the far future, if they ever get it right.
I appreciate your comments and thanks for the replies. I run on DC, yes I have turned the sound off sometimes but was curious if anyone else preferred to run their “silent” locos more often than the sound equipped ones or muted the sound systems instead. In retrospect I should have worded the question to better reflect the intent. I like the choices available now in motive power so I wasn’t trying to wax nostalgic about “the good old days”.
I to am still on DC operation, I use the MRC power packs and am very happy with them and the way they preform. I am in the process of using the MRC scryon. sound units at the same time on one track to cut cost, so they do not have to be installed in the loco’s. I started a thread yesterday about the configured way it should be hooked up and asked some questions. My big issue is not having to put a sound unit in a bunch of loco’s to save time and money. But I am looking forward to the change and the sound!
Does anyone remember the old Mantua sycr sound that was in the tender you could get? It ran on a 9v battery. It was a crude form of sound, I had one of these units at one time, and the new sound decoders have come along way since then.
Sound, I thought was something I would not need or want. I had a number of modelers bring over their sound equipped steam engines and they sounded cute!
But I model the mid 80’s and steam was long gone. A few sound diesel engines also were run on my layout and they sounded (pun intended) ok! But they were the old Soundtraxx system. When BLI brought out the NW2 switcher with sound I purchased one (Just to Try)! Once I had it set up it sounded pretty good. So I purchased the U28B in Conrail (my modeled road) and then the B23-7 was available and that was another engine that ran on my prototype so it showed up on the layout.
Now the biggest problem that I had with sound units when others would bring them over was THEY thought that the engines should be set to the max on volume. This may have been the original problem in the beginning was the visiting sound units were too loud!
Once I had my engine volumes turned down the engines began to sound right and as they would go away from you the sound would die away just as it does in real life. Now things began to be more realistic sounding.
So as I purchase a new sound unit a non-sound unit has to leave the layout. I am planning on only one sound unit for each 2 engine consist, as I don’t think the multi engine sounds add that much to a mainline run set. Now in the yard with multi sound engines just setting there idling and blowing off the air and the compressors running randomly, that is what I remember so the yards may get a few more engines.
BOB H – Clarion, PA
I only have 5 locomotives and 4 of them have sound. All are dcc. There are times when I mute the sound on the loco I’m running but most of the time it stays on, though I turn the sound down around 50 percent. For me, sound adds that whole other dimension so I guess I’ll keep buying it.
Jarrell
Sound is fun but NOT necessary to enjoy MRRing. I just bought my first sound locomotive - a BLI 2-8-2. Beautiful detailing and authentic sounds. I find that sound does add to the MRRing experinece. However, I sometimes tire of the sound, hit F8 to mute it, and run my locomotive quiet.
Tom
As others said, sound is not necessary. My only objection to sound would be having to pay extra for sound if you didn’t want it but then as has also been said, you don’t have to buy the equipment.
I didn’t think I would ever want a loco with sound, I thought they were way to expensive. Then I heard one run at our club and was hooked, I bought one the very next day. I don’t think you need to have sound in every loco but having a few around is great for a change. I intend on adding sound to my 3 Kato AC4400CW’s just as soon as Digitrax releases their package for them.