Anyone recommend a good resource for layout animation/sounds? I am in the process of planning a module for my local HO module club and want it to show and sound well.
My layout is based on old grain operations and I was wondering if some things could be animated somehow. Moving trucks etc would be great.
Sounds of cows and chickens also might be nice. Good variety as I think it would drive my module group nuts to hear chickens ever few seconds. Also be nice if I could control this type of stuff via computer.
Thank you.
There was a small article in the February 2006 Model Railraoder about a huge layout in Hamburg Germany that uses magnets and wire to move over 80 vehicles. The article is titled “American Dream in Germany”
Hope this helps!
Try this one:
http://www.bakatronics.com/shop/category.asp?page=2&catid=128&sortby=name
I’ve never ordered from them, and have no idea of their quality, but for 6 bucks it’s hard to go wrong. There’s a rooster on page 1, and even a dinosaur if you ever decide to go pre-steam and model the Jurassic.
if you want to invest money in to a sound decoder thoose are nice to put into a locomotive. and i forget but some companys makes a auto reverse motor thing with capabilities to move a wire with a vehicle on it. i forget where i saw it. check on ebay ppl make thoose kinds of things and sale them
Ahh I can get the sound from this guy. Have to do a bit more research on the animation stuff I guess. I have an idea to put a old crop Duster biplane in the sky over my wheat field. I also thought it would be neat to make a truck go down a dirt road etc.
When I was a kid I remember Christmas layouts in Chicago being very animated. I’m just surprise with the invention of DCC we haven’t seen more things animated.
I have to check out my Febuary issue.
Jeremy - please keep us informed on how these things work, OK? Thanks.
http://www.walthers.com
This should work under any gauge layout.
18 Sounds w/2 Speakers
Walthers Part # 500-312, p. 875 Walthers 2006 HO Scale Reference
A scale, $75.98, currently in stock at Walthers
This product is on-sale today for $55.98
Model Rectifier Corp Sound Station 312
City-Country Sound Station delivers rural and urban realism. If you’re familiar with MRC’s Sound Station 312 you know just how authentic our sounds are. Now the City-Country Sound Station brings an addtitional18 digitally reproduced background sounds to deliver real life to your layout. Complete with power supply and two speakers. Also ideal for dioramas and dollhouses.
or
MRC City & Country Sound Station w/Two Speakers
Item #MRC-AA552 $60. at http://www.internettrains.com
Features:
Thunder
Cow mooing
Crickets chirping
Car horns
Jackhammers
Sirens
And 12 more
Hope this is what you want.
Google Ram Track Rolling Stock Sound Circuits
It will return links to a lots of layout sounds .
I think I have spent 3 entire days at work (System Admin when things are working I’m sittin) surfing for animation type sites…resources.
I have come to a conclusion. Everyone seems focused on sound. It’s weird more people aren’t asking the same questions I am… Sounds OK and seems like I have a lot of options.
Excited to learn DCC can also enhance sound but what about the other things like light and movement. Light seems to be coming along with LEDS lighting the way.
Movement however is lacking. As I said earlier in the post I remember the animated layouts in the Chicago windows attracted me to trains. (Maybe I said this someplace else.) It’s non existent on Google.
I’m part of a module club that has a goal of promoting the hobby. Get the younger generation interested in a hobby that rarely gets press. (At least where I live.) What better way to enhance the interest than to have animated modules. I don’t think the technology isn’t there. I mean we have http://www.robotstore.com/
Don’t get me wrong I love trains and could run them all day. I just want more for the hobby.
Anyone have this book?
“The Beginners Guide to Creative Effects for Your Model Railroad” By Paul Newitt