Yup, I said it. I am hooked on sound. From the first time I got to see and and run a sound equpiied engine, I knew I could be in trouble.
Well, for the last 6 months, I have gone back and forth trying to figure if I could buy another non-sound engine… Ack! I cant do it! Tonight, while programming a engine of mine with out sound, it hit me and I gave in. Thats it, Im done… Its sound or nothing. Dont get me wrong, I like my non-sound engines, I have about 6 diesels and will keep them…but I all ready know, first chance I get on a rainy day project, they will get set up. I also know that I will not get as many new engines as I want over the years, simple issue of money there. But I plan on haveing these engines for years, and years to come. I think its worth it. if I have to save up for 5 months, instead of 2 months… Well, so be it.
I think what gets me about the sound is the added touch which can help break down the “model” barrier and help the imagination to pretend its real and help get caught up in the excitement. Plus, it does add a little more fun to running the trains. Horn here, break squeal there. Or even better, watching and listening to the steam engines run. I love it.
I LOVE sound. I only have one sound unit now ( lionel challenger in HO ) but plan to install sound in my KATO sd38-2, spectrum f40ph-2, and my 2 TGV trainsets. ( All LokSound ) I have an acela trainset, and a spectrum 4-6-0 that need sound but but both have no room near the 8- pin plug socket. In the acela I may put the decoder in the first car so I can sill use the 8-pin socket in the rear of the loco, and use the space in the coach for th deoder and speaker. My other engines – p42, f59phi, and 6 ac400cw/c44-9w have dcc quick-plug for diditrax. I don’t know how to install sound there. the decoder I am looking at ( LokSound ) has a 8-pin plug. Any advice on an insall?? I also plan on getting a PCM daylight GS-4 when it comes out. ( With sound )
As I’ve posted on other threads, I’d been dreaming about sound equipped locomotives since the late 1970s when I was a teen railfan. For me, it’s a good feeling that I will now be able to relive those memories and listen to turbo charged EMDs whine, and GE U-Boats “chugging”, all in HO scale.
QSI, LokSound, and Soundtraxx have done excellent jobs in trailblazing onboard sound and are only getting better.
By no means! If, as many of our fellow modelers tell us, we will get more satisfaction over time by actually operating them at times, like the real roads do, part of the ops is sounding warnings and acknowledging signals, hearing the loco start up a long heavy train in the yard (engines blast out, but the train moves only slowly), we need flange squeel here and there…the list goes on. The Tsunami allows us to actually water our steamers when we think the tender levels are low, we can ask the fireman to bank a good fire for the next grade, and so on.
I’m with ya there, Bud!
P.S. - Big John, did someone catch you doing a jig outside the LHS with a bag of new stuff?
I think sound has added an all new dimension to the hobby that certainly increases its appeal to new generations of model railroaders…not to mention many of us old farts, too. There’s a learning curve, to be sure, but nothing to worry about. I run mainly O and the combination of sounds, synchronized smoke, etc. are hugely enjoyable.
So, I think you represent the developing mainstay of the industry…where no sounds will one day (soon?) be considered a relic of yesteryear.
AHAH! (he said, with an Evil Chuckle). You too? My first sound loco was a BLI N&W 2-6-6-4. Now I needed that locomotive like another hole in my head, but when I heard it at the LHS, it was too much to bear. Just HAD to have it!
So what did I do for my 600 non-sound brass locos, since I am strictly DC? I went out and bought an under-the-table Soundtraxx “Heartland Steam” set-up with built in Doppler. Put one speaker under the yards, extension speakers under both of my ‘islands’ and–VOILA!! I am giving the Garage Band down the street a run for their money when I crank up my garage layout. You oughta hear the noise when I program the little puppy to drop coal into the tender–sounds like an avalanche.
Yes, sound is super. Now if we could just get sound with the SMELLS–that would make this old fart one Happy Camper.
Yes I did. It was my wife taking the picture after I had just left Caboose Hobbies. I was, shall we say, a bit happy. Scary thing is, she says lemme take a picutre… So I Ok I say, I pose. No shes says, you need to have some fun, I need a good picture so you can show your train freinds. That would be all of you guys…
Here the full size view, its just too classic
I feel much better about not being alone. But man, I do love the sound. I have found myself drooling over the Broadway limited or the Atlas. (QSI that is) Now that other sound decoders are coming out, and hopefully, be getting a little cheaper, soon I would like to take a crack at doing sound in some of my other units.
I’ll probably adopt twhite’s approach — well actually I already did, on the layout I had in my previous home — and install an under-layout system to supplement my many other ‘relic’ locos. I’m not about to scrap them just because they don’t have sound. I’ll just acquire new ones whenever the money becomes available.
That’s photo’s a real knee-slapper [(-D] … thanks for posting it – and thank the little lady for taking it!
One thing I do to keep sound from breaking the bank is I use Soundtrax LC (low-cost) decoders in my locos, and I put one dummy unit with sound in the middle of each loco consist. This gives the impression that the whole loco consist has sound, and so I can get away with only 30% or so of my fleet having sound.
Plus, it saves on DCC amperage draw too, making it easier to power the layout well with lower amp boosters.
Not only do sound locos cost more, they draw more amperage, so if you’re not careful, you have to buy heavier boosters to power your layout adequately. Sound can really hit you in the ol’ pocket book if you don’t plan things right. It’s possible to make sound very affordable, if you model 1980’s diesels like I do, and use some of the tricks I recommend.
I’ve got a video clip on my web site where I discuss the ways to do sound economically. The video is in the members only section of my web site forum, so you’ll have to register to watch it, but registration is free. [swg]
Tom, my Dad left me a couple of liters of creosote oil in a tin, and I have already used it for a small trestle. i can get a whiff of the creosote when I walk near the layout, and lemme tell ya, it is too cool by half. So what if it is toxic? I’d have to sleep with that thing under my pillow for a year to get close to a level that would do me harm. As it is, it just makes me grin.
That has got tt be the coolest freakin idea I have ever heard. I have heard guys joke about smells, but that, is actually a really good idea. The sense “smell” is the strongest trigger of memories of all 5.
Selector–what a great idea! And I only live four miles from the Roseville yards. Looks like I’m taking a little midnight expedition to get me some creosote. Of course, none of you guys have read this, right?
I do not have any sound locomotives yet, but have decided that all of my future purchases will be sound and/or locomotives which can easily be converted to sound.
I’m convinced I’ll be hooked on sound once I get a BLI CGW NW2 w/ sound and Intermountain CGW F units w/ sound. I’ll go crazy tryin to put sound in my other engines.
You are also not alone in doing what I call the “happy dance” after a way cool train store experience. I’ve been known to do this outside certain stores in Addision, Texas, Dunellen, NJ and Warwick RI. A modified version (“the yea the mail/fedex/UPS guy is here dance”) is done sometimes at home.
Finally, in order to address the point of this thread, my first sound purchase was a BLI Mike. After winning an ebay auction I spent quite a few days wondering if I spent too much on an engine with sounds. Then it arrived. After about 5 seconds of running, I was doing the “sound is cool dance.” Yeah I’m hooked on sound! Sure beats getting caught by the wife when I’m bent down right next to a locomotive whispering “chuga chuga chuga woooo hoooooo”!
