Railroader / Sound-Equipped Model Locomotive Survey

[omaharoad]

I've long wondered if there's a negative correlation between modelers who like sound-equipped models and those who've worked on or around real locomotives.  As a profession, not as a full-time railfan!

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So let's do a quick survey:

Q1: Have you worked for a railroad* and spent extended periods in or near operating locomotives? (Y / N)

Q2: Do you prefer model locomotives to have sound effects? (Y / N)


I'll also post this at Atlas Rescue Forum and on the "D" list and publish the results before 9/23.

* Includes commuter rail operators, Amtrak, FRA inspector, etc. Volunteering for a museum does not count.

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You may recall I've conducted a number of model railroading-related surveys here and elsewhere, the latest being the "Most Wanted Locomotive - 2013":
tinyurl.com/MWL-Survey-2013-results

Thanks,
Robert Simpson

[omaharoad]

Q1: Y
Q2: N

[omaharoad]

I've also posted this to the Yahoo! RPM-Forum.

Thanks.

[ssgburme]

Q1 =Y
Q2 =N
Karl

[mgwsy]

Q1 Y
Q2 N

[antlorch]

Q1 - yes

Q2 - yes

Because I am a full time railroader as a job I want my models to reflect the same as the real world, so I would prefer to have sound on all my engines. It would not seem right anymore to have a train go by with no sound.

Though to me the sound volumes should be turned down to a more scale level. I don't want my models blowing my eardrums out. I can get that at work.

Just my thoughts!

[m a y o r 79]

Q1: No
Q2: No

Guess im the first to answer that way. I dont think model sound is very good, esp. when most people run one sound loco in a 2-3+ loco consist. It just doesnt sound realistic to me.

[icghogger]

Q1 = Yes
Q2 = Yes

[Canadian Atlantic Railway]

Q1: N
Q2: Y

[roadkill]

Q1- No
Q2- No

[Packer]

1. No
2. Yes (Not every one, just 1 in each consist)

[Coy]

I model modern power, but I prefer the non sound models. I already sold off my sound equipped stuff, as the novelty of the sound gets annoying to me after a half hour or so.

1:N
2:N

[mrlfan]

1: N
2: Y
Glenn

[BNSF Jay]

1:N
2:Y

[omaharoad]

On 9/17 I posted the following two question survey to the "D" list, Atlas Rescue Forum, Diesel Detailer, and the Yahoo RPM Group:

Q1: Have you ever worked for a railroad* and spent extended periods in
or near operating locomotives? (Y / N)

Q2: Do you prefer model locomotives to have sound effects? (Y / N)

* Includes commuter rail operators, Amtrak, FRA inspector, etc.
Volunteering for a museum does not count.

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Results.

I received a total of 64 responses.
Q1: n= 24 Yes, 40 No.
Q2: n= 26 Yes, 38 No.

Overall, 41% of all respondents prefer model locomotives to have sound effects. 59% do not.

Of the respondents who answered Yes to Q1 (railroaders), 33% prefer model locomotives to have sound effects.

Of the respondents who answered No to Q1 (non-railroaders), 45% prefer model locomotives to have sound effects.


Raw number matrix:
Railroader Y N
Like Sound Y 8 18
N 16 22


A small sample, but the survey shows that only about four out of ten of the respondents prefer model locomotives to have sound effects. Railroaders prefer sound effects less than non-railroaders. I'll leave the "whys" for later.

Thanks to everyone who participated,
Robert Simpson

[omaharoad]

I'll try the matrix again with ... for formatting:

Raw number matrix:

Railroader.................Y....N
Like sound..........Y....8....18
..........................N...16...22

[diesel]

Q1. no
Q2. yes, sometimes I want quiet.

[spike]

I am a railroader, and have been an engineer for 14 years. I am not into sound.


when I was in college, I bought dozens of Athearn locos. They are later BB kits with the newer motors. Most of the sound decoders are 1 amp. I would spend a fortune to repower them. Good results come from tuning the stock motor and gears.


Most sound decoders have limited light outputs also. I have ditch lights on both ends of my geeps. This would mean dual decoders.I'd rather have prototypical lightning.


At the club I ran a friend's Athearn SD70ACe.It sounded real. I'm too cheap to go down that road. I like a uniform fleet. Maybe the OCS F units with get them.

Harley Davidson tried to patent the sound of their V-Twin. I think EMD should patent the 567 sound!Nothing makes me happier than winding out the throttle on a consist of GP9s!

[Deleted]

I missed out on this, but for me.

#1 NO
#2 YES

I am not around the real trains enough to know one sound from another. All my locomotives will have sound. The decoders seem to sound right to me. I turn the volume down a lot to a more realistic scale level. The only thing that does NOT sound right are the horns. They have a very weak blast. There are all sorts of things you can do with tuning these sound decoders, but I am simply satisfied with running them as they are. Maybe after I get my fleet built, I will sit with them and learn about all the stuff I can do to get a better realistic sound from them.