Alco sounds

[trev]

Possibly a difficult one this.......I want to run sound BUT I don't want to modify my non dcc locos. I have four Alco's on my small switching layout.  What Im thinking off is a sound system based on a stereo disc or tape system.  Any idea's?

[Mark R.]

Anything pre-recorded on a disc or tape would be very limiting in that you could only play what was recorded. You would have no control over the engine sounds. The bell or horn would be do-able as they are a predetermined sound.

I'm also assuming you aren't planning on having the sound, IN the engines, but rather have speakers under the benchwork ?

Mark.

[iomalley]

I play my CDs I got from Rolf a number of years ago. There's no sync up to the model, but what they hey...DAT recordings of the real thing are as good as it gets for me! Sometimes the recordings align to a crossing on the layout.

alcoworld.railfan.net/sound.htm

I've always preferred the trackside sounds of a passing train, and never been much of a fan of sound systems and their monotonous drone. Yeah, its realistic, but take it from me...4 hours riding a pair of 1:1 GP9s struggling with a string of autoracks loses its luster in a hurry.

[trev]

Thanks fella's......now whereto buy the discs??

[iomalley]

www.railmedia.com/

[gnufe]

Hi,

You could always take a sound only decoder and attach it under the layout.. Then you could sync the sounds with your loco without having to convert your locos.. You could also use a bigger speaker.. Or put a decoder in a boxcar or something.. I've built a few dummy loco's and put decoders in them.. I use digitrax sound decoders since you can load other schemes in them.. The sfx006 decoder is a sound only decoder and has 16bit sound.. I like higher end sound decoders, just can't always pay for them...

Stuart

Re-read your post.. This should work for dc.. Also..