Dallee "hi Line" Sound Choices For An Aristo Rs 3

Neil Robinson

Neil Robinson

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I've been asked to fit a new Dallee "Hi Line" sound unit in an Aristo RS 3 and I have little knowledge of U.S. locos' details.

I'd appreciate help choosing the most appropriate sound options.

The loco is a Rio Grande example, road number 5205, which I understand existed in real life.

There is a choice of two Alco prime mover sounds, a road loco or a switcher. I believe the RSs are Road Switchers so I'm confused!

There is a choice of ten horn sounds. Five Leslies, A-200, S-3, S-3K, S-5, and S-5T. Also three Nathans, K-3, K-5L and P-5 together with a Webco E-2 and a Hancock Air Whistle. Which of these is closest to what the Rio Grande would have specified?

Regarding the bell there is only one Alco bell a "CNW". I can't see a bell on the Rio Grand model, would it have had one?
 
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Hi Neil
All Rio Grande locos had a bell which would sound at low speeds as a warning to any errant workers or public.
The road Alco sound would be the best one to use for the RS3,
The horn for the RS3 was a Wabco 'blaaaat' E2
Cheers
 
My neighbour used to drive Alco locos in Canada many years ago.
In his opinion the Alco sound is very good except that the normal Alco engine "rattle" at low speeds should disappear at higher revs.. It doesn't.
I used the third bell option and the Wabco as well.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Is there somewhere on the net to hear this decoder?
Click to expand...

Not a decoder Greg.. A digital sound card..

Universally Compatible
HiLine™ Sound Systems are electrically compatible with all model rail electrical standards. AC sound is fully supported where the horn and bell work as triggers for the sound unit. DC sound works by using track magnets, a LocoMatic™ controller, or a wireless control. DCC sound is supported using an external DCC decoder. Some options require components not included.

Dallee examples on YouTube if you do a search..
 
Thanks, in particular to Mike and Tony.
I'll go for Prime Mover 1 Alco Road Loco, horn 9 Wabco E2, bell 3 General Electric old style and spitters on.
All that now remains is to find a round tuit! ;)
 
Mild insult ignored, yes I searched the Dallee site for quite a while, no sounds or links to sounds on their site, unless it is in some stupid popup which I have blocked.

Their youtube site has only ONE video, thanks for that...

And the "number of hits" has NO HiLine videos other than the only found and posted.

Thanks again for that single video, but it's a pretty poor showing and advertising so far.

Re the video, the steam chuff is awful. Both slow speed and faster.

The air pumps sound like a chuff.

And of course neither Alco sound was demonstrated.

If anyone does find a video of this I would appreciate it.


Greg
 
I appreciate it Philp, I was frustrated that while dallee get's hits there was very little on the unit itself... in fact only posted the 3rd of this month.

If it was me, I'd be posting a video of each motor sound. Dallee has always been weird, here in the USA, you actually called the company, and he plays the sound over the phone for you. !!

I'm sure more videos to let us hear the sounds will be forthcoming, but you would think the manufacturer, who just spent R&D money to make a new product would promote it more fully.

Greg
 
Greg,
Have you actually tested or used a Dallee Hi-Line sound system?
Still, at least you are not actively promoting a DCC sound decoder as a viable alternative.:devil:
 
"I'm not buying anything without some more documentation", here you go, fill your boots!
As for sound samples, could try a courtesy enquiry email to them!

https://www.dallee.com/current_instruction_sheets.html


https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Sound-System-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Steam-Sound-System-Full-Instructions.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Steam-Sound-System-External-Amplifier-Instructions.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Sound-System-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Diesel-Sound-System-Full-Instructions.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Diesel-Sound-System-External-Amplifier-Instructions.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Electric-Sound-System-Full-Instructions.pdf

https://www.dallee.com/PDFs/HiLine-Specialty-Sound-System-Full-Instructions.pdf
 
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The youtube vid does show that the sounds, from a small scale speaker system are not too bad... certainly not Phoenix, Zimo or ESU territory but better than the Dallee of old.
The chuff is a trifle 'raw' and does not look too well synchronised but that would be, or should be, adjustable with the select/volume switch procedure in the instructions.
The steam ancillary sounds like whistle and pumps are the weakest ones but this always seems a difficulty for the cheaper boards.
Having said this, the fact that they are now $150, this brings them nearly up to the sort of price range that a fully DCC (with DC option built in) sound decoder can also be bought (with the extra functions of a decoder), they do not seem great value.

If you are fully DC, run US outline, and just want a polyphonic sound board with digitally recorded and sourced sounds, that bear close relationship to the real sounds, then there are not too many choices for you besides the mighty Phoenix boards (which happen to be also be DCC compliant).
The Dallee HiLine boards are better and more comprehensive sonically, for US outline, than other cheaper boards.....except for the Soundtraxx Econami ECO-400 (4amp headroom) which is also a full DCC decoder (but can work happily with plain DC as just a sound module).

Of course Phoenix are more expensive than the Dallee HiLine but you pays your money and you takes your choice.

I have always had the opinion (for my own use), that if sound is to be installed, then it should, at least, sound pretty close to the loco that it is installed in.

I have 'hoovered' up used examples of phoenix boards to use in DC or DCC operations (and also ESU DCC sound boards for my DCC locos) to save a lot of money but to also keep me locos sound pretty true to their pedigree......... I may investigate using the new Soundtraxx econami ECO-400 for the smaller locos, sometime, once I have heard it in full cry.
 
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