Realistic Sound for a Bachmann 3 Truck Shay

Tony Walsham said:
Oh for a sound system that could replicate a "quillable" whistle.
Just like on that video.
Click to expand...

Not much help but it's possible. MTH did it on their gauge 1 Triplex and state the current production of gauge 1 Big Boys also have a "quillable" whistle. They even fit a small smoke unit to the whistle!
 
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Neil Robinson said:
Not much help but it's possible. MTH did it on their gauge 1 Triplex and state the current production of gauge 1 Big Boys also have a "quillable" whistle. They even fit a small smoke unit to the whistle!
Click to expand...
I understand Neil.

I know it could be done.
I guess the real problem will be, only users with regular Digital Proportional R/C can take advantage of it.
Not a very big market.
There would have to be two ways of triggering a whistle sound to make it saleable to everyone.
Future development just needs giving the sound people a bit of a nudge in the right direction.
 
Tony Walsham said:
I understand Neil.

I know it could be done.
I guess the real problem will be, only users with regular Digital Proportional R/C can take advantage of it.
Not a very big market.
There would have to be two ways of triggering a whistle sound to make it saleable to everyone.
Future development just needs giving the sound people a bit of a nudge in the right direction.
Click to expand...

Tony,
What is Digital Proportional R/C and how is different to other R/C systems?
 
GAP said:
Tony, What is Digital Proportional R/C and how is different to other R/C systems?
Click to expand...

Essentially DP is where the output of the servo signal (or speed control) is proportional to the knob (or stick) position of the handpiece. Whilst all the well known brands of stick R/C must use compatible R/C, the servo commands from the Rx are the same no matter what the brand.
The variable signal used to achieve speed and direction changes could also be used to vary the timing and pitch of a sound function. Just like it can be interpreted to make simple ON - OFF trigger functions.

Most R/C controls use much less useful pushbutton R/C to raise and lower speed and set direction.
 
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Rhinochugger said:
OK, have sorted the Westinghouse pump - thank you Peter :clap::clap::clap:

Now for the bell - is it only operated by track magnet / reed switch or using the Remote controller?

The website indicated an auto-operation when the speed reduced, but has that now been superseded?
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Rhinochugger, Sorry I only just saw your question of a week ago. There is indeed an automatic mode for sounding the bell in addition to track magnets and the remote control. Use the mode control button 6, set it to four beeps. Then you can make the bell ring automatically when the loco is in motion up to a speed which you can set.

Regards
Peter
 
T
Tony Walsham said:
Oh for a sound system that could replicate a "quillable" whistle.
Just like on that video.
Click to expand...

Tony, if you can give me a function button which varies the receiver function output voltage in proportion to how hard the user is pressing the transmitter button then I will give you a quillable whistle.

Regards
Peter
 
Hi Peter.
If you can make a quillable whistle sound with a variable resistance button, reading the DP signal from an Rx servo channel output should be a snip.
 
chris m01 said:
Personally I'm very happy with the mylocosound chip. The important thing with a Shay is that it should be chuffing like mad at a low speed.

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Moonraker said:
Love the video Chris.

MyLocoSound at £49 or A$89 will give the correct Shay sounds. Using a TV remote control, the chuff is adjustable to match the loco and is synchronised to the motor voltage and load. There is a good video of MyLocoSound in a Bachmann two truck Shay at
. The radio control used by Peter Spoerer is virtually identical to that used by Tony Walsham at RCS. Tony also sells lots of MyLocoSound, for both radio control and track power, and can give you good advice. MyLocoSound is not compatible with DCC.

The MyLocoSound whistle is adjustable in style, pitch and volume. You can trigger it, plus the bell, safety valve and "All aboard", manually using transmitter buttons on radio control.

On track power, the normal choice is to use the automatic sound modes. This causes the Westinghouse brake pump to sound automatically each time the loco is stationary. It also causes the bell to ring when the loco is moving below a user selected speed or when triggered by magnets under the track. The whistle can also be triggered by track magnets or by the remote control. It conforms to US whistle codes when starting and stopping and can sound the grade crossing sequence when triggered whilst in motion. A slight nudge on your speed controller will cause the safety valve to blow.

You can contact Tony Walsham at RCS or email me at sales@mylocosound.com if you have any questions.

Regards

Peter Lucas

MyLocoSound
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Have to say that in both of these cases the sound is great for chuffing and bell. Sadly the Whistle still dissapoints with the those Sound cards. But for the price they are great value and the operation via Viper and Peter's Controller looks great. I have used Peters Control for my Roundhouse Live Steamers and am not dissapointed.

Perhaps my wish to go all Battery will be granted if MyLoco Sound/Peter can up the anti with the Whistle. Going with real sampled whistles is going to be the only option for me I fear. But I would be happy to pay more for that option.
JonD
 
Moonraker said:
Rhinochugger, Sorry I only just saw your question of a week ago. There is indeed an automatic mode for sounding the bell in addition to track magnets and the remote control. Use the mode control button 6, set it to four beeps. Then you can make the bell ring automatically when the loco is in motion up to a speed which you can set.

Regards
Peter
Click to expand...
Peter, many thanks
 
I've been larking around a bit today (well its been wet all morning). I have now added a variety of whistles to my Shay as can be seen in the video. I have put a big bluetooth speaker in the first wagon and yes I do need to build the load up higher so it can't be seen. I have put some whistle recordings on my phone so all I have to do is select the whistle I want and press play. I get a nice loud realistic whistle from wherever the loco is and it doesn't in any way interfere with the chuffing from the sound card. Very low tech and not to everyone's taste but a bit of a novelty to be used sparingly. After all I do like to speak with the neighbours.

 
dunnyrail said:
Have to say that in both of these cases the sound is great for chuffing and bell. Sadly the Whistle still dissapoints with the those Sound cards. But for the price they are great value and the operation via Viper and Peter's Controller looks great. I have used Peters Control for my Roundhouse Live Steamers and am not dissapointed.

Perhaps my wish to go all Battery will be granted if MyLoco Sound/Peter can up the anti with the Whistle. Going with real sampled whistles is going to be the only option for me I fear. But I would be happy to pay more for that option.
JonD
Click to expand...
Whistle doesn't worry me, as I use the USA settings, and it's fine on those >:)>:)>:)>:)>:)>:)>:)
 
Just a bit more detail on the whistles. I start with a sound file of a loco. I then use an MP3 editor to just get the bit of sound I want. For this I downloaded a free package called audacity. I then drop this file onto my phone from my pc. As I have an iPhone I use iTunes for this. I have downloaded soundcue lite to my phone so I can just play the sound I want with one button. Soundcue looks like this

IMG_0597.JPG
 
I originally used this method on my N gauge layout. On this layout the speaker is under the baseboard rather than on the first wagon. The same speaker can do both jobs.
For example these are a couple of my videos taken some years ago.


The sound from the videos was turned into MP3 files and then edited down to a length that fits my needs. By pressing the button on the screen at the right time I get this effect

 
I hope it's ok to post another N gauge video here. This is my complete repertoire of sounds built up this way for my N gauge layout. The sound quality is much better in reality than on film, my iPhone has picked up far more sound from the models than you hear when you are there.


Going back to the G scale speaker in the first wagon, I can of course play music on the speaker so I can have my favourite tunes going round my garden with the train.
 
Uh, thanks. I think.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much for this old head.

Too much electrons, and not enough steam, I'm thinking.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS [www.ovgrs.org]
 
I'm sure you all have, but, if by chance you haven't, seen a real shay moving. Go to Youtube, they have some great footage of them, I love these engines. Thanks for all the incredibly valuable information.
 
chris m01 said:
I've been larking around a bit today (well its been wet all morning). I have now added a variety of whistles to my Shay as can be seen in the video. I have put a big bluetooth speaker in the first wagon and yes I do need to build the load up higher so it can't be seen. I have put some whistle recordings on my phone so all I have to do is select the whistle I want and press play. I get a nice loud realistic whistle from wherever the loco is and it doesn't in any way interfere with the chuffing from the sound card. Very low tech and not to everyone's taste but a bit of a novelty to be used sparingly. After all I do like to speak with the neighbours.

Click to expand...
Not quite sure how I missed this posting, but those Whistles are certainly the Dogs Speroids. I know it may be a little extra faffing but probably no worse than trying to remember and extended Function Button for the relevant Sound. It really brings your Shay to life and the Spoerer Card for the Chuffs is spot on.
 
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