Authentic sound

[grumpy]

I have 6 steam locs' with dcc and sound . They are from 3 different mfg. There is one thing  missing from the sound in all of them. Their is no clank from the side rods when the engine starts to move. It sure would add to authenticity you could hear the clank of the side rods. Would do you say there Mr. Bachman
Don

[fieromike]

Are you sure that you're not thinking of coupler 'clank'?  Engine rods shouldn't be loose enough to make rude noises... at least, not for long.

[ebtbob]

Good Morning,

      if you want siderod clank,  you have to go to a Tsunami sound decoder.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Siderod clank should only occur when lowering your throttle when coming to a stop, you most likely need to set the cv values to enable this.

[Guilford Guy]

Erie's N1 class apparently had a very loud side-rod clank, which could be heard long before arriving at a station...

[Tom Lapointe]

Side-rod "clank" on steam locos was generally a sign that the loco was about due for a shopping  - it was usually an indication of worn side-rod crankpin bushings.  It would normally be drowned out by the exhaust chuff if the engine was working hard, would become audible if the loco was "drifting" (moving with a low, nearly-closed  throttle setting, such as going downgrade or preparing to brake for a stop).  Shouldn't be present on a  new or well-maintained steam loco.

You didn't mention what scale you were working in, but I believe Phoenix Sound has "rod clank" available as an effect on some of their large-scale sound board files (for their 2K2 & P5 boards).  I have 4 locos currently equipped with the Phoenix boards; 3 are geared logging locos (1 of my Shays, Heisler, & Climax), so the normal "clank" effect wouldn't really apply to those (or it would sound different from a rod engine, at the least).    The one conventional "rod" engine I have equipped with sound is my Bachmann "Centennial" Spectrum Mogul, which I consider to be a well-maintained, 'spiffy"    passenger loco (so no "rod clank").





                                                                                                     Tom

[grumpy]

I have one of those . Spiffy aren't they , almost too good to put on rai;ls and get dirty. I have other loco's to run so I might just leave it on the shelf.
Don