Rialroad background sounds

Tom Hogan · February 05, 2007, 08:21:05 PM

I know where I can buy them, but is there anywhere I can download assorted railroad background sounds..(free/paysight)..burn them onto a cd....and play them while I am running my trains?
Thanks

Hoople · February 05, 2007, 09:51:12 PM

I believe MRC has a whole system to do all the background sounds.

Tom Hogan · February 05, 2007, 10:50:52 PM

Yes....I know they do have a system....but I wanted to build my own on a cd for play back on a cd player.

Jim Banner · February 05, 2007, 11:55:49 PM

Try Googling "sound clips" and "railroad sound clips." Also cruise YouTube for railroad and model railroad videos. If you are using Windows XP you can mix and match sound from videos with the included video editor. With any Windows you can combine .wav sound clips in the audio recorder.

If you would like to use multiple CD players, consider using computer CD-ROM drives. Look for the ones with playback controls on the front panel. Feed them with +5 and +12 volts from an old PC power supply and plug in some computer speakers (the powered ones work best, except for sounds that need to be just noticeable.) I picked up a stack of these CD-ROM drives at garage sales last summer for a dollar or two apiece. I even got a box full of CD-ROM drives, along with a couple of power supplies, for free. I figured at least some of these would still work. It turned out they all did. What I would ultimately like to do with these is to set them up around the layout with sounds appropriate for the location (an air wrench near a tire shop, laughter near a playground, etc.) Then install photocells in the facia of the benchwork to start the players whenever someone passes the area.

Tom Hogan · February 06, 2007, 12:10:32 AM

Hey...yes....great ideas......I'll keep ya posted as to the results!

BIG BEAR · February 06, 2007, 12:21:41 AM

Jim,
What a neat idea, must be a permanant layout. On my layout the original
layout moves or gets shifted some every time I try to expand it.
I have a tendency to over think things. Must be a model RR thing.

Tom,
I seen a CD on E-bay that had Village sounds with trains, etc.
I was looking at some D-56 stuff at the time.

SteamGene · February 06, 2007, 09:20:50 AM

I have the MRC sound system. Some of the sounds are okay. Others are terrible. Several of the animal sounds are more like static than anything else.

bevernie · February 06, 2007, 10:36:15 AM

Try going to a "junk store" (Goodwill, Salvation Army, Ma & Pa Junque, etc.), buy a toy that makes a sound, take it apart, put it -with a switch- on your layout! I don't do DCC, but you could probably incorporate it such that you could activate it remotely!!!
Ernie
Hendersonville, NC

Hoople · February 06, 2007, 10:54:48 AM

Quote from: Tom Hogan on February 05, 2007, 10:50:52 PM
Yes....I know they do have a system....but I wanted to build my own on a cd for play back on a cd player.

You could always go to town and record them. I'm sure you'll get dogs, sirens, ect. ect.

ben_not_benny · February 06, 2007, 05:56:04 PM

Which firm has downloads on their website for sounds? Does anyone know?

Hoople · February 06, 2007, 07:03:57 PM

Quote from: Ben Wang on February 06, 2007, 05:56:04 PM
Which firm has downloads on their website for sounds? Does anyone know?

Yeah. Who does?

Seriously, just go downtown...

keddiewye · February 21, 2007, 12:18:43 PM

i just installed a sound system under my layout, and it creates an amazing effect. It is very atmosopheric to hear distant clattering, rumbling and other noise in the background.

I used an old set of computer speakers, and an MP3 player my daughter doesn't use anymore.

I downloaded one of the sample files from the website below, and, although it is only 90 seconds long or so, it plays in a loop, and when it plays at low volumes it is very cool.

http://www.fantasonics.com/store/store.html

I plan to buy one of their CD's. but for the time being, the short loop is very effective.

I got this from one of my favorite sites of all time, the Micro Layout Design Gallery, hosted by Carl Arend't.

http://carendt.com/scrapbook/page57a/index.html

this cheap sound system turned out to be a big improvement on my tiny layout. I highly recommend installing a sound system

Here's a couple pics of my layout.:

http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/haz43/?action=view&current=DSCN2134.jpg

lanny · February 22, 2007, 08:03:39 PM

very nice job on the road crossing (as well as the whole scene). What did you do to 'weather' the road and to get the yellow marker as well as the white train crossng marker on the road.

thanks!

lanny nicolet

keddiewye · February 22, 2007, 09:19:49 PM

thanks lanny;)

the road crossing and blacktop are made from a thin sheet of black extruded foam. It comes sandwiched between two layers of black paper, and i peel the paper off, then cut, sand and shape it the way i need it.

the foam boards are display boards for school project displays. You can find them at office supply stores or craft stores. I like the texture of the foam, and you and dust it with whatever shades of greay or tan you like, giving it a pretty realistic look.

to make the road crossing, i just pressed the foam right onto the track, which leaves grooves where you need to make the cuts. Then sand it down to fit.

(it's a lot thicker than the track height, to you have to plane it down quite a bit)

the stuff really wants to warp and peel back, so I break the foam in several places, kind of "breaking its back". This makes it easy to glue securely, and it also leaves nice looking cracks in the pavement;)

the yellow lines i masked off and sprayed. The crossing markings i made using a brass stencil i picked up at the local train shop.

be careful with paints. Enamels eat the foam, however, this actually looks pretty cool too, as long as you dont use a heavy coat, the paint will just pit the foam lightly, again making things look naturally worn

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Rialroad background sounds