Model Train Sound Module

Thread Starter

Camarodude28

Joined Jan 8, 2017
9
Hello,

I'm looking for a circuit where I can record audio like the sound of a train engine. Then I would like to play the audio back and as the voltage on the tracks increases the speed of the sound increases. I have been trying to look for a circuit and I can't seem to find one. I have experience with electronics so don't hold back on the complexity of the circuit. I know I can buy sound modules already made but I don't want to spend $150 on it when I can make one. Your help would be appreciated. Thanks

Ryan
 

ClassOfZero

Joined Dec 28, 2016
114
Building something that will fit inside a HO or smaller loco is going to be a tall order. Might be possible in an F7A or similar.

DCC or analogue ?

Model railroad forums will probably be your best bet, many have sections dedicated to electronics.
 

RichardO

Joined May 4, 2013
2,270
I'm looking for a circuit where I can record audio like the sound of a train engine.
Radio Shack used to sell modules that could do this. Here is an example:
https://www.radioshack.com/products/9v-recording-module

Then I would like to play the audio back and as the voltage on the tracks increases the speed of the sound increases. I have been trying to look for a circuit and I can't seem to find one. I have experience with electronics so don't hold back on the complexity of the circuit.
This is trickier. I suspect that you want the rate the sound is played but not the frequency of the sound to increase with an increase in track voltage. I envision the chug of a steam locomotive. The chugs get faster but they are still chugs. The modules can't do that.

Maybe something like this combined with a microcontroller could be made to work:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11125
Or one of these if you are up to soldering and using a microcontroller:
http://www.digikey.com/products/en/...t=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

Finally, An Arduino and a shield board or a Rasbery Pi on the high end of of possibilities.

I know I can buy sound modules already made but I don't want to spend $150 on it when I can make one.
You do realize, don't you, that by the time you add up all of the parts that you bought -- but never used--, the microcontroller programmer, the evaluation boards and new tools needed for the project that the $150 will suddenly look cheap. :D

You will, however, learn a lot. Keep the questions coming. :D:D
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
This is trickier. I suspect that you want the rate the sound is played but not the frequency of the sound to increase with an increase in track voltage. I envision the chug of a steam locomotive. The chugs get faster but they are still chugs. The modules can't do that.
The TalkingElectronics link I gave includes a circuit which does that. It uses the track voltage as the VCO input voltage to a '4046 so the sound tracks (!) the track voltage.
 

RichardO

Joined May 4, 2013
2,270
The TalkingElectronics link I gave includes a circuit which does that. It uses the track voltage as the VCO input voltage to a '4046 so the sound tracks (!) the track voltage.
I don't think it does what I described. It looks like the pitch of the "chugs" as well as the rate they are heard both increase with track voltage.
 

Thread Starter

Camarodude28

Joined Jan 8, 2017
9
Thank you all for your replies. I think I'm going to make one of the circuits on the Talking electronics page or the other page AlbertHall mentioned being that I have most of the parts already and the recording idea may not be that easy.
 

ClassOfZero

Joined Dec 28, 2016
114
If you do go the TE way, consider buying a kit, Colin has been a shining and independent light in the scene in Australia, I read his magazines day & night when I was a kid.

Admin & others:

Please note I'm not involved in anyway with Talking Electronics.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Thank you all for your replies. I think I'm going to make one of the circuits on the Talking electronics page or the other page AlbertHall mentioned being that I have most of the parts already and the recording idea may not be that easy.
Put a few chugg, chugg sounds on magnetic tape, connect the magnetic tape motor to the track voltage. The train chugs will play faster as voltage increases. Fitting it all into a toy train is on you.
 

ClassOfZero

Joined Dec 28, 2016
114
Put a few chugg, chugg sounds on magnetic tape, connect the magnetic tape motor to the track voltage. The train chugs will play faster as voltage increases. Fitting it all into a toy train is on you.
One would think with all the educated people among us that someone would realise that "chug chug" & "choo choo" aren't the only sound a locomotive makes. Apart from day trips a steam loco is a very rare beast to find in the wild. A magnificent beast, with the AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 Beyer-Garratt being an awesome sight to behold.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
One would think with all the educated people among us that someone would realise that "chug chug" & "choo choo" aren't the only sound a locomotive makes. Apart from day trips a steam loco is a very rare beast to find in the wild. A magnificent beast, with the AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 Beyer-Garratt being an awesome sight to behold.
Ooh, thanks for reminding me. They also go "clickety clack, clickety clack"
 

ClassOfZero

Joined Dec 28, 2016
114
Oh how can one be so childish...

There is no "clickety-clack" on continuous welded rail (CWR). Continuous welded rail is layed in 1320' lengths (a quarter mile). Every quarter mile, one weld is required to bond these two ribbons together, on and on it goes

It's been in use for a while.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Oh how can one be so childish...

There is no "clickety-clack" on continuous welded rail (CWR). Continuous welded rail is layed in 1320' lengths (a quarter mile). Every quarter mile, one weld is required to bond these two ribbons together, on and on it goes

It's been in use for a while.
Maybe on main lines but short-line (local) railroads still use the clickety track in many places. Our rail siding also uses it.

Also, who makes model trains of high-speed trains? The charm of steam locomotives is what model trains are all about. Clickety clack, clickety clack.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Hello,

I'm looking for a circuit where I can record audio like the sound of a train engine. Then I would like to play the audio back and as the voltage on the tracks increases the speed of the sound increases. I have been trying to look for a circuit and I can't seem to find one. I have experience with electronics so don't hold back on the complexity of the circuit. I know I can buy sound modules already made but I don't want to spend $150 on it when I can make one. Your help would be appreciated. Thanks

Ryan
Don't know if you can still get any - but here used to be the SN76477 sound effect generator chip, it was a 0.6" form factor so may not be convenient. Pretty sure a loco effect was among the application examples. There could be more modern devices - but I can't name any.

A couple of decades ago; Elektor published a great many projects for the Marklin model trains, there was almost certainly a sound effect project in there somewhere.

There are archives of Elektor on electronicsandbooks, and possibly on americanradiohistory websites.
 

Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
Re Post # 16, Chip might be available from R-S on special order. There is a steam train with whistle application on the ARCHER Technical Data sheet of which I have a copy & 3 chips. Three C's , 9 R's & a 1 M pot rate control. The pot could be a LDR controlled by a LED which is controlled by track V ???
 
Top