Stationary Decoder on a Curve - Flange Squeal

[Chris333]

That is what Jeff used "Iowa scaled engineering, they sell a product called the squealer"

[RailConductor]

Thanks for sharing the Iowa Scaled Engineering reference - I had not heard of them before.  AniSound is at $49.95; I see the Sqealer at 79.00 and the future SoundBytes Custom at $59.00.  They do come with a speaker which is a $6.50 option at www.railconductor.com .  There is a 15% off "ngg" promo code that is still active from the Sept/Oct Narrow Gauge Gazette ad.  It doesn't look like the Iowa products receive/trigger from DCC commands(?)

[RailConductor]

Here's the flange squeal sound effect that comes on the AniSound SD card:
https://static.wixstatic.com/mp3/2de2d1_8049383bc2894562b64d5cdac2223e53.mp3

Here's a clickety clack you could repeat play in a boxcar during train motion:
https://static.wixstatic.com/mp3/2de2d1_56c56178931243719cb4e8e2b1dd513f.mp3

Here's a cattle pen sound effect.  With an AniSound in a boxcar, you essentially have a "moving speaker" on the layout.
https://static.wixstatic.com/mp3/2de2d1_2719de4c88bc4987a76ac8fd3a36e1dd.mp3

All of these are at the bottom of the AniSound product page:  https://www.railconductor.com/product-page/anisound

Happy Modeling!

[Point353]

I was watching some awesome video from the RGS double-header on the Cumbres & Toltec last year, and noted all the flange squealing on tight curves. It got me to thinking...

My Windy Point in HOn3 is the longest sustained 19" radius curve on the layout...in fact my Blackstone engines normally slow down on their own due to the rolling resistance of having the entire train in the curve (yes, it's slightly super-elevated in keeping with RGS practice, believe it or not!). But it made me wonder if it's feasible to add a stationary sound decoder under the layout there and add optical sensors like I used to use for signals on the old PRR Juniata Division. Once a train enters the curve, the decoder pops on and plays flange squeal. Thoughts?
Not saying I'm gonna go do this immediately...but what do you think?

Spend some time listening to the Horseshoe Curve live feed and determine if the sound of squealing flanges really has sufficient appeal to you before proceeding with this project.

 

[sizemore]

Second vote for Arduino/Raspberry Pi route. The code is simple, just introduce a random number, have a two handfuls of sound files and let'er rip.

The S.

[John]

Second vote for Arduino/Raspberry Pi route. The code is simple, just introduce a random number, have a two handfuls of sound files and let'er rip.

The S.

If you used some of those cheap IR detectors that @Sumner uses to trigger the Arduino - you could automate that whole process

[sizemore]

If you used some of those cheap IR detectors that @Sumner uses to trigger the Arduino - you could automate that whole process

Was actually thinking one of those low dinero experimenters kits would have the speaker and IR sensors too.

The S.

[Scottl]

I've been fooling around with one of these sound cards controlled by Arduino.  [https://www.sparkfun.com/tsunami-super-wav-trigger-25-voice-qwiic.html]

You can run multiple speakers at once, fade and blend different sounds.  It is pretty awesome, just using train sounds I recorded with my cell phone for now.  The plan is to trigger with sensors and have different sound tracks for each train.

[RailConductor]

The squeal I posted on 11/11 at 11AM might be less grating than the horseshoe curve audio below - but any MP3 can be used.  Just store it as 001.mp3 on track 01 and wire your trigger/sensor to terminal 01 (or send a DCC play command or function command).  When terminal 01 is triggered, it plays.  You could also put another trigger at the other end of your curve to make it stop.