# Sound cards for S gauge running conventional



## DrJAB (Dec 20, 2019)

I've added S gauge diesel and steam engines to my collection, and would love to install engine sounds in the locos (with bells, horns) as well as freight sounds in some of the freight cars. My layouts are all run conventionally with no DCC. What's the best way to do sound installs of these S gauge engines and cars? And with only a two rail conventional system, how would one activate horns and bells? Thanks all!


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The only ways I know to put engine sounds, bells and whistles in S gauge conventional engines is DCC or TMCC. TMCC and Railsounds can be added to most S gauge engines. They can be controlled and activated by adding a 990 Legacy base, one wire connection, but not cheap. The 990 Legacy base also allows the engines to be operated remotely in command mode using a standard Gilbert AC transformer.TMCC equipped engines will also run in conventional. If an MRC AH101 transformer is used the whistle and bell can be activated. The engines sounds are automatic.
Dallee makes sound cards and activator buttons. I have not used them so cannot comment. They are sold on the Port Lines website. These may be more of what you are looking for in engine sounds.
Lionel now makes sound equipped S gauge boxcars. I have one and they are pretty nice. They make random "loose load" sounds when in motion. I think Charles Ro still has some in stock.
For a large selection of background sounds check out ITT Products. They have prerecorded sounds on chips that cover almost every possibility.


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## Chuck7612 (Jul 2, 2017)

Assuming you do not want to go the route of constant track voltage and digital control via Legacy/TMCC or DCC, then the easiest would be to install Dallee HiLine circuit boards. They are expensive though. Here is a link to the diesel sounds version: HiLine™ Diesel Sounds - Full Featured Sound System - Dallee Electronics 

To activate horn and bell you would need either a transformer with buttons for whistle and bell such as Lionel's or you can purchase a Dallee universal sound controller.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Chuck's link takes you to the sound cards I was referring to above. The sounds are better than TMCC.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

DrJab, Here is the easiest and maybe cheapest way to have sound in S scale. Lionel makes sound boxcars that go behind your engines. They seem to run 100.00 to 149.00 on ebay. I do not have any in S scale but I do have these in O scale and they work well. They are made for steam and some made for diesels. My opnion, the steam are good. They have steam sounds and chugging. They all have bells. The steam whistles are pretty good. Diesel horns are so so. I am digging up some videos for all to view. A few months ago I bought a Lionel FlyerChief Berkshire. I like sounds also. This Berk has great sound,
and smoke, and runs like a swiss watch. Our old Gilbert engines our almost 70 years old and will probably be running 70 years from now. I doubt the modern Lionel engines will be running 70 years from now. Now,lets see some videos. One video I found is of a Lionel Legacy diesel. The horn is great but they cost 4 or 500.00.

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Here is my Berk. 289.00 plus 9.00 shipping.

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## DrJAB (Dec 20, 2019)

mopac said:


> DrJab, Here is the easiest and maybe cheapest way to have sound in S scale. Lionel makes sound boxcars that go behind your engines. They seem to run 100.00 to 149.00 on ebay. I do not have any in S scale but I do have these in O scale and they work well. They are made for steam and some made for diesels. My opnion, the steam are good. They have steam sounds and chugging. They all have bells. The steam whistles are pretty good. Diesel horns are so so. I am digging up some videos for all to view. A few months ago I bought a Lionel FlyerChief Berkshire. I like sounds also. This Berk has great sound,
> and smoke, and runs like a swiss watch. Our old Gilbert engines our almost 70 years old and will probably be running 70 years from now. I doubt the modern Lionel engines will be running 70 years from now. Now,lets see some videos. One video I found is of a Lionel Legacy diesel. The horn is great but they cost 4 or 500.00.
> 
> <iframe width="640" height="360" src="
> ...


Yeah, I had a Santa Fe boxcar wired for sound that I sold a while back, before I started collecting S gauge. So you're recommending taking the sound card out of the O gauge car and putting it in the S gauge car?


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## DrJAB (Dec 20, 2019)

I've purchased the Railsounds Commander sound card from ERR 3rd Rail for my O gauge diesel and steam engines and am happy with the sound. Their wiring shows connecting up the middle rail to the AC hot terminal, and the side rail to the AC common ground. My question (I've asked them but haven't heard back) is whether I can adapt this sound card to the S gauge 2 rail system? I've read that the S gauge outer rail is common and the inner rail is AC hot, correct? Would it matter if I got them switched?


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Mopac was just suggesting you buy an S gauge railsounds boxcar. They were made in four road names. As an example the 6-49065 has Diesel sounds, the 6-49064 has steam engine sounds.
TMCC and Railsounds boards from ERR can be used in S gauge, all of my American Models engines have been retrofitted with them. There are space constraints so not all ERR boards will fit.
The concepts of common and hot do not translate well to two rail. None of the secondary winding terminals are "grounded." Gilbert used the terms Base Post and 7V-15V Post. For example, look at a figure 8. On one side the outside rail will be the Base Post, on the other side it will be the inside rail. Then there are reverse loops where the connections are flipped as the train enters and exits the reverse loop section.


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## DrJAB (Dec 20, 2019)

I hadn't seen those S gauge boxcars by Lionel before, nice. The Am Flyer boxcar with freight sounds is really sweet. So here's what I'll try: I picked up a new Am Flyer S gauge caboose with illumination, I'll remove the trucks from forward and rear, and install them on one of my freight cars, taking care to connect one wheelset to common and isolate the other from common. Then I'll install an ERR railsounds card with speaker.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

If you also want random noises from cars within a train check out the 2019010, 20. 30, 40 & 50 cars. I have the 2019050 car. In addition to sounds they have an LED system under the trucks that produces random wheel sparking flashes. This car turned out to be much better than I expected, now I want more than one.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Tom you say you you have those sound cards in your American Models engines. Since I have TMCC for track control but all original Gilbert engines, will those cards work in my engines? If so, where do you put them? I hadn't heard of those Lionel sound box cars before. That might be a way to go for me. 

Kenny


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The sound cards in the AM engines are the ERR Railsounds boards. They work with the ERR TMCC control boards. Ed Goldin put them in all my AM engines. It was a big job because it was a tight fit to get the boards and speaker in the diesels. I have no modified Gilbert engines.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Thanks for the information Tom. I should have mentioned I wanted to know about steam engines. I only have the 2 versions of the 372 and 3 different 370's for diesels. I sold all of my PA's long ago. 

Kenny


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I may not be understanding the question. I have three AM steam engines converted to TMCC with Railsounds, electrocouplers were also added. The two Northerns also have fan driven smoke, that was a lot of work. The AM Pacific has its original smoke unit with the orifice plate removed to kill the chuffing sounds. The ERR sound boards are ok, but not as fully featured as Legacy. They sound a lot better than the Flyerchief engines.
Additionally I have two FlyerChief engines that were converted to TMCC/Railsounds. A big improvement but not cheap to do,


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## DrJAB (Dec 20, 2019)

Wondering if there's a freight sounds board available? Wouldn't mind putting on in a caboose, it's already got the power.


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