Which sounds for Maintenance Loco?

[Zerogee]

As I've just posted on the old "decoder fitting" thread, I've recently acquired a decent example of the old Playmobil Maintenance Train (the yellow unit with the excavator mount and accompanying lowside truck). When I get round to it, the plan is to give it a sound chip (probably a Massoth LS unless anyone has any better advice?) - when I do this, I'll need to choose a sound file for it from those that Massoth have available, so here's my question:

Do such "real" small tractor units tend to be diesel or petrol powered? Would the best sound file be a generic "small diesel" one (as used for a Kof or similar), or something more "petroley" like (say) the pigsnout railbus sounds? Any other ideas or options?

 

[ntpntpntp]

I'll be interested in people's responses to this.

I haven't fitted sound to my Maintenance loco (featured in the decoder fitting thread), but I have used the relatively cheap MyLocoSound diesel sound card in a Playmobil diesel, hooked to the dcc decoder. It works quite well and much cheaper than the Massoth's and ESU's etc.

I guess one problem will be finding suitable location to fit the speaker in the maintenance loco? At least with the diesel there's plenty of room under the front hood for speaker & sound card (and the decoder went under the rear hood when I did my fitting)

 

[Zerogee]

Yes, finding a suitable location for the chip (and the speaker!) will be the biggest headache... that's why I'm planning on using an LS, as it's a fairly compact all-in-one chip. If all else fails it'll have to go in the cab, but another possibility is to put a dummy load of ballast in the tipper box section and hide the electronics under that. I'm not worried about losing the toy-style tipping action....

 

[stevelewis]

Maintainence units could be powered by Petrol or diesel depending on the manufacturer and the spec, that they offered, some companies would favour Petrol others diesel,

I would have thought that it would not be nescessary to be too specific with what sound you install as lng as it has some sort of internal combustion sound effect.

 

[Zerogee]

I agree, Steve, it's not particularly important - especially as the model is a freelanced toy anyway! I was just after some folks' opinions on what might sound best for the style of vehicle. As you say, anything suitably "chuggy" will do in the end. I think it should at least have a nice loud klaxon noise, though!
When I start on the project, I'm rather tempted to fiddle around with some of the slightly more esoteric functions that the Mssoth chip provides, and see if I can work out the alternating flashing warning lights as used on the little LGB yellow Kof in the MTS starter sets..... anyone here got any experience of wiring up anything like that?

 

[Zerogee]

Adding to my own posts, just had a rummage on the Massoth site again and noticed a few interesting things, some good, some bad....

The good news is that they are offering a sound file for the little RhB Tractor unit, coming soon, which may well be ideal for what I need; there is also a download file for a "generic light railway diesel" for the LS chip, which is a possible.... the bad news is that they seem to have all their XLS sound decoders listed as "temporarily unavailable" - anyone know what's up with this, have they got a manufacturing or parts supply problem?

 

[stevelewis]

I think that there is a CV within the massoth decders to facilitate flashing lights, and the length rate and frequency can be adjusted!

 

[dunnyrail]

I recently got from EBay a Massoth E Motion LS (1.5 amp 1 motor only chip) for the VW Rail Mounted Camper Van. Can't remember make of the Van. It is a Petrol Sound and I think that it would do nicely. NO YOU CANT HAVE THE DECODER, sorry it is for a different project of mine. The next link is of picture is the beastie that it was for:-

http://www.massoth.com/images/vorbildloks/B-8220540.jpg < Link To http://www.massoth.com/im...bildloks/B-8220540.jpg

If you go to the link below and click on the Speaker Symbol to the right of 8221540 you will get a Demo of the sound that it makes.

http://www.massoth.com/index.en.html Hope this helps. JonD

 

[Zerogee]

I recently got from EBay a Massoth E Motion LS (1.5 amp 1 motor only chip) for the VW Rail Mounted Camper Van. Can't remember make of the Van. It is a Petrol Sound and I think that it would do nicely. NO YOU CANT HAVE THE DECODER, sorry it is for a different project of mine. The next link is of picture is the beastie that it was for:-

http://www.massoth.com/images/vorbildloks/B-8220540.jpg < Link To http://www.massoth.com/im...bildloks/B-8220540.jpg

If you go to the link below and click on the Speaker Symbol to the right of 8221540 you will get a Demo of the sound that it makes.

http://www.massoth.com/index.en.html

Hope this helps.
JonD

The van model is from Brekina; nice sound on the LS chip, but very much a typical VW flat-four noise. What are you putting your chip in?

 

[stevedenver]

id choose the sound you like-i agree anything is plausible 



sometimes something very distinctive is nice for a smaller/less impressive  loco-adds to it character

 

[Neil Robinson]

id choose the sound you like-i agree anything is plausible
sometimes something very distinctive is nice for a smaller/less impressive loco-adds to it character

I agree with the above.
I think it's fair to say that in general some old equipment was more likely to use petrol engines with most modern units using diesel. That Playmobil maintenance loco has a modern look about it.
It may be worth exploring the VW Combi set up, especially the speaker used, as the VW must also be fairly tight for space.

 

[dunnyrail]

I recently got from EBay a Massoth E Motion LS (1.5 amp 1 motor only chip) for the VW Rail Mounted Camper Van. Can't remember make of the Van. It is a Petrol Sound and I think that it would do nicely. NO YOU CANT HAVE THE DECODER, sorry it is for a different project of mine. The next link is of picture is the beastie that it was for:-

http://www.massoth.com/images/vorbildloks/B-8220540.jpg

If you go to the link below and click on the Speaker Symbol to the right of 8221540 you will get a Demo of the sound that it makes.

http://www.massoth.com/index.en.html

Hope this helps.
JonD

The van model is from Brekina; nice sound on the LS chip, but very much a typical VW flat-four noise. What are you putting your chip in?

At the moment the plan is to put it into a Speeder that I have. I will need to make a trailer (Van) for it to hide the decoder and give additional pickups.
JonD