2023 Update: Easy, Inexpensive Onboard Sound For ANY O Gauge Locomotive

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

MOMOHO The Smallest Mini Bluetooth Speaker BTS0011 Wireless Small Bluetooth Speaker,Portable Speakers for Home/Outdoor/Travel,Rechargeable, amzn.to/3WOEHmV

[@ken0272]

This sure beats me repeatedly saying "choo choo" as the trains roll around the track...

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

:-)

[@ldever3]

More realistic than even my wooden train whistle.

[@billintex001]

Awesome idea! My "sound" solution was to play train related songs as background noise while I run trains lol.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

That's actually where my idea came from. I was doing that with a larger does and wondered how small they could get.

[@lionelmcvinyl9027]

Great tips, Thank You 👍 Happy Holidays

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@PIZZA_and_NITRO]

THANK YOU ! PERFECT ! LIKED AND SUBSCRIBED

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You're welcome, glad it helped!

[@joesattler2773]

Thanks for the information on how to do this. I would have never thought of doing something like that! Not that it's related to this, I remember you had a video on using blue wall paper with clouds on it at Hobby Lobby to use as a backdrop. I did that for my layout. Also a video on LED strips for lighting passenger cars and also how to get remote control track sections re-wired. I followed both of them. Your You tube channel is fantastic, Please keep them coming!! All the best!!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you very much! BTW, I will be adding "clouds" to the new layout soon!

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

@Toy Train Tips And Tricks great tips for getting the most out of model trains

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

@@richardnelson-ux1zz Happy to help!

[@waynecasey6375]

😮 omg Mike, you have done it again!! This is exactly what I need for am my post war and mpc era trains!! Thanks so much!!!!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Happy to help!

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

After having this on my train shopping list for months I finally got around to ordering the MOMOHO speaker. It is great fun to punch buttons in various sound apps, and get potentially more variety in sounds than even the Legacy stuff I can't afford. To amp the fun up a little more I placed a old larger Bluetooth speaker on the train table and paired it to another old cell phone playing a continuous loop of "Ambient Station Sounds" that includes squealing flanges and rolling trains. The dueling train sounds make a wonderful cacophony. THANK YOU for the excellent and economical idea, Mike.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Happy to help!!

[@thunderchichen]

This is terrific Mike... Thank you! perfect for my post war 57' diesels..

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Happy to help!

[@rvwormuth2579]

Just what I was looking for thank you so much!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You're welcome!

[@ScottRails]

Great video. This really got me thinking. I'm just starting out and don't have any DCC locos yet, but placing some bluetooth speakers around the track could keep me going for a while.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Or even on board!

[@mdeange3]

Thank you for your kind explanation. And I was surprised to hear the extent of that kind of mod. As you started, your method to create various sounds with a low-cost factor is fantastic. I remember watching the earlier videos showing the sound cubes. And your curiosity, creativity, and development elevate a fresh dimension of realism in the steamers and diesel engines alike. The advancement of the diesel sound is realistic, robust, and no longer sounds meepy. Finally, a Trainmaster, F3, and the like are no longer an identical sound or artificial. Thank you for making the videos. Sharing enriches us all the more.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for your thoughtful feedback!

[@toddb6333]

It would be great if we could create a place to share sound files.

[@georgebenson6036]

Great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Happy to help!

[@southernPacificRR]

Thank you for sharing.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You're welcome!!!

[@davidwayneprins]

I have been using this for several years on a G scale layout that is setup at various train shows but we do not use it for train sounds. The speaker is placed inside of a scratch built circus tent and an old cell phone with Musicolet plays a few circus related MP3s on a loop. Because of the show's duration, we use two speakers (one is always on the charger and we swap them as needed). Eventually, I plan to scratch build a calliope wagon to hide the speaker in but time is not on my side right now for this project.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Excellent!

[@johnknippenberg-LandmarkYards]

Another awesome tip and trick, thanks again!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@paulbervid1610]

Great video. It has all the bells and whistle s.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

And horns.

[@mdeange3]

Your ingenuity is phenomenal, and your dedication to making the video content and sharing the videos are entertaining and enlightening! Can a chuff sound file be synced a quarter of a turn on a steamer's drive wheels? Would the concept of magnets on wheels and reed switches be necessary? Of course, your creativity will lend to that reality if you have the time and desire. Your work is fantastic.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

In THIS case, you cannot get a precise sync because the BT is only sending the signal from the phone. In order to get a sync you would have to send a signal from a sensor in the locomotive wirelessly to a processor of some sort (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc), then back to the locomotive. I wasn't looking for anything so complex. Keep it simple.

[@caseyvillemodelrailroad3877]

Great vidio, like the idea, iv used larger bt speaker and broke it apart then installed into tender or car.Thanks for the morning coffee...

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

That works, too!

[@caseyvillemodelrailroad3877]

Latest $ store bt speaker is a super base, not as good as it sounds but has good base.Thanks

[@brandonharris7516]

Wow.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

👍

[@ramblinche81]

Thanks for proof of concept. Have you researched USB power supply boards to extend run times ? I am tempted to mount a board and speaker in tender and boxcar even caboose.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

I have thought about it. Rather than using an off the shelf speaker I think the best method would be an Arduino with a BT card. With regular speakers there are access to problems for power on/off., speaker direction, etc. A permanent setup including pickup rollers, speaker and all necessary electronics would probably be doable for around $40 per unit.

[@MygrandpasTrain]

So this could work for American Flyer too and with different parts could be fit into some Ho trains as well! Great idea!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Yes.

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Hey Mike, what make and model number is that cool chessie bulkhead flatcar seen running here? Never saw one like that, and I like it! Thanks Mike!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

It's a K-Line C&O car #6077. I know K-Line stock numbers don't match the car numbers, but I don't have the box. It may have come as part of a starter set.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

It's s monoko blue tooth spear it real nice speaker and very good in tight areas like in your o gauge cattle cars

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

Where would someone find these apps great video very much enjoyed it

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Check the video description. You'll find links.

[@toddb6333]

I do the same thing but as I run large scale (G), I can use much bigger speakers. Been using the Custom Sound Board app. I also use Audacity for editing - great app!

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I find that having four trains running at the same time make enough noise without having to make more. My snowbird neighbor complained about the train noise at night and I said that wasn't my layout that was the real thing.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Keep the trains running!

[@tommysager138]

My Momoho is on the way, but the Whistle Simulator app wouldn't download to me. it said my Android Phone was too new for the program.

[@ldever3]

Great information! I always wanted sounds for my older engines. I can add some patriotic music to my Spirit of 76 set, as well as a horn. The possibilities are almost endless. Some interesting crew talk is almost a guarantee. “Hey idiot, get off the tracks”.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Be careful if there are kids around!

[@danshobbies13]

Yeah. Bluetooth speakers have come a long way. I have 2 of them. They fit great in stock cars. They already got the slots and the speakers are black. So you can’t see them. Then during the Halloween season and Christmas season, I play music on my layout.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Very nice!

[@franknavojosky7402]

This one says it’s smaller 1”x1.2” with picture capability? Anyone try it?

[@danhodgson9909]

Could you share a link to the first app

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Links are in the video description.

[@loco4locos142]

Would anyone know if this would fit in any HO freight cars

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

It should fit into a large boxcar or F7 dummy

[@plunkervillerr1529]

You could put the speaker in a well vented sliding door cattle car. I have an old Radio Shack amp and speakers sound system nearby, which I play locomotive sound effects from a 50-year-old LP. as well as background music to my taste. My pockets simply aren`t deep enough to go so high tec.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

I'll admit that most of the time the sound of metal wheels on metal track is enough for me. But it's nice that when I WANT to have horns and whistles, I only need to whip out my phone and my cheap speaker and I m in business!

[@patrickd.3681]

Does anyone know of any similar train sound apps available for IOS devices? Because I can’t find any.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Here's the Train Simulator app on the Apple Store. There appear to be several sound apps under "train whistle simulator" as well.apps.apple.com/us/app/train-sim/id638826683

[@CajunExpressRailroad]

OH NO! The free whistle simulator app you suggested does not work on newer android phones. I am so disappointed! I thought I had finally found a cheap and easy way to add whistle sound on demand to my old Marx trains that I want to give to my great-nephew. I contacted the app owner and he said he just doesn't have the time to fix it right now. Plus, he is busy trying to make ends meet and this free app just doesn't bring in any money, so not much incentive to fix right now. I think we can all understand that.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Oh, no! Do you have an old phone you can use just for model railroad purposes?

[@CajunExpressRailroad]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks It's the universe being ironic again...everything I have is old, including myself. Wouldn't you know the ONLY thing I have that is not old is a smartphone?! Go figure.

[@agenttexx]

I'm shocked how cheap the 1990 era Lionel GP9s are going for on Ebay. I've picked up three for less than $180 each.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Good deals!

[@Joenoblocks]

$13.99 on Amazon right now

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I don't like all the sounds. They get irritating after a while. Just like the smoke.