Hey Lionel... enough with the Station Sounds cars!

I'll take the sound board.. If it's station sounds.. Leaving track 1 etc...

If I run my Kline or MTH sets I REALLY miss the Station Sounds diner option... so keep it going Lionel.

I like the sound cars.  I see your point though.   

I would rather have a sound equipped passenger station with several different trains on it. 

clem k posted:

I would rather have a sound equipped passenger station with several different trains on it. 

Better idea, if one likes the chatter at all. Which I myself don't. Same with crew talk. I think it's cheesy. But that's just me.

MattR posted:

clem k posted:

I would rather have a sound equipped passenger station with several different trains on it. 

Better idea, if one likes the chatter at all. Which I myself don't. Same with crew talk. I think it's cheesy. But that's just me.

It's not just you. I find the whole idea of crew talk just plain silly. Last time I was stopped at a railroad crossing watching a train go by, I heard nothing but the sound of the engine then the sound of the wheels rolling on the rails and that was it. Same goes for passenger conversations or station sounds. Unnecessary and it adds to the cost.

I wish my Scale Polar Express Dinner had the "Hot Chocolate" song and sequence for it! 

I wish my Observation Car had the "children's song" that could be played as well!

I would be great if they were offered both ways, wit and witout.   ( raised in philly )

russ

For 100% accurate modeling, I can see where sound cars seem silly. I for one enjoy the scale detailing and the play value the sound cars bring. When I have non train friends over they really enjoy the sounds. I pull out the station sound cars, hotbox refers, freight sound cars...etc. they are always a big hit with kids. It adds another level of enjoyment.

xrayvizhen posted:

It's not just you. I find the whole idea of crew talk just plain silly. Last time I was stopped at a railroad crossing watching a train go by, I heard nothing but the sound of the engine then the sound of the wheels rolling on the rails and that was it. Same goes for passenger conversations or station sounds. Unnecessary and it adds to the cost.

I second that objection.  It's even sillier on a steam locomotive:  "Roger.  Starting up!"  Inane doesn't begin to cover it.

I'm a fan of the stationsounds cars, I miss it when one isn't offered.

I may be more hesitant to order any high end sets in the immediate future due to other reasons relating to quality control, but for any set I do decide I want to purchase, I really would like a sound car to go with it.

Also (my opinion only, I'm sure other people more concerned with prototypical accuracy would disagree), I would be OK with having sounds in either an additional diner (or even an additional baggage car).  As far as my tastes and constraints on how "real" I need my train to be, the only car that I would never double up on is the observation car, which obviously would not look good, IMO. 

(recognizing there may be an odd case here or there - I have in my mind seeming to remember reading somewhere about an observation car that might have been placed at either end of the train, so the train could be pulled in either direction and always have an observation car on the tail end without turning the train around.  I don't recall if that was totally fictional or an accounting of an actual train that existed in real life)

I bring this last point up because it was pointed out to me in another thread where we were discussing SP passenger sets that a 6 car set (the one marketed as the Shasta set to go with the PA-1s - 4 pack plus 2 car add on from around 2010) actually already had a dining car included within those 6 cars, so maybe that's why Lionel never did a stationsounds diner.  I would have still purchased a sound car even if it did mean having 2 diners in the train.

-Dave

DCS had the right idea. The microphone in the remote is suppose broadcast though locomotive. Never did get it to work. Also suppose to play music ? Just for the record, I only like locomotive sounds, and those are set to 20%.  I do like the MTH gas station sounds, the phone diner that plays one song. and my Harly shop with sound of motor cycle driving away. But those are not on a train! and only on demand. Ambient sound has the potential to be an asset.  

LIONEL has no problem issuing dummy diesels and powered units, but can't offer a mute diner/full dome along with a talking version?  C'mon, LIONEL.

Especially when doing something like a Santa Fe model which L knows will sell well with or without sound.

If you really miss the Station Sounds cars for your sets, consider rolling your own.

Roll Your Own Station Sounds Diner

John you could make some up!.. And add and input to record our own calls. 

Gunrunner John leaving on track gun powder ..for. 6 shooter..

Hmm... the possibilities are unlimited!

Pingman posted:

LIONEL has no problem issuing dummy diesels and powered units, but can't offer a mute diner/full dome along with a talking version?  C'mon, LIONEL.

Especially when doing something like a Santa Fe model which L knows will sell well with or without sound.

Why sell them without sound when you can force people to pay more for sound to get the diner?

clem k posted:

DCS had the right idea. The microphone in the remote is suppose broadcast though locomotive. Never did get it to work. Also suppose to play music ? Just for the record, I only like locomotive sounds, and those are set to 20%.  I do like the MTH gas station sounds, the phone diner that plays one song. and my Harly shop with sound of motor cycle driving away. But those are not on a train! and only on demand. Ambient sound has the potential to be an asset.  

Clem, you can play whatever you'd like thru the MTH engines. Try playing the sounds of a real train thru it sometime.

The thing about sounds in our toys seems to be, everyone likes something different. I do agree that most people would prefer the most realistic train sounds. I think having fun with a feature, can add to some people's enjoyment of the hobby. Our grandson likes to play with the remote's built in mic for example. I'm happy it's there for his enjoyment.

 The first time I heard Lionel's breakdown reefer car on Jim Z's layout, it brought a smile to my face. It would probably get old if it played over and over. I think that having a few seconds at a train show to grab a new person's attention, the effect could be positive for the hobby.

 I bought the latest Lionel Amtrak 21" w/sounds. It never got removed from the box yet. I like their tank cars with sounds so I figured why not grab one.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

If you really miss the Station Sounds cars for your sets, consider rolling your own.

Roll Your Own Station Sounds Diner

While that was a great idea and an easy to follow posting, even back when you wrote it nearly 6 years ago, you acknowledged that the boards were becoming harder to come by.

There seem to still be a few of the older stationsounds cards still showing as available today, but it seems to be a small club.  Many are in the unavailable category now since it's been so long since they were offered as a product.

For my particular example, the SP Daylight ones are currently (presumably terminally) unavailable, even if the other parts are still able to be purchased.  (I am in the camp that likes the actual train (or at the very least correct road name) appropriate announcements)

At the very least I guess this discussion has validated there are in fact 2 camps here.  Some of us love these cars (John enough to add the functionality to an MTH baggage car) and others such as the OP hate it and consider it a waste.

-Dave

@prrhorseshoecurve you will be happy to know that a "scale"  SS Diner is offered in the new catalog.  It has snow on the roof, so it is bittersweet for me since all my PE 18" HW cars are from the first run with no snow an lettering above windows.

In regard to SS Diners.  I am a big fan.  I am a scale operator and I installed SS electronics in my Atlas O Zephyr and my GGD El Cap.  Thanks again to Gunrunner John's post!  

So I hope Lionel keeps offering SS Dinning Cars!!!

@prrhorseshoecurve

Speak for yourself.

I love the station sounds diners and sound box cars. They add a lot of play value to a passenger set and realism to a freight train. I like using the Legacy Train Link feature to toggle back and forth from the loco to the diner.

Keep them coming!

I'm with you Scott, I have no need for any of the talk from trains, crew talk included. It doesn't really add realism, and only adds cost. I don't have any of those diners or full domes on the layout. I might own two them, but I'm not sure. That's how much I care.

Why can they not offer cars in both basic models and sound, lights, animation models?

Would it be confusing to sort in the factory and in deliveries? 

Andrew

falconservice posted:

Why can they not offer cars in both basic models and sound, lights, animation models?

Would it be confusing to sort in the factory and in deliveries? 

Andrew

Would not think so if the different versions were assigned their own item numbers.

GregM posted:

falconservice posted:

Why can they not offer cars in both basic models and sound, lights, animation models?

Would it be confusing to sort in the factory and in deliveries? 

Andrew

Would not think so if the different versions were assigned their own item numbers.

That's not a bad idea really, and it wouldn't cost that much for Lionel to do. Both versions would have lights, that's not an option, but the sound board could be.

My opinion doesn't make much difference in this discussion, because I don't usually buy passenger trains. I did recently buy a couple though, the BN executive, and the UP excursion. I really don't see myself buying any in the future.

I get tired of the sounds too.  At least with my sound-equipped locomotives I can turn down the volume but I sure enjoy the option of my conventional engines so I can push the button on the transformer if I want.  And I agree about the beef on the cost.

Why stop there? I'm all for bringing back conventional 

Welcome to my world 😬

IC fan posted:

I get tired of the sounds too.  At least with my sound-equipped locomotives I can turn down the volume but I sure enjoy the option of my conventional engines so I can push the button on the transformer if I want.  And I agree about the beef on the cost.

You can turn down the sounds on the Station Sounds cars as well, both with the pot or with your TMCC/Legacy remote.

@T1Titan_ZachF posted:

I think they should cut the corny timmy talk. Take real sound recordings from actual stations instead of “LOOK ITS GRANDPA” 

Completely agree! I prefer the sound on my older B&O Columbian set, no nonsense dialogue.   The "timmy" chatter is certainly corny on recent versions.  I would like to change my Amtrak dialogue to something more like what really is said.   

I am not against the ss cars, I enjoy many of them.  But I just think they need to offer it both with and without sound.  I recently bought 3 full domes for a repaint project.   I would have got more if not for the mandated station sounds and heavier price.  I really do not think its complex to offer both, simply a second item number and description.  As in, example, Cryotrans mechanical refrigerator with end of train device, or the regular one.  Simply different item number.

Im not against the sounds being offered, but I am asking for the ability to not have to pay for features many do not want in a car that completes a passenger set.   

MattR posted:

clem k posted:

I would rather have a sound equipped passenger station with several different trains on it. 

Better idea, if one likes the chatter at all. Which I myself don't. Same with crew talk. I think it's cheesy. But that's just me.

Matt I agree 100%.  I hate that cheesy chatter be it from the locomotive or rolling stock.