I purchased a O gauge Polar Express a few years ago and have had one big problem every since. The Volume for the Whistle and all the announcements are so soft that you can barely hear them unless the train is on the tracks alone and the train is very close to you. Is there any way to raise the overall volume? I have even ran it with the phone app with volume control and it still goes to the same weak level.
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Lionel has released many many versions of the Polar Express. If you could provide the exact product number or specific identifying information, we can better assist with troubleshooting the specifics and recommendations.
You can turn off background sounds on the LC version with a switch in cab labeled “sound.” Try turning that off, power down track for at least 3 seconds, then run. Maybe the sounds you want are competing with these background sounds.
@bmoran4 posted:Lionel has released many many versions of the Polar Express. If you could provide the exact product number or specific identifying information, we can better assist with troubleshooting the specifics and recommendations.
My Polar Express is a LionChief, prod.#: 6-84328 with snow and foot prints on the top of the cars.
@Steims posted:You can turn off background sounds on the LC version with a switch in cab labeled “sound.” Try turning that off, power down track for at least 3 seconds, then run. Maybe the sounds you want are competing with these background sounds.
I have switches for "Smoke" and "Chug" inside my cab. No "Sound" unless you could mean "Chug". I will try turning off "Chug" and powering down, but I would hate to lose that sound as well. My other 2 engines (A Penn Flyer & UP GP) have the voices at a much higher level.
@TNT69 I have that same model and have the same issue, the polar express announcements are not nearly as loud as my other sets. I have tried a number of things with no improvement. I'm interested to hear if there are some tricks mentioned here I haven't tried.
I know you may have tried this, but for the benefit of everyone who comes across this, here is how the volume control works:
https://www.lionelsupport.com/...50PolarExpressLC.pdf
If the volume control is set here and there are still issues, then it is likely one of the following:
@ArtsModelTrains posted:@TNT69 I have that same model and have the same issue, the polar express announcements are not nearly as loud as my other sets. I have tried a number of things with no improvement. I'm interested to hear if there are some tricks mentioned here I haven't tried.
Interesting to hear...
I'll try to get some video after work but my mickey mouse and friends express set is much louder. In fact I have used the app to turn down that set because it is so loud. I have tried turning on / off all the sounds and options on the PE and nothing helped. I have the vol at max using the app and just live with it now.
Is there a volume potentiometer on the board?
@Artie-DL&W posted:Is there a volume potentiometer on the board?
Maybe one could review the user manual or the pictorial parts diagram to see that there isn't one?
@bmoran4 posted:
Mine are nice and loud, I put this in the baggage car and trigger it with an RF remote. 
I also get to customize the announcements.
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