Lionel RailSounds history

Railsounds was borne of the early "Sound of Steam" in the early 90s. My Frisco Mikado from 1993 has "Railsounds 1" (then just known as railsounds) and it's basically Sound of Steam with a much better whistle.

Railsounds II came out in 1994, I believe, and was the first Railsounds with polyphonic sound and good sound quality. The Conrail SD60 from 1994 sounds amazing even to this day.

Railsounds 2.5 came out in 1995 or 1996. Not sure what the actual difference is between Railsounds II and Railsounds 2.5.

Railsounds 3 isn't offically a "thing" but a few engines made in 1998 had what is essentially Railsounds 3, one being a Soo Line SD60. They lost one Diesel RPM rev level (3 instead of 4) but added crewtalk and towercom.

Railsounds 4 came out around 2000, and the 4th RPM level was back in play. Not sure what other changes, though.

Railsounds 5 came out around 2003 or 2004, and it has 8 RPM levels and much expanded crewtalk and towercom.

Then there's Legacy.

What about Railsounds 4e, Railsounds 5.5, etc.

Frisco Chris 1522 posted:

Railsounds was borne of the early "Sound of Steam" in the early 90s. My Frisco Mikado from 1993 has "Railsounds 1" (then just known as railsounds) and it's basically Sound of Steam with a much better whistle.

Railsounds II came out in 1994, I believe, and was the first Railsounds with polyphonic sound and good sound quality. The Conrail SD60 from 1994 sounds amazing even to this day.

Railsounds 2.5 came out in 1995 or 1996. Not sure what the actual difference is between Railsounds II and Railsounds 2.5.

Railsounds 3 isn't offically a "thing" but a few engines made in 1998 had what is essentially Railsounds 3, one being a Soo Line SD60. They lost one Diesel RPM rev level (3 instead of 4) but added crewtalk and towercom.

Railsounds 4 came out around 2000, and the 4th RPM level was back in play. Not sure what other changes, though.

Railsounds 5 came out around 2003 or 2004, and it has 8 RPM levels and much expanded crewtalk and towercom.

Then there's Legacy.

Thanks Chris, nothing like a concise summary to help explain what is part of a complicated history - VERY complicated when you throw in all the different motor driver/accessory systems 

Okay..... 4e Railsounds John........what was that?

Thanks

Dave

It was an expanded RS4, some of the Station Sounds Diner sets were RS 4e.  RS 5.5 I believe was the first Legacy release, then there was RS 6.  That was the last one that was in the modular boards, the RS6 boards are quite different than the previous versions, it dispensed with the removable chips and went to all surface mount.  It's actually a generic board, the sounds are loaded via the indicated programming connector.  All the preceding versions where "programmed" with socketed PLCC chips.

Good to know John....thanks.

Seems much more streamlined the way they have it now.

Dave

RailSounds 1 was first released in 1989, and the reissue of the Pennsylvania B6 scale switcher was the first to try it out. It consisted of (now) spacious double stack boards that used a hall effect sensor with a magnet in one axle to speed up either the chuff or diesel RPM. The bell and whistle/horn were all the same in every engine that had it, but this system sounded a lot better than the Mighty Sound of Static Steam.

RailSounds 2 was when we first got "engine specific" sounds, like whistles made to be identical to the prototype. It still used a rather spacious power board system.

RailSounds 3 was the beginning of the smaller and more compact 24 pin programmable chip system, which has recently become obsolete at Lionel HQ. This continued into RailSounds 4, which was basically identical, but the chip design was slightly altered. 4E had slightly improved TowerCom - it had both "please stand by" and "clear for departure" dialog.

RailSounds 5 came with (thankfully) clear CrewTalk dialog, and it was multi-part, and was different each time you used it and TowerCom. It even had shut down announcements and moving announcements once the train started moving. This continued into the first Legacy RailSounds systems - 5.5 and 6.0, which had new features like quillible horn/whistle, single hit or continuous bell sounds, start up AND shut down dialog, and emergency stop sequence dialog. 6.0 was the first to offer sequence control, or automatically played RailSounds on the locomotive. The first to have this was (reportedly) the Vision Line scale Hudson.

From TM's 2003 Modern Era Price Guide:

A note on Lionel’s RailSounds (RS): First introduced in 1989, RS has undergone many changes and upgrades since its debut. Unfortunately, Lionel has been inconsistent, and in some cases contradictory, on RS designations. For this edition, we have attempted to identify the various versions listed below. It was impossible to determine the version of RS of some items because disassembly to check the boards could not be accomplished. This applies to items with RS 3 and RS 4. In these cases, we have stated these items have RS 2.5, which is the sound standard for RS 3 and 4, as noted below. 

RS 1: Introduced on the 18000 Pennsylvania B-6 Switcher in 1989.

RS 2: Used for a short time in 1994 and 1995. Essentially RS 1 with improved sounds, but no new features.

RS 2.5: Lionel’s current standard for sound, being the TMCC version of 2.0. Early versions do not include Crewtalk or Towercom, which was added in 1997.

RS 3: Sounds are identical to RS 2.5, however the circuit boards are now constructed modularly. Allows CR locomotives to be upgraded to TMCC and RS.

RS 4: Lionel’s recently announced upgrade, with sounds still virtually identical to RS 2.5. This version features smaller circuit boards to be placed in more confined spaces, as well as a more efficient sound amplifier board.

ed h posted:

From TM's 2003 Modern Era Price Guide:

 

RS 2: Used for a short time in 1994 and 1995. Essentially RS 1 with improved sounds, but no new features.

 

I started working as a consultant for Lionel between the shipment of Railsounds and Railsounds 2. RS2 was a new effort started from scratch. I don't recall the specific features of the original railsounds, so it may well be true RS2 didn't add any new features, but certainly it had improved sounds and ushered in the ear of reprogrammable sound sets at lionel. I'm pretty sure there the original railsounds came in only 2 varieties: steam and diesel and these were masked chips, not programmable as Railsounds 2 and all subsequent versions were.

Regarding RS4e, I can add that it included some tweaks to the data compression scheme. That was the enhancement the "e" stood for. The improvement in sound quality was modest and accrued mostly to low level sounds, like reduced static in the background steam hiss.

I wonder whether the value engineering (elimination) of engine specific crewtalk occurred simultaneously with a change in Railsounds version? Perhaps someday in the future, Lionel will restore this feature to compete with MTH's great engine specific sound sets. 

The history of the Railsounds system rolls up like this.

The different numeric identifiers of Railsounds have more to do with the configuration of the PCB's than it does with feature set. (features set matters (sound capabilities), but the numbers indicate the amount the space in the processors, configuration of the PCB's, etc. 

Sound of Steam in the late 80's
Railsounds I early 90's (chuff, whistle, bell only) this was primarily just steam if memory serves me correctly) size: very crude (by today's standards) and included 2 PCB's; Audio & Amplifier;

Railsounds II (this was the really good stuff, Conrail SD60M, Rio Grande SD50, a couple steam sounds too. size: pretty big, but you can see the beginnings of the "fit" for the next iteration of sounds;

Railsounds 2.0 First released in 1996 (NYC & SP GP-7's, Santa Fe F-3, N&W Warhorse J, etc.) (prime mover sounds, horn, bell, squealing brakes, idle sounds, coupler release sounds, though locos were not equipped with coil couplers at this point in time). Volume control from remote or pot. No crewtalk or towercom.

Railsounds 2.5 came in around 1998-1999 same as Railsounds 2.0, but included towercom and crewtalk. (same exact PCB, just different PIC & ROM).

Railsounds 3.0, this was identical, in terms of features to 2.5, but a siginficant redesign of the PCB's and the beginning of the modular revolution inside Lionel locos. The Audio and power board were separated and began to require a motherboard to make it all work together! You'll know these power boards when you see the big heat sink!

With the introduction of the modular boards came the introduction of a new board for the wireless tender; AD20A (modular);

Railsounds 4.0; Same feature set as 2.5 & 3.0, but the PCB's changed again. The RS 4.0 series of PCB's lasted the longest and are in the largest number of locos in circulation. A new Power board was created, more stable and did not require a heat sink. The audio board changed as well. 

Railsounds 4E stopped in for a while, this was simply an increase in the space in the PIC or ROM, where there was "extra sounds" added. The sound quality was the same as 4.0 there were just "more" sounds. So, 4E is a capacity change moreso than a hardware change.

Railounds 5.0; more sound features and the elimination of the AD20A PCB in the tender for wireless IR Drawbars. The RS 5.0 audio board still required the same Railsounds Power board as 4.0 and 4E;

Railsounds 5.5; Allow me to introduce LEGACY. This is where the most significant processor and ROM size changes came into effect. (its like 4 times what was available in RS 5.0!). Still used the same RS Power board as 4.0, 4E, 5.0.

Railsounds 6 same as Railsounds 5.5 from a feature perspective, but the the PLCC chips are eliminated and the chips are soldered to the PCB's. Same RS power board as 4.0, 4E, 5.0, 5.5.

This is the end of the 24-pin female header and 24-pin male connector motherboards. From this point forward everything is interconnected with wires. 

Railsounds Lite; same sound features as RS 5.5 and 6.0, but a much smaller package. works in conjunction with RCMC's. 

There are 4 versions of RSL's to date; RSL1, RSL2, RSL3 and RSM (RSM is for conventional use only). 

Keep in mind that the history shown here is only for Command Controlled locomotives, it does not show the history or any boardsets of the sounds used in conventional only locos. 

Hope this clears up any confusion and gives you some insight into what is what, when it comes to the history of Lionel Railsounds.

Thanks,
Mike

Great post Mike, puts it all in perspective.

Nicely done Mike!  Pictures are very helpful.

Only one question.

With respect to the 3 versions of Railsounds Lite for command.

How are they different?  Different applications?  Improvements?

Thanks

Dave

Hey Mike,

Additionally there is this part of the early  history (we've talked about this before)...................

There was a meeting between Dick Kughn and his team and Bill Benson and his team to discuss technology sharing.  Part of Bill's demo to Dick was having me show the digital audio I had developed for RoW.  This involved a circuit with whistle, bell, and chuff.  Rather than buy technology from RoW, Dick has his engineers locate a sound chip producer in California to make masked sound chips.  In conversation with Mike Ledyard (then VP of engineering at Lionel) at York, he said Lionel had to buy 20,000 of each chip at a few dollars each to build their boards.  What I had was a programmable memory and a sound processor so I could change sounds easily.

Lionel's early sound chips had whistle and bell on one IC and chuff and blowdown on another.  They did sound good; they're in the PRR B-6.  And I am also not sure if they did diesel sounds.

Prior that the Sound of Steam board had chuff and whistle, both synthesized, not digital.

Lou N

WoK

P.S.  Mike, that's a great dissertation above!

Soo Line,

The changes, if memory serves me correctly were due to parts being replaced, discontinued, etc. Then there were some processor/ROM size changes. Doesn't really matter. If I am not mistaken the pinouts on RSL1 (and possibly RSM) are different from RSL2 and RSL3. The silk screen on the underside of the PCB connectors tell you what is what, as far as pinouts. To look at them, unless you REALLY know what you're looking at you'd have a really hard telling them apart (aside from the silk screened part number of course!)

Thanks,

Mike

P.S. Thank you for the kind comments on the write up!

Wasn't part of this that RS up through and including RS 2.0 were conventional only?  RS2.5 was the first TMCC based RS and that was in the early NYC/SP GP-9?

Also RS 3.0 board does require the early LARGE power Supply board.  After RS 3.0, the power board became universal and smaller.  Even works with modular Legacy.

I have moved RS 2.0 chips into RS 2.5 platforms and they work in TMCC mode.  But the 2.0 Hardware is not command capable.  G

I've seen the large power supply in a couple of locomotives, but I think it's plug compatible with the later modular power supply.  I never had occasion to swap the old P/S out, so the question never really came up.

GGG,

I typically use the Roman Numerals of I and II to differentiate between the numbers 2.0 and beyond. If you look at the Lionel parts site, this is how I architected all the part descriptions. Railsounds II (as mentioned above in the Conrail SD60M, Rio Grande SD50, etc) were all conventional application only sounds. When Railsounds 2.0 was introduced it was coupled with the LCRU I (and later the LCRU II), which gave the sounds the command capability.

I never attempted to swap Railsounds II PIC and ROM's into a RS 2.0 platform, however, if memory serves me correctly Bob Jacobsen over at Electric Train Outlet in St Louis, MO had done this with the Conrail SD60M chips (and let me tell you how AWESOME it sounded!). Actually made me take a step back, that earlier RS II sound set had command control capability! (ability to decipher serial data in the PIC) I never tried it personally (or professionally) but having heard it first hand it is obviously feasible!).

All that being said, for the average consumer / tinkerer out there I would use the differentiation of the roman numerals versus the numbering sequence as the break point in compatibility. Meaning keep the RS I and RS II in their intended conventional world and keep the RS 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and beyond in their command world, if for nothing more than simplicity and keeping some hair!

Wasn't part of this that RS up through and including RS 2.0 were conventional only? 

To be fair, yes. All command controlled locos will operate in conventional mode, hence the sound systems will as well. However, Lionel has a slew of "conventional only" soundboards over the years, which was not part of the outline above. These are sounds used in starter set and entry level conventional only (not command upgradeable) applications. That is what the reference is to, not command sounds being used in a conventional environment. For clarification purposes, your question above is misleading. It should read; Wasn't part of this that RS up through and including RS II were conventional only? the answer would be yes. to follow that question up, Railsounds 2.0 was the introduction of command compatible sounds (meaning it deciphered serial communications). 

RS2.5 was the first TMCC based RS and that was in the early NYC/SP GP-9?

This was actually Railsounds 2.0 (no Towercom or Crewtalk) coupled with an LCRU II. Railsounds 2.5 was the same exact hardware, it just added Towercom and Crewtalk to the feature set. The photo below is the platform that came in those early geeps (Railsounds 2.0 and LCRU II);

(The part number is not correct for the NYC / SP geeps, but the photo is accurate (and the bracketry). The part number above is the B&M GP-9, same generation, but came equipped with coil couplers. 

If we could keep roman numerals and numbers as the delineation point it would make things much easier to follow. 

Hope this helps clear that up!

Thanks,
Mike

GRJ,

I do not believe they are compatible (RS 3.0 power boards and any audio board versions beyond RS 3.0). The older RS 3.0 Power boards do not generate the 5V on pins 5 and 6 as the 691RSPRA00 Universal sound power board does, hence RS 4.0 and beyond does not work.

Besides, space is the real premium inside a loco, why would you want to try to stuff something so large into a loco? If you had to have RS 3.0 sounds just take the PIC and ROM from the RS 3.0 audio board and drop them into a RS 4.0 audio board coupled with the 691RSPRA00 power board! 

Mike