The New Polar Express Berk Will NOT Have Movie Sounds ??

I asked this same question awhile ago when it was announced, long before the 2014 Signature catalog came out.

But since Lionel really made their Legacy CrewTalk/TowerCom generic in early 2011, I wouldn't get my hopes high - only the Vision Line locos will have the "deluxe" roadname and cab number dialog.

Sad yes, but don't be that surprised if it turns out that way.

I would recommend you email M. Reagan (OGR name Mikado), his email address is in his profile, directly and ask you question relating to crew talk.  Instead of speculation, you may find out what they are really going to do.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Steve has given you an excellent suggestion. Mike Reagan is very good about answering his e-mails. I would mention you have e-mailed Lionel before, without receiving an answer.

As far as additional unique sounds from the movie soundtrack, I would not get my hopes up. Warner Brothers would be involved and that costs more money.

For me, the bottom line is this is a beautiful engine and with the cars, It makes the best Christmas Train, ever. Additional custom sounds would be great, but should certainly not be a deal breaker.

I can't believe there is not a way to add your own micro sound system to ANY train, that is wireless & plays MP3's, MP3's that you upload from your laptop & can change quickly via USB. I have a phone that can translate English into 40 different languages in real time, but we can't come up with a wireless MP3 player to hide in a passenger car?????
To me, this seems like a great opportunity to post a "reward" to any high school for someone to come up with a reliable system. We are simply not asking the right people, (I mean teenagers) in my humble opinion...

I have posted "rewards" to my local education system & had amazing results for graphic designs handed to me. How often do we spill $250 at a train show? I would bet that a $250 reward/top prize to a high school or Vo-Ed that has an electronics/robotics class would result in some amazing things 

just sayin'

It is odd that Lionel has not confirmed the inclusion of the Polar Exp. movie dialogue in the high-end scale Polar Exp. but includes a very nice rendition in the semi-scale Lionchief RTR set as well as the older PE conductor car.

There were a few posts a while back that discussed using those very small/micro rechargeable battery bluetooth cube speakers that can be placed in various cars and play music, dialog, area sounds wireless from your phone, ipod, or computer.  I think a quick amazon or ebay search will show that these small speakers are around $20.

Next your gonna say Lionel has no replacement parts available? You guys and these "rumor mill" threads.

The Notch6 podcast with the interview with Matt Ashba of Lionel regarding the new catalog. It was mentioned that the sounds on this release of berks was going to be the same as the previous run.

Notch 6 Lionel 2014 catalog preview/interview

And I can"t believe all this fuss and concern over the sound dialog of a non-existent fantasy train from a movie.

Well OK, Brewman.  But for $1,100, I'm staying in Hawaii for 5 days, including a round-trip ticket on the Delta non-stop from here.  Leaving May 22nd.

Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

..... and a week or a year or ten years after that trip, what will you have left of the $1100 vacation. A model train will always retain "some value",  even if that value means passing it on to another family member. 

Besides, those Berks can be had for less than $1100 anyway

Legacy PE

 Apparently, you can't hear the bell.

http://www.bpesolutions.com/as...uip.html#anchor60478

have a looksie- we are not reinventing the wheel...

Here is a very simple audio controller that when triggered by pressing the single on-board button or by dry contact closure at the trigger terminal, will cause the player to play back 1 to 10 MP3 files that are stored on a USB 

Yes Rick, I have a Polar Express set from 2004 and it's till humming along nicely.

Oh, and I can still hear the bell.

(Thanks)

Hi Vern,  actually, I am not buying this engine, but I do think that for these very expensive purchases, the forum is a great place to ask questions and find answers.  Its also a great place to get answers on MPC Era box cars, which I like a lot, that only cost a few dollars.  In some sense, the forum is a great melting pot of these kinds of questions.  The answers can be very interesting.  RogerPete's suggestion on audio files, looks interesting.

All the best, Dave  

Good point, Brewman. It would be great if we could customize our train sounds. Maybe someday we'll be able to.

No offense to the forum, but how can it be a good place to find answers about upcoming, yet-to-be-released products?

For stuff that's out, that other people have touched, felt, seen, purchased, used... Sure.

My on-topic response: If it's not included it's likely that licensing the movie sounds was cost-prohibitive.

Because some people on the Forum may have contacted the manufacturer and obtained answers. There are people on the Forum who have VERY GOOD manufacturer connections and sometimes they chime in.

And you sometimes get Lionel executives contributing.

The Forum is a great place.

Gerry

Not sure about hearing the bell but you'd think with a $1499.00 MSRP Lionel would have included a swinging bell like the prototype.

Joe

Well the last run of these didn't have the swinging bell either and went for $1050 after the "mail in rebate" that Lionel offered.

I posted a link above to where one could be found at $1019.00, and the new one has the "whistle steam" effect. At the end of the day its actually a better deal. Given the location of the bell on the front of the berk, the mechanism Lionel designed to swing the bell would not work, nor would it fit because of the smoke unit.

I have the previous run PM/PE scale Berk, IMO its one of if not Lionels best in the sound department as EVERY sound is directly from the prototype, right down to the swishing sound of the bell lanyard. I don't think this is true of any other legacy steamer. 765 is great but it shares the swinging bell sound from 1225, which is incorrect as 765 has an air clapper.