Background Sound System for Your Model Railroad

This week we are building the background sound system for Strebel Springs Pond on our 1:20.3 model logging railroad. While the locomotives will have their own sound systems, we are adding background sounds to the entire railroad as well as foreground sounds for several structures including the coating tower and turntable at the locomotive shops.

Adding background sounds and structure sounds really brings the layout to life!! AND it's wicked fun!!

We have been helped by Mark Howe, a subscriber here on the channel who has given a workshop on the subject at several conventions. He directed us to the Adafruit Sound Board. A simple way to store up to about 12 minutes of sound that can be triggered from up to 11 triggers.

www.adafruit.com

https://www.adafruit.com/product/2220
\Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger with 16MB Flash
PRODUCT ID: 2220
$24.95

https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-a...

https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/downlo...

The board needs a 5-volt power supply, which you can find on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C4MVLZ1?...

If you hook up the power supply backward on harm. Just reverse it;

We are using Pro Tools to edit our tracks. Expensive, so you may want to use Garageband or some other freeware. OR just go out with your cell phone and record 30 seconds or whatever of the sound you want.

The sound files must be in either WAV or OGG format but can be converted online from Mp3 or whatever. NEVER DOWNLOAD A CONVERTER!! Most downloads are fake and malware. This site works great:

https://audio.online-convert.com/conv...

The soundboard can drive headphones but not drive speakers. Here is a great amp on Amazon. OR you can use your 1970 Crown 1500 watt theater amp or radio shack or?? But this is simple and small and runs on 5 volts same as the soundboard!

Speaker Box:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088R4T8JL?

Speaker:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GFFHC75?...

Soundbox for the soundboard:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S4L1NHH?...

Buttons:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0752RMB7Q?...

Anyway good fun!