Diesel Bell Sound

[TwinStar]

Does anyone know the source? And is there a difference sound between different bells? I've acquired a Rock Island bell off a GP38-2 and am considering recording and loading it into my modules.

[CPRail]

As I model CP Rail, I use the CN Diesel Bell - Bill, our host, recorded it from a CN SD40 if memory serves. It's got a nice tone and you can hear the mechanism whacking the dinger against the bell - just like the CP GP38-2s that run behind my house (when they aren't converted over to that god-awful E-Bell they have now a days.)

I've also used the Bell Bronze file for a S3. Slightly faster ring rate, beautiful ring echo when you finish the ringing.

I'd download a couple of different files and load them to your loco. Then set them up one at a time and see which one you like the best.

[KPack]

The source recording was from a UP yard locomotive, if I recall correctly.  EMD bells are mostly the same, but there will be a slight variation from locomotive to locomotive.  The generic Diesel Bell sound is appropriate for most EMD's that haven't been converted to E-Bell. 

If you want a unique sound, find some videos of the prototype you are going for on Youtube and make your own bell file from that.  I did that with BNSF 1973 (sd40-2) I built....found a video of that specific prototype on Youtube and created my own horn and bell files from it.  Doesn't get closer to the prototype than that!

-Kevin

[TwinStar]

The source recording was from a UP yard locomotive, if I recall correctly.  EMD bells are mostly the same, but there will be a slight variation from locomotive to locomotive.  The generic Diesel Bell sound is appropriate for most EMD's that haven't been converted to E-Bell. 

If you want a unique sound, find some videos of the prototype you are going for on Youtube and make your own bell file from that.  I did that with BNSF 1973 (sd40-2) I built....found a video of that specific prototype on Youtube and created my own horn and bell files from it.  Doesn't get closer to the prototype than that!

-Kevin

Kevin:

I would love to see a tutorial or at least a brief description of how to do this. I have been wanting to work with some Rock Island horn videos on youtube and upload them into my LM's but this is out of my area of knowledge.

Thanks.