# Setting up a MP3 in a box car?



## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm have been looking to set up something in a box car that will play a full length song and recently came across a MP3 player for $20. Question is has anyone done this and what would I need to do to get it to work. I plan on turning it on and letting it play as it goes a round so I don't need to activate it via a reed switch etc... What would I need to amplify the MP3? so it can be heard? I have plans for 2 custom soundcars that will play continous songs so making a little "block" with the MP3 ,speaker and amp? assembly so I can interchange it between the cars would be good. 
What options if any do I have to record a 3 minute song and play it back repeatedly? Any ideas? 
thanks
Todd


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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

Gads! You have about a million options. How handy are you? Do you want a little amplifier that is self contained that you just set in the boxcar? You want something off the shelf that you might have to make your own enclosure? or do you wanna hack a boombox off of ebay (my suggestion) or from goodwill. Or if you are really handy, you could spend more than all other options and build your own.


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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

I just thought about computer speakers... there are a bunch that run on batteries for portable... go to wallyworld or the mart and check out those areas.. might be a really simple thing... I see those things all the time by the hundreds at goodwill too... and at least the sale does some good


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I am handy but not so with electronics. My thoughts were to make a stand alone unit, batteries, MP3, amp and speaker that I could pull out of one car, set the appropriate tune and place in another car. The MP3 already has a power source but only comes with little ear buds for sound. If I plug it into a regular speaker would it have enough power to be heard? Maybe that would be where the battery powered speaker would be perfect? I think it would be neat to have the tune playing and then have the train pull the boxcar slowly out of ear shot and then back into it and through tunnels etc. One of my favorite movies is "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" both for the music and the story line. I think it would be cool to paint up a boxcar this winter to promote "Dapper Dan hair treatment" and have a song playing by the Soggy Bottom Boys. For those who have seen the movie you know what I'm talking about. 
I know there are guys out there that have used MP3 players for sounds. How did you do it? Maybe a MP3 isn't the way to go but the size is a good fit. 
Todd


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

My thoughts were to make a stand alone unit, batteries, MP3, amp and speaker 
Todd, 

I found a small "portable speaker" which has an earphone plug sticking up - you drop the mp3 player on it and it lets you listen without earplugs. [GPX Model SA118S. Kmart has the current version SA119S for $9.99. 
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_...407110001P.]


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Just get a small battery powered amp and speakers for your MP3 and put them in a railcar.

I have a proto-type unit from Dave Bodnar that can trigger 80 different MP3 tracks using reed switches, but it sits in a railyard structure and uses the accessory power tap (the A/C transformer used for turnouts and automation). A speaker in the station plays "station-type" sounds and another speaker in the water tower plays "yard-type" sounds. The various railroad tracks are fitted with reed switches to activate the appropricate MP3 tracks.

If this is of interest, Dave did a whole write-up on these units and has them on his website.


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

I use one of those simple portable speakers Pete gave a link to for "Saloon Sounds". I put the thing in my mining towns bar for open houses (well I did on the old railroad, time to build the new!). 

My kids always want the latest ipod so the old ones get "recycled" for RR use. We have clips for haunted houses at Halloween too!


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the info guys. I knew there were cheap speakers for these things to be had but after looking in radio shack, best buy, staples and walmart I wasn't having any luck. They only seemed to have the bigger, bulkier and alot more expensive "docks" for the mp3. Now I know there are small portable speakers that sound decent. For about $30 I can have the whole soundtrack playing along the train route. Thanks.


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

That is a very cool idea. A cheap mp3 player and speaker in a stock car maybe, would play all day. 
Thanks.
Paul


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Now I know there are small portable speakers that sound decent. 
We didn't say they sound decent. ;-)


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

" We didn't say they sound decent. ;-)" 

That is true. Sound quality is in the ear of the listener. I did read a review for $14 speakers that said they sound alot better than expected but you get what you pay for. The music I want to play is real old timey down from the mountain stuff so a bit more scratching is fine. Once I get all this stuff together and give it a go I will have to let you guys know how it sounds. I wonder if I will have to drill a bunch of holes in the bottom of the boxcar to let the sound out? I'd rather not leave the side doors open. Maybe the boxcar I choose to paint up should be a reefer so I can open the ice hatches? Hmmmm ???


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

How about leaving the doors open but gluing some black cloth over each doorway? 

Just a thought, 
David Meashey


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