Garden Railway Forum

For just over £6GBP I've just invested in a cheap recordable sound module. WAV or MP3 files can be uploaded via a USB C cable or sounds can be recorded via an inbuilt mic - though the quality is poor.

Pressing the Play button once plays a file to the end and it stops. Holding the Play button down for 3 seconds loops the sound file(s) until the Play button is pressed again.

This is intended for one of my little diesels. Quite happy for it to potter about with this looped sound - just like Acme soundcards - remember those?



The eBay listing if interested.....

https://ebay.io/m/UG4nBe

Rik

Basically a souped up version of the greeting cards modules we were playing with a while back?

philipy wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 8:18 pm Basically a souped up version of the greeting cards modules we were playing with a while back?

Yes. They even market it as such.

Rik

or, there is this:
https://picaxe.com/hardware/add-on-modu ... layer-kit/

I've been tinkering with DF Player Mini modules.

Very basic - continuous sound and with a horn sound which can be triggered through the transmitter


Slightly more advanced - each new track triggered by the transmitter


A bit more advanced - engine start and shut down triggered from the Tx, but other tracks triggered by speed settings through Arduino



Haven't yet found a way of shaping the sounds in relation to speed. Have been playing about with ESP32 but so far, not very successfully

Rik

Ive blogged the various attempts in case you want to have a try yourself

https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2026/0 ... -mini.html

Rik

This is very timely. I have also been messing about with sounds, although I am using standard 2.4Ghz RC parts

For a cheap motor sound I am using one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336426106983

It makes a nice throbbing sound that changes with engine speed

What I am struggling with is a nice horn sound, your solution and a simple RC switch might solve the problem

Richard

RlwPowell wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2026 3:50 pm This is very timely. I have also been messing about with sounds, although I am using standard 2.4Ghz RC parts

For a cheap motor sound I am using one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336426106983

It makes a nice throbbing sound that changes with engine speed

What I am struggling with is a nice horn sound, your solution and a simple RC switch might solve the problem

Richard

These a very nice little modules. I've used a couple in my small diesels but, as you say, they have no horn sound.

Rik