# Getting a Train Locomotive Ringtone



## The Metropolitan

No, this isn't spam, but I thought I'd post this here to see if anyone else has tried to send a custom ringtone to their cell phone.

While everyone else is pretty much sounding like everyone else, I want to do something distinctive with my phone. I have a fantastic 7 second WAV file that includes two great toots from a diesel locomotive, and I'd like to have my phone signal me with this when the phone rings.

From what I've heard, I'll have to convert this to an MP3 file, then rename it as a MID file, then move it onto the phone, and then send it to my own phone in a text message to be able to set it as a ringtone. Has anyone else ever tried this? Any success?


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## AlanB

Never tried what you are suggesting, nor have I heard of anyone doing it. However, I can tell you that someone on the LSL last month out of Chicago on my trip home, had a cell phone that rang with a whistle blowing and steam puffing.

The phone was being carried by a lady, but I didn't get a chance to talk with her to find out how she did it, much less if it was her phone or someone elses.


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## Trogdor

Couldn't help you, since I know nothing about ringtones (other than that 99% of them are just damn annoying), but back when I was in Milwaukee, there was someone whose phone I heard with a locomotive horn blast as their ring.


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## AmtrakWPK

A WAV file and a MP3 are both fundamental equivalents. Both are ways of storing an actual sound digitally, a photograph, if you will, of the actual sound. A MIDI file is fundamentally different. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and it doesn't store sound, per se. Basically it is a recording of when a person pressed each key on a musical keyboard, and a number indicating with how much force each key was pressed, and then another number later indicating when the key was released. On playback, those numbers are streamed digitally to a sound synthesizer that plays those specific notes at the indicated sound volumes, on whatever musical instrument was specified. If the synthesizer you are playing the MIDI stream into does not have a sample of a specific instrument (like a train horn) in it's stored memory, you won't get the sound of a train horn when you play the MIDI data stream. Since you would not expect any cellphone to have a train horn as a pre-stored MIDI instrument, you would have to record and store the ring tone as a sound file on your phone. Your phone would have to be able to accept and store a train horn as a sound file, not MIDI. My Motorola V325 will do that, as I currently have a short section of a song, played on piano, as my ring-tone. If your phone has sound recording capability, you would need to play that sound on whatever it's stored on, into speakers, while your cellphone "listens", store the sound, and then set that up as the ringtone. Your phone may or may not be able to do that. Mine does. One reason the MIDI ringtones sound so great is that you can have 16 separate channels, (16 simultaneous instruments) playing at the same time, each one playing different notes, just like a genuine symphony orchestra. Some MIDI systems can have mutliple MIDI datastreams running on parallel MIDI systems simultaneously, giving 32, 48, or 64 simultaneous instruments, each playing different parts from the others, and this can include several different drum/percussion instruments simultaneously. The communications overhead for MIDI is a tiny fraction of what a WAV file requires, because it's not actually sending the sounds itself, just instructions to a synthesizer.


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## GG-1

Aloha

My Daughter aquires a train ringtone (toylike) which she associated with my caller ID. She found it on a web site.

What I want is the horn from a GG-1, then instructions to get it into my Nokia 6010.


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## The Metropolitan

I'm working on researching the process. Do you have any existing samples of the GG1 horn on your PC to start with?


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## GG-1

Aloha

I may have a poor recording of the G' Horn on My desktop at home. I found it on the net. Most of that type of net stuff is at home and at the moment I am in Calary Canada.


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## The Metropolitan

After several google searches and a couple of downloads of shareware programs, I did get it to work. Took a little bit, but I have a good clear pair of aural blasts from a Diesel as my ringtone. Won't that be grand to blare off during my training next week.

If anyone is interested, PM me.


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## tourlink99

If you have cingular, they have a steam train horn as an available ringtone. I believe it costs $2.50 Just go to their website and click on ringtones and you can easily down load it.


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## FrankW

The Metropolitan said:


> I'm working on researching the process. Do you have any existing samples of the GG1 horn on your PC to start with?


Dear Metropolitan,

I'm also looking for a US freight train or Amtrak train ringtone. Do you have these ringtones? if so is it possible for me to get through the internet or maybe by cell phone.

regards,

Frank


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## AmtrakWPK

My motorola v325 cellphone has the ability to record ambient sounds, and then to use that file as a ringtone. Being a church organist, I recorded "My Lord, What a Mornin" on one of the church instruments, and that's my ringtone. If your phone has the same capability, and you are close to a spot that has a couple of close-together railroad grade crossings, you ought to be able to record your own ringtone on that phone, live (which beats paying for one, and nobody else on earth will have the same ringtone (like mine  )


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## WhoozOn1st

Hadn't noticed this topic before (Mr. Observant), but it intrigued me; I'd like a railroad ringtone too.

So I went Googling around and came up with GearheadTones.

It has all manner of mechanized vehicle ringtones. Some railroad, including a diesel horn, aviation, motorcycle, heavy equipment, etc. They're $1.99 apiece, and require no subscription garbage. One advantage is that you can test play the sounds before deciding. A number of other sites promising "complimentary" ringtones want you to sign up for some kinda crap first. No free lunch.

I wasn't impressed with the sound quality, so didn't buy any, but thought I'd share the link so others can decide for themselves. Since I'm into planes too, I heard some P-51, B-25, and B-17 flyby ringtones. They were all marred by the thupping of helicopter blades in the mix. Since I'm not a rotorcraft fan, those were out (apologies to any helo jocks out there).

I'd say it's worth at least a stop, look, and listen.


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## Lou

I have the GG-1 (it is going to be offered for sale on eBay shortly) if you can establish how to record it for transfering to your cell phones!
​



Lou said:


> WhoozOn1st999 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hadn't noticed this topic before (Mr. Observant), but it intrigued me; I'd like a railroad ringtone too.
> So I went Googling around and came up with GearheadTones.
> 
> It has all manner of mechanized vehicle ringtones. Some railroad, including a diesel horn, aviation, motorcycle, heavy equipment, etc. They're $1.99 apiece, and require no subscription garbage. One advantage is that you can test play the sounds before deciding. A number of other sites promising "complimentary" ringtones want you to sign up for some kinda crap first. No free lunch.
> 
> I wasn't impressed with the sound quality, so didn't buy any, but thought I'd share the link so others can decide for themselves. Since I'm into planes too, I heard some P-51, B-25, and B-17 flyby ringtones. They were all marred by the thupping of helicopter blades in the mix. Since I'm not a rotorcraft fan, those were out (apologies to any helo jocks out there).
> 
> I'd say it's worth at least a stop, look, and listen.
Click to expand...


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## Phil Kirkland

Phil Kirkland said:


> The Metropolitan said:
> 
> 
> 
> After several google searches and a couple of downloads of shareware programs, I did get it to work. Took a little bit, but I have a good clear pair of aural blasts from a Diesel as my ringtone. Won't that be grand to blare off during my training next week.
> If anyone is interested, PM me.
Click to expand...


Hi very interested in your loco horn ring tones being an engineer here in the Uk! Are you posting them onwaqrds please?

Regards.

Phil


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## Green Maned Lion

This sure got dragged up pretty far.

I have Arlo Guthrie's version of _City of New Orleans_ as mine. I like it. My phone is a Nokia 6126, which has a MP3 player capability in it complete with SD card slot. Anyway, I have it loaded as the (only) song on there and it is also selected as my ringtone.


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## detta

Hi,

"After several google searches and a couple of downloads of shareware programs, I did get it to work. Took a little bit, but I have a good clear pair of aural blasts from a Diesel as my ringtone. Won't that be grand to blare off during my training next week."

I am interested in that ringtones. Thank you

=============

detta


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## Rumpled

A free service that might work for some is myxer.com

If you have a copy of a .mp3 (and maybe .wav?) sound file, you can upload it on that site and have it sent to your phone as a ringtone.

Unfortunately for me, Verizon seems to fitght them on this. Myxer comes up with a workaround, it works for a couple of weeks and then Verizon figures out how to make it not work. At least that is my experience.

It might work for some others, though.


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## Clear_Signal

*I have assembled a collection of excellent train ringtones I made myself for your enjoyment! They are various 30 second clips of Diesel Horn Ringtones... Enjoy!*

http://www.mediafire.com/?emmomuxaatd

Diesel Horn 1

http://www.mediafire.com/?v2wz2zymttz

Diesel Horn 2

http://www.mediafire.com/?yywux5p1m49

Diesel Horn 3

http://www.mediafire.com/?xfxand5jhny

Diesel Horn 4

http://www.mediafire.com/?uy9bzlmmjja

Diesel Horn 5

http://www.mediafire.com/?4g09z0gzk11

Diesel Engine Bell with Horn

*Feel free to share these with your fellow conductors and hogheads as I have... All Aboard!*


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## LOCOMOTIVE

The Metropolitan said:


> No, this isn't spam, but I thought I'd post this here to see if anyone else has tried to send a custom ringtone to their cell phone.
> While everyone else is pretty much sounding like everyone else, I want to do something distinctive with my phone. I have a fantastic 7 second WAV file that includes two great toots from a diesel locomotive, and I'd like to have my phone signal me with this when the phone rings.
> 
> From what I've heard, I'll have to convert this to an MP3 file, then rename it as a MID file, then move it onto the phone, and then send it to my own phone in a text message to be able to set it as a ringtone. Has anyone else ever tried this? Any success?


Hi

I went to AT&T web site and downloaded train ringtones.

It is very easy.

They cost about $3 Dollars


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## Trainmans daughter

Here is a site that I use:

http://www.ringtonejukebox.com/SoundEffect...p;CategoryID=53


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## Ryan

I can make my own out of any sound file - love my iPhone!


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