An unusual request. ... I want to produce a controllable moving sound source for a science experiment. What I envisage is a small loudspeaker mounted on top of a locomotive engine (which need not look much like a locomotive!). In fact, the more box-like the housing over the actual engine, the better it is likely to be for the experiment. I will be running the machine over only 3 or 4 metres of track at most, either in a straight line, or a semi-circle, and the wires to the loudspeaker will probably be very light and rigged from very high up
Good (accurate) speed control, good running at speed (not likely to derail), quiet running, and rapid accelation are desirable in that (decreasing) order. I can probably organize things so that the engine is hidden in a foam tunnel and only the loudspeaker shows through, so as to deaden the sound from the train itself.
HO gauge seems about the right size.
Can anyone suggest what combination of engine (make/model), and controller I might look at, and how much it might cost. AU$500 is probably achievable if that is what it takes, AU$1000 is *very* difficult.
Cheers,
-- Mark R. Diamond