12-09-2012, 12:35 PM
My experience, for what it's worth, is that there are two basic sounds in an electric locomotive, gear growl and traction motor (or other equipment) blowers. Jack shaft locos have additional siderod clank. (There are David J Williams III DVDs out there with the VGN EL-3s and authentic sound.) I grew up in part hearing the old DL&W 3000-volt MIU cars from 1930, and they had a very pronounced gear growl that I learned to recognize in the sounds of other electrics. (For that matter, I once rode directly behind an F40, in the vestibule, and heard a gear growl there, too.) With a GG!, you would hear blowers, gear growl on acceleration, and the noise of wheels on track. My impression of GG1s going by at stations was it was a combination of roar-whoosh. But the problem with the PRR/NEC was that it was harder to be close to trackside or close to the loco, whereas the DL&W in my childhood was always right there on my way to school!