I know it’s not realistic. However, some locos, particularly those whose windows don’t open, are immensely more fun to drive when you can hear the outside sounds. The ICE comes to mind. I often drive it from a #3 cam parked just outside the cabin window just so I can listen to the magnificent sound of the horns and the brakes - the gentle hiss is so cool! It would be nice to be able to experience those sounds while in the driver seat and enjoying the beautifully modeled cab. Perhaps somewhere in the cab, in a consistent location from one engine to the next, there could be a button that would allow that. Or, to avoid the need for an on unrealistic button in the cab, activating this speaker could be from a keystroke command or perhaps from a rarely used button in the cab such as on the radio. For a loco such as the 395, the “microphone” could be near the traction motors so that we could enjoy the cab environment and hear the traction whine at the same time. For diesels, this could be used to maximize engine rumble in the cab.
Agree - this is for entertainment rather than authenticity at least where sounds are concerned. We want the thrash!!
