Originally Posted by
Rocking Grate
Looking sideways, but the question was only about engine sound, so herewith tongue in cheek. On the reciprocating front, apart from the Bristol Centaurus, may I suggest the English Electric 8SVT power unit? It possesses 2 Napier turbo-blowers (the last gasp of the company that manufactured the Sabre aero engine) which make a wonderful whistling sound. The engine block and its associated accessories weigh about 19 tons and it produces approx 1000 noisy or at full chat, very noisy HP. Bombproof though and it will produce that power forever. Also, the machine it is bolted to is generally locked into LNAV, so you don’t have to steer it.
Ah, well, if we're allowing railway machinery, there's nothing like an
English Electric 16SVT for character -- or two Napier Deltics at full chat for sheer glorious bedlam!
Some of the modern freight locomotives don't sound bad to my ears either. The Class 70 is very impressive with a decent load up a gradient.