There is NO WAY to capture the massive sound and vibrations of the Db class on a tape recorder at full effect....... Remember keep the play back at very low at start up. This Db, possibly 1099 was helping as second loco but totally drowns out all the Dc sound, such was the volume of the EMD G-8's.
My sound mentor Noel Maginnity has allowed me to add a short recording he made of Train 352 returning from Thames to Te Rapa. We believe that it was Db1047 at the Ema Street rail crossing in the mid 1980's. This was a still providing regular freight mainly from the Toyota car assembly plant in Thames, the Te Aroha Thames Valley dairy company in Paeroa, and some log movements beyond Paeroa as well. Note the hurried sounds of both bogie and 4 wheelers as they pass by and head away past the Railway Station and on towards the Waihou River bridge and beyond.
I would like to suggest that although there are no Db pictures in it, a small book by Dave Nelson titled "The Thames Branch, End of an Era" has some great photos and write up of the last years. It does have some shots just a little later of 351/352 after the Db was replaced with a Dbr on these trains. If you would like more info on Daves wee book and how to get it, email me at the address in my closing sub titles of my videos....
Sorry I have no Db photos but this Dc freight shot is down below where I was for the Dc/Db recording. My photo..... and special thanks to Noel for his sound clip. I hope that the close up and more distant recordings give some idea of the Db when working Mike