Recorder
I have used various audio recorders over the last, well, many years.
For digital recorders, Marantz PMD 620 was my favorite, but it died. I am using a Olympus LS11 which has been rugged and sounds good. Still have to keep the record volume down to eliminate distortion.
The Sony D7 DAT with good external mikes worked well for a long time. The machine sucummed to age and I went to all digital. I'm on a low budget now, and am saving my pennies for the Marantz PMD661.
Video recorders just don't have the audio capabilites that I want. I want a manual volume, no limiter. I want it to sound as close to real as possible. If I have to boost the volume later through software, I'm OK with that.
Let me know if you want more. I have about 9 train sounds CDs that I used to sell on my website and would start up again if anyone was interested. It's all my stuff from the last 40 years.
A friend of mine has a ZOOM H2 and it makes some respectable recordings. Close horns have always been a problem. You need mikes with a high SPL to handle those. For enough money you can do anything.
Let me know.