I’m getting some research in for my prototype, the NYC, and am wondering what a correct whistle for an 0-8-0 switcher would be on an eastern road like the New York Central. I’ve heard + have information on the NYC 5 and 6 Chimes you would see on the larger engines, but would their switchers use the same? Or would something more “generic” have be used?
Although there were some “standard” USRA-type whistles, mostly railroads ordered the particular whistle they wanted to use, or ordered the engine without “all the bells and whistles” and add them to the engine themselves. So two railroads getting identical USRA-type engines might have very different whistles on them.
I do have some books on NYC steam engines, if I get a chance I’ll see if I can find anything specific for their 0-8-0s.
wjstix, you seem to be knowledgeable about the NYC. A good chunk of the replies to my questions about the line have come from you:)
This question may be more suited to the historical society or a NYC specific group, but I thought I would try. To me it would be odd if something like a yard switcher carried the same 6 chime that a Mohawk used, but I wanted to ask. I haven’t found information or watched any footage that says anything about the 0-8-0s.
Can you tell by looking at some pictures? There are a lot of 0-8-0 pictures here: http://www.railarchive.net/nyccollection/
If what I think I’m seeing is a whistle, looks like a single cylindrical looking thing.
Maxman.
They all look like cylinders. Its whats inside that counts. Each individual railroad used a certain whistle for an important reason. Whistle signals were very important back then than they are today with radio communications. A great example would be switchers working a union terminal in close proximity to each other. If there were a PRR and an NYC switching head end cars then crews would know without looking and jumping out of the way whose switcher just signaled a reverse move or forward movement. Another example would be calling protection or recalling protection on different railroads that run parallel or were in close proximity to each other. It would be very bad recalling your front flagman by mistake just before the limited rounded the curve. Getting to know the whistle tones was job one for steam era railroaders.
I am not exactly sure of the date but I believe it was just before WW1 and before the USRA that the PRR changed from using the Banshee whistle for both passenger and freight to the Banshee for freight and the 3 chime ( some call it a K4 whistle) for passenger locos and this was to include switchers that was dedicated passenger yard switchers. So an old B6s 0-6-0 could carry the same whistle as a K4s if it only worked the passenger yards.
Pete
Yes, I understand that. But I thought that the original question concerned the number of chimes. And although a number of chimes could be contained in a cylindrical housing, what I thought I was seeing was a thin, skinny tube-like affair. But I’m a diesel guy, so what do I know. I only referenced that website because there were a number of NYC 0-8-0’s shown.
Given how many times questions like this our posted, I suspect that if our friends at Kalmbach wanted to put out a book that would sell well, it would be one going thru each railroad in history, saying what bells, headlights (Gyra-lights, Mars lights, strobes etc.) and whistles or horns were used on which engines at which time periods. “MR’s Historical Guide to Locomotive Accessories” perhaps??
Maxman.
Steam whistles have notes and not chimes. Where the word chimes comes from is beyond me. There are basically 3 main parts of a steam whistle. The valve, cap, and sound chamber (barrel). The valve controls the amount of steam that hits the cap. The cap deflects the steam into the sound chamber. The sound chamber is responsible for the notes the whistle will play. Length, amount of baffles and chambers, length of chambers, and size and shapes of the outlets have most of how the notes sound. The cap plays a very important roll is how the steam is used. The depth, shape, and radius all play a roll in how the steam is used by the whistle. The valve even though it is open or closed also plays an important roll in how the whistle sounds. The diameter of the opening, the shape of the route the steam has to take and the feathering or flutter that is allowed through the valve. The steam itself is important in how the whistle reacts to the pressure, wet or dry steam, and water carryover.
The old timers I knew could tell you the difference between a PRR, NYC, Erie, or any other steam whistle out there. Some guys could tell you who was pulling the cord. I may be odd but I did like the sound of the Banshee whistle.
This is a six chamber (chime) whistle.
Pete
I received information on a New York Central forum that later in the steam era on the NYC, 0-8-0s, Mikados, etc. were wearing 5 Chimes. Mohawks, Hudsons and Niagaras would have the 6 chime. I’ve also heard information about Nathan 3 Chimes on the Niagaras like similiar Northern class engines of the time period.
The other odd thing though is that while I’ve heard many talk about the NYC shop made whistles, yet the information from this gentleman suggested that Nathan whistles were originally put on the New York Central engines but may be switched over for various reasons later to the shop whistles. A shop whistle seems to have been a different sounding copy of the Nathan whistles.
So, that probably puts NYC 5 chimes on my switchers and Mikes, NYC 6 Chime on the Mohawk, and then either the same or a Nathan 6 on a Hudson.
Forgive me, I’m kind of a whistle fan:)