Soundtraxx sells diesel sound-only decoders that are differentiated by specific type of air horns. Can anyone point me to a reference so as to find out what kind of horn was on the diesel (EMD F3 or F7) that I am modeling? This almost seems like a rivet counting issue, but since Soundtraxx thinks it’s important, there must be a way to find out what one needs…[font=Arial]
Well, it’s not as simple as that. You see, horms are manufactured by outside companies, such as Nathan and Leslie, to name two. Railroads can choose their own types. In some cases, the horns even differenciated unside of the number series!
Matt is right. What I would do is listen to the sound samples on the Soundtraxx web site, and simply pick the one with the horn that sounds best to you. After all, on a layout it is YOUR railroad! [;)]
By the way, [#welcome] to the forum.
SMRoger,
The guys above are correct, however a large number of the early EMD E and F units received “Honkers”, namely the Leslie A-200. WABCO also made a honker, dubbed the E2. It was less common but sounded similar to the A200, though slightly deeper. I think this is the version Soundtraxx offers, which sounds pretty decent.
If you watch WWII era movies, you’ll see streamliners in some of them, often blowing these types of horns. I think you hear one in “North by Northwest”.
Though common, railroads started replacing them with multi-chimers as the years passed.
If you want to hear what a “honker” sounds like, click on this link to Broadway Limited.
http://www.broadway-limited.com
Once there, click on products, look for the E8 and click on the sound sample for the E8.
Hope this helps!
Is this the type on the Atlas Trainmaster?
Almost forgot my welcomes! [#welcome][#welcome]
some of bli links are not working
but I like the emd its the last one on the list
hey I sometimes just play them on the computer
awsome-
Links are working now.
Try it.
For further general interest, here’s a really cool website Antonio posted on a similar thread a few months back:
http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/index.html
Its AWESOME! [tup]
(Thanks, Antonio!)
-Dave
Hey Dave!
You’re most welcome! Very glad that it’s helpful.
I’ve been trying to do my part in encouraging model railroads to become familiar with locomotive horns, something that many take for granted.
For years I wondered why train horns sounded so differently. As a teen in the late 70s-early 80s, I even took a “boom box” with me to tracksides and recorded trains. (Man, I know people in the street must have thought I was weird!)
Fast forward to about 3 years ago I stumbled onto 5 Chime Horn Consultants and I became hooked! I found other horn websites as well and was amazed that there are groups out there that actually collect horns. At about the same time, BLI pops onto the scene. So for modeling, I jumped onto the horn band wagon and even provided a few friendly suggestions to BLI as far as history and references of certain popular horns.
One of my favortie horns sites is: http://www.dieselairhorns.com To me this site is “The bomb” for some sweet recordings. I’ve spoken to a rep of that club who is going to talk to a member about “considering” making horn recordings available for uploadable sound decoders. It’s a long shot but I have a feeling this will eventually become reality with this or another club.
I’m going to be e-mailing them and see “how it’s looking so far”, especially now that Digitrax is offering “affordable” uploadable sound decoders. My “angle” is that neither Soundtraxx, Lok Sound, nor QSI offer other horns that are or were commonly used by railroads, such as the Nathan P5, Leslie SL4T (Amtrak only), and the Nathan K5H (very common today)
Believe me, if I had the time I would go to these clubs myself with quality recording equipment, work out the legal details, and get recordings of these horns myself. Then, I would make them available for downloading off of a website “free of charge”, asking only for donations to maintain the website.
Some of you guys that are musi
For whatever it’s worth to ya, here is an article on locomotive air horns that a crew member did for me a while back, You’ll need the flash 7 plugin for your browser but it’s definatly educates you on air horns.
I belive most F-units had one chime horns.
And NATHAN P-5’s ROCK!!!
Just pick the horn that sounds best to you.
CP actually changed their horns to K3s in the early 50s, and I expect there were others. Remember, it was a much more diverde period back then…