I found this classic video while poking around YouTube. Four CSX GP40-2s (3 of them still with their Chessie System paint) pulling hard on a stack train upgrade at Mance, Pennsylvania.
To get the full effect of what it was like to operate these non noise restricted, leaky standard cab beasts, use a pair of headphones. When they are directly below the camera after rounding the horseshoe curve, turn up the volume until your ears start ringing. In a tunnel, they would rattle the fillings right out of your teeth. Now repeat this for 8-10 hours, and you will understand why the super quite wide cabs are so nice to work in.
They sound great to me but for the squealing of the wheel flanges. Eight hours of this would be a bit much. I understand that some engineers are using noise canceling headphones, the best are about $300 to $400. I wonder if you can still hear if the horn is working. Of course the engineer said he was using cheap ones.
Oh yea, I also forgot to mention Chessie’s GP40-2s were fitted with the loudest K5-LA horns ever made. They could wake the dead. In China. You could be totally deaf and still hear them working. LOL.
I can tell you the inside of the cab was/is not as load as that. I have never been on the more modern locomotives so I can not compair the two. Yes you had to yell across the cab but it was not as bad as the video would make you think it is.
An old caboose was also very load at high speed. you had to yell across to the other trainman to be heard.