some one told me that each major rr , has a certain sound frequency on their own locos horns. they all sound much the same to me. thanx for your time.cr
While some railroads (particularly some Canadian, IIRC) have, in the past, specified specific tones, I think you’ll find that most just buy “off the shelf” any more. That’s not to say that they don’t specify a certain model of horn, but they don’t have them custom tuned.
Most railroads have multiple chimes. Typically 3 or 5 chimes. Each one has it’s own specific frequency. What you hear is one fundamental frequency and multiple harmonics for a given set of chimes. And sometime some of the chimes face backward so each direction will have it own unique sound.
Here is a site about horn stuff:
and when enough crud gets in the chimes they go out of tune and can sound really horrible…
thanx chad !![:)]
My wife swears that CSX horns are of a higher pitch than NS horns. They sound about the same to me but I’m sure she’s right.
GOOD ANSWER!
[swg][yeah]
Basically both railroads use the Nathan “K” series horns on their most modern units. The K5LA and the K5H are two of the most commonly heard. Their are some Ks that have the "R sub-designation, " meaning one or two bells face the opposite way.
Remember also that proper or poor horn maintenance affects sound character.
In addition to the above link…check out http://www.dieselairhorns.com
Some nice sound and video samples to check out.
CSX has so many integrated and lease engines that there seems to be no standard, but when the Amskat comes through, there is no question about who it is
Women hear higher tones than most men, especially as the men age. So if you have a female in your life, take her trackside and ask her help in listening to train horns. She will be pleased with your request and you will get more track time!
And here’s yet another excellent site: http://www.trainweb.org/mdamtrak199/horns.html.
UP specifies the K3LA for all new deliveries.
BNSF seems to have standardized on the K5LA.
The new MRL ACe units have the best sounding horn I’ve ever heard. No idea what it is.
…My mom can sometimes sould like a K5LA.
The GEVOs use the K5HL, while SD70ACes have K5LLA horns on UP.
Ms Mook:
That is merely a built-in, self-defense system that becomes stronger the more it is used. Being as female’s voices in general have higher frequencies, especially when in “nag” mode, men have evolved this system to help us keep our little remainig sanity.
[:D][;)]
Women, on the other hand, seem to keep their hearing much longer than men. This trait seems to have developed so that women can help keep men from doing stupid things.
i.e. “Don’t you hear the ice cracking? Don’t drive on the lake!”
Whoa nelly! You don’t want to be by a friggin’ CSX SD70ACe when it goes off. Expect to lose some hearing. That’s how loud they are! And the same to most of their SD70s, but the ACe is the loudest.
NS SD70Ms are loud too. I believe CSX and NS both have the same type of horns on their SD70Ms. NS 2610 came through Berea sounding like a CSX SD70M.
NS SD70M-2s are kind of loud too, but seem to have some sort of low-pitch tone to them. I kind of like this horn.
The other day at Berea, we had a UP SD70ACe come by, which sounded similar to a horn that of a CSX SD70MAC. It was rather surprising.
CSX 7771 is ugly sounding. It is really high-pitched and it is a C40-8W! Then again, all of those CSX 7700s are more than likely on their last leg.
Most BNSF C40-8Ws sound like Conrails. Exactly the same is used.
Another blaring loud CSX horn is that on some of their SD40-2s. (i.e. 8206, 8234, 8105 etc.)
CSX C40-8s seem to be quiet. They are sleek looking locos and the horn seems to match. What type of horn did CSX put on their C40-8s if anybody had any idea? It would be helpful.
UP 4077 and 4230 bothsound crazy. Both are SD70Ms. (But what else is new on UP?) 4077 sounds sort of like a NS GP38AC if you think about it. I cannot even think of a thing that sounds like UP 4230.
What is up with CSX having not one, not two, but three different types of horns for their AC4400CWs? 1 sounded loud and booming and demanding. 305 sounded low and sleek. 595 sounded slow moving like how most CSX locos sound down in VA. and NC. , and loud.
Most all of CSX’s AC6000CWs sound the same. Except for 601 “The Spirit of Waycross”, whose horn echos loudly (well this might have only happened to me) before passing. 688 sort of sounds like a C40-8W. And that is about the only two that sound differently.
CSX 4800 series SD70Ms seem to be slightly more high-pitch than that of the 4700s. 4786 sounds almost like
The difference in some of the NS locos horns are the different roads locomotives that make up the NS.And something the NS has on all their new locos is an electronic bell.They are changing some of the older locos to these electronic bells also.It is a digital recording with a speaker beside the fuel tank.As much as I love running the new 2600 locos,I hate the way the bell is.You blow the horn long enough to activate the bell,and it takes about 60 seconds for it to time off.I have had a few older engines with the old air bell,sound like it was on speed [(-D].
Last summer and through the fall I heard a VIA P42 with something like that. Sounded aweful. But at least I knew which loco was coming when I heard it!
Hey MackB4, does that include the ditch lights? Because it seems the ditch lights start blinking back and forth whenever they blow their horn.
Also, on the same discussion of ditch lights, what does it mean when both ditch lights blink at the same time? I have seen this twice: once on CSX 8105, an SD40-2 and 607, an AC6000CW. My friend caught CSX 5120 doing this too. Can all locos do this?
Just wondering!
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