Hi
is it just me or is csx going to a diffrent horn for its locomotives.It just seems kind of bland.Usually when I hear it I think a up or bnsf train is coming down the line.any thoughts?[:0]
stay safe
joe
If you think BNSF is bland, then I want to trade them in for whatever CSX has…
They are loud and irritating - even Amtrak sounds better!
Jen
You folks need to hear the cow horns on some of the METRA F40 units, yuk! The horns on the new METRA units sound much, much better.
I always thought the cows sounded pretty good! But then, I am a city-girl!
I really like the older horns with at least 5 chimes, the more the better, More chines sounds nicer, smoother, and more musical. [;)] Not like the loud, irritating, bland, few chimed horns of today. [|)]
Some of the METRA horns on the older units sound so bad, MOOkie, that my calling them cow horns will probably insult some nice farm cow. SORRY COWS OUT THERE!
Speaking of air horns, did all the F and E locomotives have the same air horns? Other than some videos, the only ones I have heard in years would be the museum units [ operating ] at the Indiana Transportation Museum, and a few years back an F9 on the Algoma Central. I think the Indiana units are F7’s. Whatever they are, they are a joy to hear. Were they Nathan? How many chimes or notes? Who has a good memory?
Don’t insult cows. They give us milk. Although some horns do sound terrible.
MOO [:)]
NS has been going to an odd sounding horn on many of it’s diesels, has an errie, faintly “bubbly” tremolo to it, seems like it’s a change just in the past 2-3 months. When I first heard them, “down the river”, it was a real misty overcast spell, that lasted a few days. i thought it was an odd trick the weather was playing on the horns.
Not so, more and more NS trains are sounding that way now, the weather being EVER so clear.
MOOkie has always liked the looks of NS - don’t everyone throw rocks! Now she likes them even better if they have a horn with a tremelo, rather than the BLAT!
I’ve noticed that about ns as I can hear them at break at work or coming in and out of the building.Last night I heard the 5 chime whistle that I’m used too while loading up the van for work.
stay safe
joe
Wow, 5 separate horns in this day of austerity? That would explain the sound. I wonder if this is geared towards resolving complaints from residential areas, concerning “nightime” freights? They don’t sound near as loud as the old ones, yet remain quite noticeable
Think about it for a sec’. The primary job of a horn is to be an alarm or warning device. The secondary job is that of a signalling or communication device. Soooo, the more irritating and obnoxious the better. All the better to grab you by the ear and get your attention. Ya know, like the Klaxon that goes off behind the “DIVE, DIVE ,DIVE” in the submarine movies. I don’t believe there is any requirement for tonal purity, beauty of sound or like that. Although some of the older multichime horns are really nice to hear, if too nice they might just lull you to sleep there on the crossing instead of saying “Get the heck out of the way, Dummy!”.
To be truly effective warning devices need to be LOUD and IRRITATING!
I live in the country now but if the wind and conditions are right I can here CSX going through Defiance.When I lived in town 1/2 block from the tracks it didn’t bother my sleep at all. [:)]
stay safe
joe
My parents still live on the farm, in Missouri, where I was raised. The farm is right next to the tracks. You get use to the horns and the trains, and the cows, pigs, chickens and my duck.
You sleep right through all of it. [:p]
Oh Jim - why would you want to sleep thru train horns? They are worth a bad nights sleep to me!
Jen
Just one of those “bad” habits I have. [:D]
We’re not all gonna get horny again are we ??? LMAO [:o)][8D][:p][:D] sorry but i couldn’t let that one go!!! LOL [8D]
[/quote]
My parents still live on the farm, in Missouri, where I was raised. The farm is right next to the tracks. You get use to the horns and the trains, and the cows, pigs, chickens and my duck.
You sleep right through all of it. [:p]
[/quote]
F Y I The duck “bit the dust” many years ago. I had raised him in the chicken coop (I guess you can say he led a sheltered life). One afternoon when it was drizzling rain I looked out the window and notice he was near the electric fence. I didn’t think much about it at the time. Later I looked out again and noticed he was still there. So I went out to check. As I neared the duck I noticed he had apparently tried to bite the electric fence. So I lightly kicked him to remove him from the fence and see if he might be ok. He was not. That son of a gun was hard as a rock. Tell me, “where did I go wrong (sob sob) I tried so hard (sob sob) I just didn’t understand him (boo hoo sob sob) There will never be one to take his place (wwhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa)”
Amtrak’s K5LA horn sounds the best IMO. It gives me goose bumps everytime I hear it. 