I have to say in all the years that I have shot railroad footage this has been the most unique sounding horn that I have heard. Truth be told this horn is a favorite of mine.
I was just wondering what kind of horn is this. So folks say that it was an old Burlington Northern horn, but I was wondering who manufactured this train whistle.
This footage was shot in the summer of 2007 in Kalama, Washington.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az746sH1JNk&list=UUxphuYXthayPvLpIADmutHA&index=5&feature=plcp
I’m no air horn expert, but my guess is a Leslie RS3 see the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgmKIB9Y3mk&feature=related
It was a common type on AT&SF prior to the BN and BNSF.[2c]
That was the first thought that came to mind, but I don’t know a whole about train horns.
Longview Railfan;
Just for a giggle, I Googled Diesel Train Horn Sounds.
689,000 hits in 0.38 seconds.
There are sites that offer Air Horns for sale, sites that offer information on what kinds of horns are out there, and recording of about all my wife will allow me to listen to.[|(]
Happy Hunting![:-^]
Steam Engine = whistle
Diesel Engine = horn
Why did they not put a steam whistle on a diesel locomotive?
Yeah - at least the ones with steam generators…
After all, they put air horns on steamers! [:D]
(Actually, if you google “Hancock Air Chime” you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise!)
Fantastic Idea!
I was curious, so I looked the video over on slow motion and saw that the old BNSF initials are painted over and that the reporting marks are FURX, and the number is in the 7200 series (couldn’t tell any more), it is a former BNSF leased unit now owned by First Union Rail. Here is another example:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=400382&nseq=0
Many of these units are ex-BN units, if you look at the other photos with those reporting marks many are in BN green. But the unit you asked about has its whistle located midway on the long hood, which is something the ATSF did around 1990 to try to prevent crewman riding the short hood from suffering hearing loss. BN had whistles located on the cab roof. So my guess is it is a former Santa Fe unit. As an aside, I lived on the Santa Fe main in Illinois at that time, and the Santa Fe went to a cheaper whistle than the old five chime whistles about the same time they relocated them, and several non-railfan types told me that they didn’t like the sound of them, more like a car horn, which I agree. The whistle you like sounds like that deprecated horn to my ears.
Actually SOU RR put a steam whistle on E-8 6900 to run on the Southern Crescent. Maybe a few other units ??
Larry is right about Hancock air chimes, I remember that a fair number of EJ&E’s centercabs were equipped with them. I believe that NH FL9’s and EP-5’s also had them.
I miss the whistles of yesteryear. They bring back memories of my youth. Engineers could almost play a tune on them and each had a ‘signature’ way of using. the whistle. When SP4449 visited Michigan I couldn’t get enough of the steam whistle. Can’t say I fault Doyle McCormac for resenting the air horn on 4449.
OTOH, now that air horns are the standard my preference is the Leslie 5 chime. It’s a mellow sound but with notes almost everyone can hear.
Sorry, I always used both terms, this is good to know.