Some time in the mid-90s, before the Alameda Corridor was built, the city of Torrance held a meeting with the public regarding train traffic. There were representatives from the BNSF, the UTU, and the MTA (Los Angeles County’s transit system).
At the time there were more than a dozen long double-stack trains using the BNSF Harbor Subdivision every day. The major complaint of the residents was the blaring of horns. The line passes through several residential neighborhoods.
The RR reps mentioned the federal law requiring horns at crossings. Also, the UTU rep mentioned that some of the locomotives coming on-line at the time had the horns programmed by software. The software made all horn blasts uniform in duration and decibels. (The UTU rep said it violates federal law for the engineer to give a couple of quiet “toots” if he is passing through a neighborhood at, say 5 am. The horn needs to be full & loud each time).
I do recall occasionally hearing trains where the horn blasts seem to be “perfectly measured”. In most cases, this does not seem to be the case any more.
We have several engineers around here who do the “beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . beep” It will drive you C R A Z Y. The thing about it is they do like 10,000 beeps instead of the normal long, long short, long. [:(] [V] [:(]
I don’t think that they are software controlled. The newer units eliminate all the air piping from the control stand by using electrical signals sent to the computer which controls the air brakes. The horn control is an electric push button which operates the horn air valve located outside the cab. Unlike the whistle cord or horn valve on the control stand this valve is either full on or off. The engineer has no control of the volume. You can get a short, lower volume toot by tapping the button quickly instead of holding it down. Some CSX GE’s have a foot pedal on the floor somewhat like the old automobile headlight dimmer switches. Tapping this will cause the horn to blow the standard grade crossing warning repeatedly until the pedal is tapped again to shut it off. I heard that when the first unit with this feature arrived in Cumberland, Md. someone unknowingly hit the pedal and had to shut the engine down to stop the horn from blasting away. This operation is probably sotware controlled.
I remember seeing lots of rare things on the Harbor Subdivision. I have seen ATSF 3751 use the line in 1986 and 1992. In 1979, the bicentennial unit was on-point leading the M-BARWATP-09D. In and in 1980, I have seen an Amtrak use the line 2 times that day because it was detouring on the Alameda Corridor and went over Watson, Alcoa, El Segundo, and Malabar yard on the Bakersfield Subdivision. I am 69 years old I just hit 69 last month on the 3rd. I hope they still do that on the Harbor Subdivision
I can’t say for sure, but this may well be the oldest thread ever revived on the forum. It even predates my membership in the forum that began in September, 2004.
Yes, there were and are locomotives with a ‘horn sequencer’. GE used a foot-activated button on the P42s, which also engaged the bell and the crossing lights ‘continuously’ until the switch was pressed again. It is described starting at 23:48 here:
These locomotives also had a ‘quiet’ position (see 15:20) but this was not available as a ‘sequencer’ feature. Note that this is several years before the 1996 ditch-light mandate and about a decade and a half before the current horn loudness requirements in the current 49 CFR 222 horn rule (2006).
We were using a Hancock Air Chime on one of our locos when they were running through built up areas. Less abrasive, if you will. Then the FRA said “not loud enough,” and it was all horn.
One resident along the tracks where it was used was notably upset with the change. She always brought her young daughter trackside to watch the trains pass, and the Hancock wasn’t too bad. Not so the horn.
One of the regular engineers on the “taco train” through Deshler was known as “Engineer Short Toot.” The train traversed the five crossings through town at around 11PM each night. Some engineers would just tie down the whistle cord. He just gave polite toots.
Was working ACD on the Atlanta Division of CSX at the point in time when the division encompassed all the track from Atlanta and Savannah through Jacksonville and down to Miami (early 1990’s). Some of the territory in S. Florida had locally imposed Quiet Zone and the FRA outlawed them, as they didn’t meet the FRA standards to be Quiet Zones. This period in time was before CSX had established their PSCC (Police Service Command Center) to handle calls from the public and before the installation of the blue emergency contact signs at every road crossing.
Working 2nd trick I got a call from a woman, berating me and every other human being for CSX and Tri-Rail trains blowing for crossings at Boca Raton. She would call multiple times during the shift and effectively prevent me from performing other duties. This continued over a period of time with others working the ACD position getting the same experience. I got to the point that CSX Police and the local police department had to make a up close and personal visit to the woman and threaten her arrest to get her to stop he conduct, Some time later Boca Raton fixed the crossings so they could return to being legitimate quiet zones.
S. Florida has trouble with trains hitting cars at crossings with CSX, Tri-Rail, FEC and Brightline. It makes no difference if the horn is sounded or it is a quiet zone.
PTC will blow the horn. It used to do one continuous blast until either the engineer used the horn button/lever or the crossing was reached. Now, unless overridden by the engineer it wii blow the sequence.
It’s OK if the PTC starts blowing the horn, but the engineer needs to complete the sequence. Otherwise PTC will send an alert to management.
