Join the discussion on the following article:
Video Extra: Southern Pacific Steam
Never been a fan of SP steam or the GS’s but those two videos are terrific.
Great old restored color videos with full shots of the Valve Gear action. Thanks. I was still in Illinois back then, so I must ASK: THE WHISTLES sound like Diesel HORNS. Was that DUBBED or were SP Steam engines equipped with horns by then? - - And Why
Way cool! and were they movin’ like a bat out of H* or what?! Looked like some NYC cars in some consists.
Sounds like diesel horns…
For experienced steam era fans, dubbing diesel horn sounds into these films is most annoying! I would never consider buying these based on this fault alone.
Great clips of the Great Southern Pacific. Thank you Classic Trains and Herron Rail Video for sharing. Much as I love Espee, just can’t accept airhorns on steam locomotives!
Interesting—first video locomotive has a diesel whistle vs a typical steam whistle
Great. Love Railroading history.
Most GS 4 locomotives of the SP were equipped with horns which were located above the smoke box door on the RH side (viewed from the front) The photo on the front cover of “More Trains of the 1950’s” clearly shows one. I love those two video clips.
Certain classes of SP steam (including the Daylights) had airhorns.(it was said that the horns could be heard at a greater distance than the whistles.) New York Central’s Niagaras had airhorns too.
OK, We may ALL owe Herron an apology: Air Horns on Steam Locos: go back to our own “Sister publication” TRAINS… evidently DID happen
QUOTE: “Multiple-chime horns have been fashionable since the early 1960’s. Before that, single-chime “honkers” were the standard on diesels and horn-equipped steam locomotives. (Yes, some railroads equipped their streamlined and semi-streamlined steam engines with horns. If you want to see some strange looks, just watch the trackside crowd whenever restored Southern Pacific Daylight 4-8-4 No. 4449 lets loose with the horn instead of the whistle.)”
source FULL article: http://trn.trains.com/railroads/abcs-of-railroading/2006/05/introducing-the-horn-section