I keep doing a double take when I look at the new UP GEVO units (ES44AC or in UP terms a C45ACCTE) . They have those new 5 chime horns with 4 horns pointing backwards and one forwards.(Not very common as 3 chime or 5 chime usually have majority forwards) While the EMD SD70ACE units have 4 horns pointing forwards and one pointing backwards. At first I thought somebody at GE made a mistake and installed it backwards, but I have seen too many units with it in this configuration to be a mistake.
I checked my photos of the BNSF ES44DCs and I could see one horn facing each way on the bottom and 3 on top facing backward.What would be the purpose of having 4 backward and 1 forward be.Last time I checked trains were supposed warn people ahead of them and not behind.
Here are two links to photos from railpictures.net. The first is of the GE unit and the second is of the EMD. Very strange indeed. The One horn facing forward on the GE unit is slightly harder to see as it has a nylon horn cover on it. (slightly greyish)
Looks strange, but prolly some audio engineer figured it out to be the best way. I hope.
Adrianspeeder
I wonder why UP does that?I’ve seen them covers on alot of UP’s engines.As far as I know BNSF doesn’t do that.
Is it just me, or in the first picture, is there a person on top of the front of the fuel tank? Check it out.
I don’t know what you’re seein’ but I don’t see whatever it is.
These ‘booties’ keep the bells from filling up with snow in the winter causing the horns to quit working. These add ons work very well and I think they should be required but the FRA does not agree. With the horn bells being set to the rear of the units now the snow will be less of a problem except for the one bell facing foreward.
I like the sound of 'em, both imperious and hysterical at the same time, like most “augmented chords” whether dissonant or not. The imperious qualitiy says “look at me,” while the hysterical aspect shouts “I’m dangerous, get away.” Very effective psychologically, in my opinion.