Locomotive Horns
M5R4
For information on
horns that are for sale, visit Locomotive
Horn Works
Please understand that this is a great hobby, but it is to be treated seriously,
and with the proper respect. Permanent hearing loss will result from unsafe use.
I treat horns like musical instruments, but one must remember their main
purpose is to be used as warning devices.Today's Manufacturers: Nathan/AirChime and Leslie
There are only two main manufacturers of locomotive horns in the business today. Nathan/AirChime horns have become the common voice of the railroads, but Leslie Supertyhon horns are still heard, however in decreasing numbers. Below I will be adding pages for the most common types of horns seen and heard today. M Series Horn (to be added next)
Recordings of various horns:
Railroad Horns on Trucks To the Home Page
K5LA, P5 new cast, and a S3L on CSX locomotives saluting eachother, recorded in the cab of a GP38-2.
Comparison of the Old Style P5(C#, E, G, A, C# octave) , and P5LAC (C#, F, G#, A#, C# ocatave). The lower pitched horn is the Old Style P5.
H5 horn (Fred Barry's).
M5 (Fred Barry's).
Leslie S5 on a CSX dualing my friends K3LA.
A good reference for horn history: 5 Chime Consultants AirHorn Guide
Photo by: Dick Allen
My main reason for having this on my truck is because it is a great mobile horn
testing setup. Due to my rebuilding of horns for collectors and shortline railroads,
I have the need to go out into the country to really test out a horn. On the
fun side of things, I used to blow my horns at the local high school's football
games when the team scored. I was asked to do this by the principal and the
head of the athletics department!
My truck is rigged up with a 60
Gallon air reciever that I bought from Ingersoll-Rand, and a custom built
horn rack that was modeled after my friend, Doc
Bryant's setup by a local welding shop. The top plate on my rack is aluminum
(so it wont rust and I dont have to worry about painting it). I can mount one
horn in the middle, or two horns, one on each side of my truck. I have a fill
station that has a male quick disconnect fitting to be filled by a home compressor,
a standard tire chuck, and air filter. I have two locomotive horn valves to
blow my horns. One valve is located just outside of the rear window, and the
other I had mounted next to the steering wheel. I could use a solenoid and install
a push button to actuate the horns, but I prefer having full control over how
loud of a blast I want to blow. A solenoid valve is stictly "on/off," whereas
the manual valves allow me to control how much air is going the the horn. All
of my connections to the horns are 1/2" air line. Volume is extremely important
for these things. Besides the horns I have a pair of Star 200-BC strobes, which
are the same kind used on Amtrak (but they have white lenses), and a locomotive
bell on the truck.
Related Photos:
Top View of my
truck.
View of the horn
valves in action.
Elevated rear
view of my truck.
Overhead view of
the horns mounted on the rack.
Closeup view
of the bell, showing solenoid beneath which actuates the bell..
Closeup
of the entire setup.
My truck
vs. CSX.
I had adjustable back caps made for my K5LA by Chuck Blumley. He took at look
at one of Fred Berry's adjustable back caps made by AirChime (who not longer
makes these) and was able to scratchbuild one, then find a shop to reproduce
them. With these back caps I can adjust any horn to sound in any order. I can
even set my horn to blow with only lung power! My PSI regulator is attached
to one of the air lines so I can choose to conserve air if I choose. I don't
have an onboard compressor, so I just let the 60 gallons drain and then refill.
Another custom addition to my horn are the snow-cones who were made by a friend
that works for Amtrak. Horns are often clogged, distorted, or outright messed
up because of either bugs, exhaust, or snow. Amtrak makes "snow cones" for their
horns, and some frieght railroads use nylon covers. Pictures of each are at
Horn Protection
section of my page.
