I am enjoying my new Lionel SP Cab Forward and I was wondering was there any guidance on using the Steam Whistle vs the Horn? Was it up to the engineer or were that certain areas where one was used over the other?
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Originally Posted by cbojanower:
I am enjoying my new Lionel SP Cab Forward and I was wondering was there any guidance on using the Steam Whistle vs the Horn? Was it up to the engineer or were that certain areas where one was used over the other?
General practice on the SP was to ALWAYS use the air horn, on those locomotives so equipped. The steam whistle was generally only used for crew signaling, since the whistle was mounted high up on the boiler (plus on the cab forwards, the whistle was mounted way back by the stack area), while the air horn was aimed directly forward, down the track.
I have listened to SP/AFT 4449 inperson and taped. Seem like those crews followed the SP "horn first, whistle second" rule.
There is the line which goes: The steam used on the whistle goes not turn the wheels. In reality, can a whistle take a high amount of PSI from the boiler?
Originally Posted by Dominic Mazoch:
I have listened to SP/AFT 4449 inperson and taped. Seem like those crews followed the SP "horn first, whistle second" rule.
Sorry, but THAT is not true! Doyle McCormack HATES that horn, and ONLY blows it as a last resort to get folks OFF THE TRACK. The late high-end recording master, Brad S. Miller, produced many recordings of 4449, both on the Freedom Train, and in subsequent excursion service. Since Brad was born & raised along the SP Coast Route, he requested Doyle "use the air horn" on specific line side recording locations, for his records & CDs. Otherwise, that horn NEVER gets used, unless someone else was running 4449 (like myself and or Bill Stettler).
There is the line which goes: The steam used on the whistle goes not turn the wheels. In reality, can a whistle take a high amount of PSI from the boiler?
No, not on a boiler as large as 4449, 844, 3985, 3751, 765, 261, etc., etc., etc.. However, the New York Central did very extensive performance and efficiency tests on the S1 Niagara Class 4-8-4s, and upon figuring out how much steam the whistle "wasted", the steam whistles were reportedly removed, and the Engineers were left with ONLY the air horn.
Thanks for the info, I think I would be kind of depressed hearing the air horn regularly coming from a steam locomotive.
Originally Posted by Dominic Mazoch:
There is the line which goes: The steam used on the whistle goes not turn the wheels. In reality, can a whistle take a high amount of PSI from the boiler?
On a tiny boiler Like I work on, the pressure actually can go down a little, if the whistle is really blown heavily!
But remember--the air horns "use" steam too--steam was used to make the air pressure.
