Diesel bell question

This is NOT a 3-rail scale topic.  It specifically asking about the bell of a real E8 using a Lionel model sound as an example.  Since the question is asking about the real bell on the real locomotive, then this topic should be in "real trains".  It has now been moved there.

@JamesRx posted:

Unlike previous E8s from Lionel, the new Legacy E8s (mine is the New York Central #2033360) has a bell that rings slightly erratically, not always perfectly on the beat, so to speak. I assume that was done to simulate a person ringing an actual bell rather than an electronic bell sound activated by the engineer pushing a button. But this NYC E8 bears the “cigar band” livery from the 1960s. My question is this: did 1960s era E8s still have a physical bell ring by hand?

No EMD diesel, nor probably any other brand of diesels, had hand operated/rung bells! Diesel locomotive bells had/have an internal air pressure operated ringer assembly, which tended to produce a pretty rhythmic ring sound. When the air operated "clapper" began to wear, or need some lubrication, then sort of an "off beat" ringing could occur.

For what it's worth, even most modern steam locomotives had air pressure operated bell ringers, either the internal air operated clapper type, or an air operated bell & yoke swinging piston assembly, i.e. no rope attacked for manual operation by hand.

I would have thought it had been automated by then.

You are right. They were "automated", beginning in the early to mid 1930s.

ps.. if my description is not clear I can attach a video with the bell sound to demonstrate

@Hot Water posted:

Thanks for the information! Very enlightening!!