Postwar horn replacement / improvement

I would suggest just putting in a reproduction horn. You can get them for under 20.00.  I put a True Blast II in mine and I could barely hear it. I have the F-3's that you have and indeed they have a mean growl to them.  That is what makes them so awesome. I totally restored my locomotives mechanically to their PW condition and I definitely prefer them that way. A new reproduction horn makes a huge difference they sound just fine.

The 2333/43 series of F3's used a horizontal motor with double reduction gearing, leading to a growl when they run.  They are also slower on the top end speed over the later vertical motor F3's.  The early 671/2020 Turbines and 726 Berkshires also had a double reduction gear drive with horizontal motors.  Nothing wrong with the growl, I like it myself.   Hard to beat a pair of 2343's in proper tune pulling a nice long string of Silver Dawn series passenger coaches or a long freight train.  My horn is sporadic in operation and sounds sick when it does work, changing pitch every time its blown.  So I will hunt up a replacement at the next show that has a parts person.   Mike

If you are running passenger cars, place the horn in the first car.  Do not put a battery in the F unit.  Or if you have an REA box or refer, place trucks with rollers on it, and place the new horn in it.

artfull dodger posted:

The 2333/43 series of F3's used a horizontal motor with double reduction gearing, leading to a growl when they run...

The horizontal motored F3s should not growl significantly when lubed properly. Check out my 2333 set - with many many miles & years on them(thanks to Mobil 1 and Lucas Red 'N' Tacky #2):

Thanks everyone.  I'm going to look into ERR products.

Good to know the 2343 growl is normal!