Reading T-1 Whistle(s)

Henry J. posted:

I am just curious about the whistles that have been used  on the Reading T-1's.   My understanding from reading the book on the T-1, is that the freight hooter left something to be desired to ears of some.

I suppose that depends on your prospective. The Reading T-1 locomotives in freight service all had that PRR style "peanut" whistle, or some refer to it as the "PRR banshee" whistle. Personally, I always liked those Reading T-1 freight whistles.

Has anyone found good video clips of real engines with the whistle sounding? 

You might search YouTube for that.

Also, did the Reading install their passenger whistle on the T-1's during the Rambles?

Yes. The very first Reading Ramble, with T-1 #2124, operated in 1959, as I recall (I rode the trip), and the 2124 still had her freight whistle. On many subsequent Rambles, the Reading tried different passenger whistles on the various T-1 locomotives used. Even the doubleheaded trips, sometimes had different whistles on each locomotive.

When 2101 worked as American Freedom Train #1, what whistle was used? 

Mr. Ross Rowland had his custom made whistle on AFT #1. He still has that whistle, and even had it on C&O 614.

And, of course, when the locomotive worked as the Chessie System Steam Special, what whistle was used? 

Again, Ross Rowland's own custom made whistle.

With all the excitement of 2100 being restored by ASR, my mind is wondering.

Personally, I hope those folks use an original Reading T-1 freight whistle.

 For what it's worth, neither of the two video clips, posted above, are representative of CORRECT Reading T-1 whistles, from the original days of steam in regular service.

I loved the deep whistle on the 2100 Rambles, which Lionel actually had on the O scale 2100 they made in 1990 when Richard Kughn owned her.  My neighbor was the engineer on 2100 for the rambles and I could have rode in the cab, if I had known what "a steam excursion" was.  Sorry very young at that point.

The hooter can be heard here at the :32 mark.

Maybe Lionel could offer both types on the new T1's like they did with the MR s3.

Thanks RICKO!

Thanks HOT WATER!

RickO posted:

What about this one Hotwater?

 

Although that "Ghost Train" album does have recordings of the Reading #2124, the sequences that you played, above, are NOT the Reading #2124. The #2124 cut, is the last sequence on side two of that album (I'm looking at the dust jacket now).

The hooter can be heard here at the :32 mark.

 The locomotive in this video apparently has two whistles, as the Reading freight whistle is the one heard at the :32 second mark.

Maybe Lionel could offer both types on the new T1's like they did with the MR s3.

I don't know if this helps, but here is video on youtube, which isn't mine but sharing it, of a person that used the Trainz Computer Game that he used T1's in this video below. He used the whistles and they sure do sound close to the real thing.

Hot Water posted:

Henry J. posted:

I am just curious about the whistles that have been used  on the Reading T-1's.   My understanding from reading the book on the T-1, is that the freight hooter left something to be desired to ears of some.

I suppose that depends on your prospective. The Reading T-1 locomotives in freight service all had that PRR style "peanut" whistle, or some refer to it as the "PRR banshee" whistle. Personally, I always liked those Reading T-1 freight whistles.

Has anyone found good video clips of real engines with the whistle sounding? 

You might search YouTube for that.

Also, did the Reading install their passenger whistle on the T-1's during the Rambles?

Yes. The very first Reading Ramble, with T-1 #2124, operated in 1959, as I recall (I rode the trip), and the 2124 still had her freight whistle. On many subsequent Rambles, the Reading tried different passenger whistles on the various T-1 locomotives used. Even the doubleheaded trips, sometimes had different whistles on each locomotive.

When 2101 worked as American Freedom Train #1, what whistle was used? 

Mr. Ross Rowland had his custom made whistle on AFT #1. He still has that whistle, and even had it on C&O 614.

Not quite. Bill Howes owned that whistle. Steve Wickersham has since bought it from Bill.

And, of course, when the locomotive worked as the Chessie System Steam Special, what whistle was used? 

Again, Ross Rowland's own custom made whistle.

With all the excitement of 2100 being restored by ASR, my mind is wondering.

Personally, I hope those folks use an original Reading T-1 freight whistle.

 For what it's worth, neither of the two video clips, posted above, are representative of CORRECT Reading T-1 whistles, from the original days of steam in regular service.

Mr. Albright is correct, the whistle used for the Chessie Steam Special was made by Nathan for Bill Howes and was paid for by him. It was designed to sound similar to the K5LA horns then being installed on Chessie's new EMD SD-40-2s, delivered in 2/1977.
Watch "B&Os 8000-mile Birthday Party" on youtube or dvd, and you'll hear a lot of the steam whistle.
The whole story of the horns/whistle appeared in RAILFAN Mag, Nov. 1978 issue.

According to a fans facebook page, Strasburg's Engine 90 uses a Reading 6 chime and a Reading one note from time to time. There is tons of youtube videos of this engine, but I don't know one whistle from another

Todd

Reading One Note

I think this is the regular Reading whistle they use.

You can also search 2102 on the Blue Mountain and Reading. They might have used real Reading whistles

Here is a video of a Reading G-class passenger whistle like those used on the iron Horse Rambles on Reading & Northern 425

The first whistle in this video is a Jersey Central chime whistle on CRRNJ 0-6-0 113. Then "The Four-and-a-Quarter" blows her Reading whistle. Listen for the low, lovely tone of 113's whistle in the distance near the end, around the 1:40 mark.

A. Alan Botto, who recorded the original tapes 55 years ago, offers a CD of a souvenir Iron Horse Rambles record.

And the Reading & Northern has announced the restoration of 2102!

The whistle from Baldwin 3-cylinder 4-10-2 demonstrator ("boomer") 60000 in The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, was placed on 2102 for the 50th Iron Horse Ramble in 1964.