Talk:Train whistle
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There is no reason to merge train horn with train whistle. Diesel locomotive air horns function quite differently from steam whistles, merging the articles would only add to the confusion on the part of the uninformed. -- MakeChooChooGoNow 10:01, 23 August 2006 (UTC)
- I completely understand your point, but what about the whistles on modern European trains? They are not steam whistles and serve almost exactly the same purpose as air horns. Also, although a steam whistle and a diesel air horn are indeed two very different things, don't they both perform the same function? This article has a lot of content that applies to (and directly relevant to) the horn article. Cacetudo 17:31, 23 August 2006 (UTC)
Actually, I intended the train horn article to deal exclusively with horns as used in North America. They are a completely different breed from the 'whistles' used almost everywhere else. -- MakeChooChooGoNow 08:11, 27 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Air and Vacuum brakes
Trains with air brakes can use the compressed air at 70 psi to operate the whistle.
What do trains with vacuum brakes do? Given that there are no longer steam locomotives with high pressure steam to operate the horn.
Tabletop 00:43, 29 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Over-US-biased Addition
I have removed the following anonymous addition to the article. While it contains much that is quite interesting, it is very obviously written by an American! Compare 'hauntingly beautiful minor triads' with 'tiny shrieking "egg-cup"' , for example – the latter being particularly insulting to the majority of UK (English?) steam enthusiasts who would much prefer the efficient clarity of a simple steam whistle to the brash, overbearing cacophony of the steam-guzzling fog horns to be found on US locos. ( :o) )
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- American train whistles usually had anywhere from one to six frequencies which were sounded together. Many American railroad whistles had wonderful sounds. Famous examples would be the 6-chimes of the NYC and SP railroads, the hauntingly beautiful minor triads of the Pennsylvania and the B&O railroads, and the deep steamboat minor triads of the Union Pacific's famous Big-boy & Challenger loco's with their Hancock Inspirator 3-chime, long-bell step-tops. Nathan Company's famous long-bell 6-chime steptop whistle was the most universally copied of all American RR whistles. Many railroads cast their own copies of this chime in their own shops. Although European steam locomotives became as large and advanced as those in America, their whistles did not. With few at-grade crossings, English, German and some other European nations used tiny shrieking "egg-cup" plain whistles on their locomotives. In comparison, American steam railroads became famous for their large, musical multi-chime whistles. For passenger loco's, railroads prefered deeper-pitched whistles, usually a long-bell 6-chime steptop, or long-bell "steamboat" 3-chime. For freight, short-bell 5-chime steptops were popular. The great majority of American locomotive whistles were 6-1/2" in diameter, large and heavy, weighing up to 90lbs!!
However, the main reason for reverting was that the existing technical text was replaced by this anonymous edit.
Besides which, I'm not an expert on LNER locos, but I thought they too had 'chime' whistles...?
EdJogg 21:59, 7 February 2007 (UTC)
