Train horns somewhat anorak content...
Train horns somewhat anorak content...
Author
Discussion

the_lone_wolf

Original Poster:

2,622 posts

215 months

Friday 10th October 2014
quotequote all
Hi knowledgeable folks

Been working close to a busy sounding railway the last few days, heard a variety of trains and got me thinking

Almost all the signals I heard were the typical low and high tone, but roughly half were high then low, the other half vice versa

Does the order of the two tones mean anything? I've looked up lots of info on train signals but not much seems to apply to the basic stuff I'm on about...

Simpo Two

92,670 posts

294 months

Friday 10th October 2014
quotequote all
Doppler shift? nuts

rs1952

5,247 posts

288 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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the_lone_wolf said:

Does the order of the two tones mean anything?
As Funky Chucker effectively said in his reply:

No

It simply depends on which note the driver moves the lever to first smile

the_lone_wolf

Original Poster:

2,622 posts

215 months

Friday 10th October 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys - I thought it might be the case smile

Boatbuoy

1,975 posts

191 months

Saturday 11th October 2014
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Why have the East Coast (and what ever First Capital Connect call themselves these days) trains gone from two tone to a single chime?

Initially I assumed that they had removed one horn for a cost saving measure, but having read the above not about tone regulations I can now hear that it is a chime, which would mean they've added an extra horn.

HaroldBishop

652 posts

206 months

Sunday 12th October 2014
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IIRC there are a number of areas, mainly level/footpath crossings, where drivers are told to blow just the low tone once to avoid creating a noise nuisance for surrounding houses.

Crazy IMO.

RB5Bird

502 posts

224 months

Sunday 12th October 2014
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"You must only use the horn as much as is necessary to give an effective warning or to make sure safe working takes place"

The low tone horn is blown at whistle boards between 0700-2300.

High and Low tone is used to alert people on or near the line.

Some trains have soft and loud settings as well.

W124Bob

1,863 posts

204 months

Sunday 12th October 2014
quotequote all
First the general high/low is in no order other than it's sometimes easier to pull back the lever first, interestingly it also depends on what actually operates the horn. By this I mean on a Voyager I'm actually operating an airvalve so there is a certain resistance and a need to push/pull the lever further, on a HST(long time since I drove one)it was an electrical switch which would give more control. The rule for footpaths was changed to one tone only for two reasons,NIMBY's complaining (sorry if you live by the station at Stone!) and EU rules regarding an increase in DB levels, this is ignored by many of us and indeed NR have gone back to 2 tone as a trial .

Boatbuoy

1,975 posts

191 months

Monday 13th October 2014
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Every day's a school day!

Cheers all.

the_lone_wolf

Original Poster:

2,622 posts

215 months

Monday 13th October 2014
quotequote all
Boatbuoy said:
Every day's a school day!

Cheers all.
^^^ What he said

Always nice to learn new stuff!!