Random Questions about the Train Horn. Also, Signals.

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Also, I beleive the last long blast must be sounded as they are actually on the crossing. That may be some of the reason why the signal varies between trains and engineers. They may see they are approaching the crossing quick so they shorten it but if they see it is farther away it might get longer.

Also, I have a round whistle cast iron sign (not sure which railroad it came off of). I scraped the loose paint off when I was in high school and repainted it. The other side has an "R" which stands for ring (meaning ring the bell).

It is interesting to me that "W" means whistle but we haven't had steam engines in regular service on most routes for how many years. Think they would have changed them to "H" for horn.
 
Oh good. My boyfriend says I act like a three-year old sometimes. I just like to know everything and get super-excited about stuff.

Okay, so yeah... I guess I'm a three-year old.
 
My gf has noted that I get "that gleam in my eyes" when I'm on the train. I constantly think about agr points and my next trip. She tolerates it, and sometimes encourages it. After an ultimatum she knows not to interfere. She's always welcome to go. But not to stop me from enjoying something that makes happy. I think each trip is an effort to recreate the joy and wonder of those first trip taken as a young boy. Not every trip does it, but I'll never stop doing it.

Moral of the story: if you enjoy it, and somebody truly cares about you, they'll support your enjoyment of it. So keep on railroading.
 
Yeah, he says it in an amused sort of way. I get very bouncy when I'm excited about stuff, and he thinks it's cute.
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Sometimes I lose him, though, because I talk super fast and gesture like crazy when I'm excited.
 
As do my colleagues at school I'm a teacher in an urban high school. When I've had enough of stupid colleagues I say, " I quit. I'll go work for Amtrak!". This is said jokingly but seriously. I joke with security guards about needing to get " some Amtrak" so I don't catch a (police) case". Gets a laugh every time.

And when I book a trip, colleagues and gf hear such statements as , "two months from now at this exact time I'll be eating my angus burger with cheese in the diner as the zephyr goes through glenwood canyon.".

And checking status maps for trains to be ridden is an obsession that is indulged in all locations and times, including church.
 
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Sorcha said:
Oh good. My boyfriend says I act like a three-year old sometimes. I just like to know everything and get super-excited about stuff.

Okay, so yeah... I guess I'm a three-year old.
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Aloha

According to my daughter, after we reach double digits age you add them together to find your mental age. So that proves that I am only 13 :giggle: .
 
Steve4031 said:
As do my colleagues at school I'm a teacher in an urban high school. When I've had enough of stupid colleagues I say, " I quit. I'll go work for Amtrak!". This is said jokingly but seriously. I joke with security guards about needing to get " some Amtrak" so I don't catch a (police) case". Gets a laugh every time.

And when I book a trip, colleagues and gf hear such statements as , "two months from now at this exact time I'll be eating my angus burger with cheese in the diner as the zephyr goes through glenwood canyon.".

And checking status maps for trains to be ridden is an obsession that is indulged in all locations and times, including church.
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Are we trying to make Amtrak Holy?? :giggle:
 
Maine Rider said:
I am glad to know that usually the engineer sounds the whistle/horn independently, since I would have bet money on it without knowing the facts. As a musician I have noticed for years that there is quite a wide variety of rhythms associated with the long-long-short-long signal (which, incidentally, is the International Morse Code letter Q).

Sometimes the longs are not much longer than the shorts, other times the longs are very long and the short is just a quick stab at the button. I like knowing that engineers have their own styles, which might be why so many of them prefer doing it themselves instead of using the automated button.
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Their own style, indeed. Going back to the steam and whistle era, and continuing on into the diesel and air horn era, many engineers became known as "whistle artists", and their musical style of blowing the whistle or horn could be identified by many. The older horns that were operated by pull-cord or lever, permitted the engineer to 'quill' the blasts that created that 'mournfull' sound that could send shivers down your spine. There is a very detailed explanation on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_whistle and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_horn
 
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Acela150 said:
Steve4031 said:
As do my colleagues at school I'm a teacher in an urban high school. When I've had enough of stupid colleagues I say, " I quit. I'll go work for Amtrak!". This is said jokingly but seriously. I joke with security guards about needing to get " some Amtrak" so I don't catch a (police) case". Gets a laugh every time.

And when I book a trip, colleagues and gf hear such statements as , "two months from now at this exact time I'll be eating my angus burger with cheese in the diner as the zephyr goes through glenwood canyon.".

And checking status maps for trains to be ridden is an obsession that is indulged in all locations and times, including church.
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Are we trying to make Amtrak Holy?? :giggle:
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Nope: Just needed to get train status at that moment. I was tracking a zephyr that was several hours late leaving slc. And wishing I was on it.
 
GG-1 said:
Aloha

According to my daughter, after we reach double digits age you add them together to find your mental age. So that proves that I am only 13 :giggle: .
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Aloha!

That means I'm eight. ^_^
 
Steve4031 said:
And when I book a trip, colleagues and gf hear such statements as , "two months from now at this exact time I'll be eating my angus burger with cheese in the diner as the zephyr goes through glenwood canyon.".
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I drove my boyfriend insane the last time we planned a trip to ABQ. I counted down the weeks/days from eleven weeks beforehand. Once we got to the week of the trip, I was unbearable. ;)

And checking status maps for trains to be ridden is an obsession that is indulged in all locations and times, including church.
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Funny conversation we had last night:

I've been losing weight, and I asked what I should reward myself with once I lose 100 pounds. He knows I have issues with airplane seats (wide hips), so he suggested we fly somewhere since I'd finally feel comfortable on a plane again. He is terrified of flying, so I was pretty shocked. Anyway, he asked where I'd want to go, and I said, "We could visit our friends in San Francisco. Oh... wait... no... I want to ride the CZ. Okay, we could go to Seattle. No... I want to ride the EB. Scratch that." This went on for some time because there are so many routes I haven't seen yet. :)
 
Maine Rider said:
Tumbleweed said:
Maine Rider said:
Ryan: I haven't communicated with code for 30 years,but will never forget it. Developed "fists" with straight key and bugs, ended up with an electronic keyer but continued to use the bug now and then for just that reason - a little personality in talking.
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Do you guys use International or American Morse?
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I was referring to my use of code in the amateur ("ham") radio hobby, which is International Morse. It was and is much more widely used than American Morse, which was primarily used by - wait for it - by railroad telegraph operators!

(Neither one is used much any more, superseded by digital voice and data transmissions both on radio and through computer networks.)
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Cool! I never did get a amateur license, but I was able to copy about 30wpm in the Army using International Morse....I also was a telegraph operator on the old Northern Pacific railroad back in the 60's...I still stay active in American Morse and am a member of MTC......end of thread hijack (sorry).....
 
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Steve4031 said:
Sorcha,

Keep up with the questions. We are glad to help you out. And keep on enjoying trains.
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Sorcha said:
Oh good. My boyfriend says I act like a three-year old sometimes. I just like to know everything and get super-excited about stuff.

Okay, so yeah... I guess I'm a three-year old.
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Sorcha,

I've always been a firm believer in the idea that no question is too stupid/silly when one does not know the answer. The only stupid thing is to not ask the question and deny yourself the chance to learn something new!
 
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