Train horn in sleepers

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Joey B

Train Attendant
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May 11, 2007
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So this week I took the metra Trains into Chicago to go to the "Taste of Chicago". I sat in the 3rd car from the front of the train. From what I've read on here, the sleepers are right behind the 2 engines and the transitional sleeper (which I dont know what that means). Is the volume of the train horn what i heard on my trip compareable to the Amtrak, Which if it is, shouldnt be hard to sleep through. Also are the Amtrak cars higher than the Metra Cars?

When I was heading back to the suburbs as the train left the station I saw an Amtrak train and people boarding, got me very excited about my trip. 7 months to go.

Thanks

Joey B
 
At two or three cars back, I have found the horn annoying. It can keep you up at night, so prepare for some tossing and turning.

We had a discussion about location of FIRST CLASS service and why AMTRAK insists on putting those passengers up front rather than at the rear.

I would certainly prefer that, especially if I am paying an additional charge for FIRST CLASS Sleeper service.
 
On the other hand, I find the horn to be soothing and missed it on my recent trip on the Coast Starlight, where they've moved the sleepers, other than the transitional dorm, to the rear for the summer (apparently so the transitional dorm, which is only half filled with passengers, could share an attendant with a coach car).
 
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QUOTE(Joey B @ Thu, Jul 5, 2007, 12:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So this week I took the metra Trains into Chicago to go to the "Taste of Chicago". I sat in the 3rd car from the front of the train. From what I've read on here, the sleepers are right behind the 2 engines and the transitional sleeper (which I dont know what that means). Is the volume of the train horn what i heard on my trip compareable to the Amtrak, Which if it is, shouldnt be hard to sleep through. Also are the Amtrak cars higher than the Metra Cars?

When I was heading back to the suburbs as the train left the station I saw an Amtrak train and people boarding, got me very excited about my trip. 7 months to go.

Thanks

Joey B
The transitional car is to allow passage between a low-level and hi-level car.

The doors on hi level cars are at the top.To walk from one hi-level car to another, you walk on the top floor.

But that first hi-level car (i.e. the transition car) connects to the low level car, such as a dorm. The front of the transitonal car has steps going down to a door which connects with the rear door of the low-level car in front of it.

I am sure there is a better way of explaining it than this.
 
We were in the front sleeper on the Empire Builder both ways and it was noticeable but rather soothing I thought.. Maybe if I focused on it would bother me but I don't. On the City of New Orleans it was even closer and that did seem somewhat louder, but still if I am tired I just take the horn as part of the trip. I agree the sleepers belong on the rear..
 
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I've always thought the horn sound was kind of soothing. Regardless, though, there's a fair amount of ambient noise on an Amtrak train regardless of where the car is positioned ... lots of track sounds, passenger movement, and random rattles. Combine that with the occasional lateral movement of the car -- which makes your subconscious feel like it's falling out of bed -- and it's easy to see that for many people, sleeping on a moving train is something that takes some getting used to.
 
I will take train horns any time at least that tells me the guy in the cab is awake.

Bill
 
BillVas said:
I will take train horns any time at least that tells me the guy in the cab is awake. Bill
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Actually Bill, if the engineer isn't awake at the controls of an Amtrak train, then it will automatically stop. All Amtrak engines have what is often referred to as a "dead mans" feature built into the computer system. The engineer must do something every couple of minutes so that the computer knows that he/she is indeed alive and awake at the controls. That "something" can be blowing the horn, ringing the bell, applying the brakes, or adjusting the throttle. If they don't do something within a random amount of time, but always less than 3 minutes I believe, then either a bell or a beeping starts ringing in the cab.

At that point the engineer must hit what's called the alerter button to stop that bell or beeping. If they fail to hit the button within a few seconds, a loud horn then starts sounding within the cab. Failure to hit the button within a few more seconds of that horn sounding, will see the computer applying the brakes and stopping the train expediantly. And assuming that some form of tragedy hasn't struck and that the engineer is still alive, he/she will have some explaining to do.
 
I happen to like the horn. On the Silver Meteor from D.C. to Jacksonville we departed the capital over an hour late due to congestion caused by a derailment in Union Station. By the next morning we had made up all but 15 minutes. That bad boy Viewliner sleeper was rocking and rolling all night, with extended high speed running. And who knew there were so many grade crossings out in the middle of nowhere in the South? Seemed like the horn action was almost constant sometimes. Don't think I slept a wink, but loved every minute. Some fine and fun railroading that night.
 
thank you for all the comments on the horn, now what about the size of the cars? are they the same as the metra or taller? I guess this would need to be answered by someone familair with Chicago Trains.

Thanks again.

Really enjoy the boards

Joey B
 
rail rookie said:
The CZ #5 on Saturday night and #6 yesterday had the sleepers on the end of the consist. Saw them in LNK.
Al
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I left CHI on the 12th of June on CZ and the two sleepers were on the end As that was my first trip on an Amtrak LD train I was very surprised about the very low noise level inside the car. I was in Roomette 13 which is on lower lever quite close to the wheelset. The blowing horn was not disturbing.
 
When in coach on the CZ coming back from CO, we go through rural Nebraska in the middle of the night, I never knew there were so many grade crossings. With the new regulations on the blowing of the horn at crossings, it just seemed like it would be easier for the engineer to just "lay on the horn" for 400 miles through Nebraska. I didn't mind it, it was just constant going through all the little towns and county roads.
 
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QUOTE(Joey B @ Thu, Jul 5, 2007, 09:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
thank you for all the comments on the horn, now what about the size of the cars? are they the same as the metra or taller? I guess this would need to be answered by someone familair with Chicago Trains.

Thanks again.

Really enjoy the boards

Joey B
I checked a couple of sources that I have and it looks like the Superliners are slightly taller:

Metra Commuter Car is 15ft 10in high

Superliner is 16ft 2in high

Although when I am riding on Metra and the car is right next to a Superliner, it's hard to tell.

And it's good to be back with the forum again after my Father's recent death...he's the one who engineered my love of railroading! He took me on a short trip on the CNW when I was 5 years old and I've been riding trains ever since!
 
frj1983 said:
And it's good to be back with the forum again after my Father's recent death...he's the one who engineered my love of railroading! He took me on a short trip on the CNW when I was 5 years old and I've been riding trains ever since!
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Sorry to hear about the sad news, my condolances. :(

Hopefully reading things here though will trigger a happy memory or two and a smile.
 
Yeah, the train horn can be sometimes loud in the first couple of cars of the train. Personally, it doesn't bother me... I guess because I am a big railroad buff, and like others have said, I find it soothing actually.

The train horn can be QUITE loud in the transition sleeper. That's the car usually right behind the baggage car that's usually reserved for the crew -- even though during busy summer months sometimes they will sell a few rooms to passengers. I have never been a paying customer in there myself, but I do Trails and Rails on the Empire Builder and we get 2 roomettes in the transition sleeper... and when I've been in there, I have noticed the horn is quite loud. I've never slept in there though since our program is during the day, so I can't speak for sleeping at night.
 
Personally, I like hearing the horn. To me it's part of the overall experience of on-board train travel.

The trip we took on the EB 3 years ago, we were in the family bedroon at the very back of the train (save for two AE cars full of apples).

We could not hear the horn at all. It was kinda weird.

More recently we had the opposite experience. We rode the LSL from CHI to CLE on the first Viewler sleeper in the third room back. Really enjoyed the experienc and actually did get some sleep too.
 
Depends a little bit upon whose road your riding over. My parents just returned from San Antonio on the Texas Eagle. Loved the trip, (they are regular Amtrak users), but hated the near constant horn blowing. There were two sleepers on the head-end with no Transition or baggage car. They were in the second one. My step-dad said he was going to email Amtrak, I said its not really an Amtrak issue. Its UP and the CN over which the TE operates that set the rules as to where and when the horn is used. When we ride the LSL there seems to be MUCH less horn use, (NS/CSX), than on the UP.

My wife on the other hand does not mind the horn at all- she says it helps her fall asleep. As for me, well I like the horn if its not too loud. Usually for me the Baggage and T-Dorm are enough to drop it down to a pleasant level.

I'm not too sure about this but it seems that on the single level trains the horn is not as loud as it is when riding a Superliner equipped train, (when my placement in the train is the same or close to). Could it be that the sound is passing back and over as opposed to back and into? Or am I just crazy?
 
GG-1 said:
Tracksentinel said:
Personally, I like hearing the horn. To me it's part of the overall experience of on-board train travel.
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Aloha

Sometimes when I am too keyed up to sleep, I play a CD recorded on board a train, Sure helps
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sleepers are best cut into the train rather than on the rear smoother ride less bounce. I rode in a caboose and did not find the ride much different than riding the rear in a viewliner sleeper. Besides the horn at night sounds good. The only thing better than that is a steam whistle at night.......MP44
 
The train's whistle is just part of railroading as is the clickety clack or clattering through switches, etc. The whistle is an attempt at keeping everyone a little safer by signaling the train's approach. I too find a degree of comfort in it and pray everyone heeds its meaning.
 
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