Bells and Whistles

[Bob.M]

I know that trains are required to blow their whistles in the familiar Morse Code letter "Q" when approaching a crossing. But when are bells used?

[lionelsoni]

Ironically, that international Morse code pattern doesn't even exist in "railroad Morse" (American Morse code).

[Bob.M]

lionelsoni

Ironically, that international Morse code pattern doesn't even exist in "railroad Morse" (American Morse code).

 

Thanks. I learned something. I did not even know of the existence of American Morse Code. One other thing I have observed by riding commuter trains is that they give 2 toots (International Morse "I") when the train is about to leave the station. But Bells??

[phillyreading]

The horn or whistle pattern for a grade crossing is; two long, one short, one long. The reason for two blasts of a horn or whistle is to warn people that the train is about to leave. The bell is used on passneger trains when approching a station or at the station. 

I have never heard of the Morse code letters for trains or railroads before. Is that something used out west?

Lee F.

[kpolak]

 I found this thru the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum.  http://www.psrm.org/faqs/rulebook/signals.html#5.8

5.8 Bell and Whistle Signals

5.8.1 Ringing Engine Bell

Ring the engine bell under any of the following conditions:

• Before moving, except when making momentary stop and start switching movements.
• As a warning signal anytime it is necessary.
• When approaching public crossings at grade with the engine in front, as follows:
  • If distance permits, ringing must begin at least 1/4 mile before the public crossing and continue until the crossing is occupied. or
  • If distance does not permit, ringing must begin soon enough before the crossing to provide a warning and continue until the crossing is occupied.

I tend to hear the bell when a train is moving slowly, or performing switching maneuvers in a yard.

Kurt

[DMUinCT]

This is how Railroads "talked" before Radio! 

Whistle: just some, Railroad dependent

One Short Blast --- Stopped, brakes set 

Two Short Blasts --- Locomotive (train) is about to move forward (also used to acknowledge another signal, change of aspect)

Three Short Blasts --- Locomotive (train) is about to move backwards (if running, also used to acknowledge train to stop at next station)

Four Short Blasts --- Call for signal

Two Long, One Short, One Long Blasts ---  Grade Crossings, work areas, some bridges --- last blast to overlap crossing or work area

 One very Long --- approaching a station platform, not stopping  -- Bell if stopping

 One Long, Three Shorts --- Crew member to protect adjacent tracks (flag man)

 Four Long --- Recall Flag Man

Succession of Short Blasts  ---  Alarm for persons or animal on the track

 

 

[phillyreading]

Thanks Don!

Anyway about the Morse Code; it was used in telegraph equipment and sometimes in two way radio.

Lee F.

[jmkk]

I know when they switch the cars out at work the bell rings 5 times just before the engine moves. They are using radio control to operate the engine in the yard. As a side note we send out 50+ box cars and 2 gons a day.

[tomikawaTT]

kpolak

 I found this thru the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum.  http://www.psrm.org/faqs/rulebook/signals.html#5.8

5.8 Bell and Whistle Signals

5.8.1 Ringing Engine Bell

Ring the engine bell under any of the following conditions:

• Before moving, except when making momentary stop and start switching movements.
• As a warning signal anytime it is necessary.
• When approaching public crossings at grade with the engine in front, as follows:

• If distance permits, ringing must begin at least 1/4 mile before the public crossing and continue until the crossing is occupied. or
• If distance does not permit, ringing must begin soon enough before the crossing to provide a warning and continue until the crossing is occupied.

In addition to the above, the bell must be rung when passing passenger platforms, work gangs or gatherings of people close to the right-of-way.

As a result of a judgement rendered in a lawsuit, the Mississippi Central Railroad was required to have the bell ringing any time a train was in motion.  They fitted a second bell above the smokebox door - presumably to preserve the sanity of the front end crew.  Could you imagine cruising through the countryside accompanied by the continuous clanging of a bell mounted close to the cab?

Chuck

[Bob.M]

kpolak

 I found this thru the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum.  http://www.psrm.org/faqs/rulebook/signals.html#5.8

........

Kurt

 

Thanks for the reference, Kurt. I have noticed that they don't always follow those rules regarding bell usage. The whistle for approaching a crossing is almost universally used, but I did observe a town out west where the engine did NOT blow the whistle nor did it ring the bell while going across several crossings. The engine did travel verrry slowly in that area. My guess is the town residents got a law passed to avoid all the noise.

What got my curiosity recently was some news footage shot near the flood areas in western Minnesota. A train was moving slowly across a bridge with the bell ringing. Not sure why.

In all the years of living near the tracks on Long Island, I never heard bells from trains approaching stations, and now that we live in Northern Connecticut near a rarely used railroad, I hear the whistles whenever the engineer runs his train, but never bells. A fertilizer distributor gets the stuff via railroad car, and uses what looks like the Lionel Coal ramp to get the stuff out of the hopper cars into his factory where he puts it in bags for the local farmers.

[dougdagrump]

Some communities will establish no whistle/horn areas, will probably be first to sue if someone gets injured, and normally the crossing will be marked accordingly. Unfortunately stupidity/ignorance exists and then the RR gets the blame and a lawsuit.

[lionelsoni]

There are very complicated federal rules for establishing a "quiet zone":

http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/safety/trainhorn_2005/amended_final_rule_081706.pdf

[jmkk]

I live in Berea, Ohio. Along with grade seperation projects that our very own Buckeye worked on. We have Quiet zone projects in the works. Without going into great detail you would have to physically go through a gate to cross the tracks.

[Bob.M]

lionelsoni

There are very complicated federal rules for establishing a "quiet zone": ....

 

Thanks, Bob. I read part of the rules, and I recall that the engine was  probably going 15 mph or less, as is recommended. The town was La Crosse, Wisconsin. I took the pictures from "Grandpa's Bluff". The first one shows the engine going thru a golf course, but the second, which does not show the engine as well, shows lights, possibly a bell, and a gate across the road.

Edit note: I am told it is called Grandad Bluff.

 

 

 

 

[DMUinCT]

jmkk

I live in Berea, Ohio. Along with grade seperation projects that our very own Buckeye worked on. We have Quiet zone projects in the works. Without going into great detail you would have to physically go through a gate to cross the tracks.

 

We have "Quiet Zones" in the Boston area !!   Four Quardrent Gates, TV surveillance, etc.   Commuter Passenger service at 60 / 80mph, it's Kids on Bikes that have been a problem.