Train horns in cars ????

[wallyworld]

yeah-a real laugh riot-only do it to those who deserve it? No further comment necessary.

[kolechovski]

"Or the time Menendez blew his horns at the railroad crossing next to the shop: 'All these cars slammed on their brakes because they thought a train was coming. Their wheels were locking up and everything."'

I have always thought of having a train horn on my car, parking it on some abandoned track just a little way from a railroad crossing, at night, then turning on the headlights and blasting the horn while driving toward them when somebody goes over the crossing. That would be funny to do to my enemies...make them think they're about to be hit by a train. Of course, I would only do that to those who deserve it. Use of such horns in crowded places can very well give old timers a heart attack. As for using horns in out-of-the-way places...if it sounds beautiful, let the sweet tunes fill teh air.

[wctransfer]

Ahh come one now. Ive wanted an air horn for a long time, and when i get a truck, you bet ill probably put them on there. But, Im not gonna be an idiot with them "oh, lets scare that old fart in the Buick" type crap. First of all, thats just plain mean, and disrespectful, and like stated earlier , they could have a heart attack. 2nd of all, I wouldnt go blowing them in an urban invironment.

Alec

[GP-9_Man11786]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Poppa_Zit

QUOTE: Originally posted by GP-9_Man11786

...God help me if I even think about putting neon lights around my license plates or under the car. New York State is the one who needs to get a life.

Just curious. What is the thinking behind making neon lights under a car, etc, illegal in NY?

Supposedly people can confuse them with emergency vehicles. I have no idea how or why. In addition plastic coveres over the plates are illegal too bvecause the make the plate appear as a bright blur to red-light cameras. Personally I think red-light cameras should be installed on grade crossings to catch those who go around the gates.

[Anonymous]

1) In Alabama, any noisemaking device that is used to startle, surprise, or shock other drivers is a ticketable offense. A train air horn has that effect, and yes, I'd write a ticket for it.

2) Any cop that has the time (or the energy) to impound an entire vehicle, or the moxy to go and destroy personal property... well, I surely would love to have judges like they have on my side when the illegal search and seizure suits come up (and they will).

Erik

[CNW 6000]

Hmm....

Two things in this thread are now on my mind.
1. Distrubing the peace is disturbing the peace. All the hoopla and posturing in the previous two pages is summed up right there. The louder the sound the more expensive the citation IMHO. Make sense?

2. Stories of cops either breaking things or forcing people to break things. Now I'm all for law enforcement doing a thorough job but this smacks of horrendously unprofessional behavior. The fact that it's seemingly commonplace is apalling. I have just lost SERIOUS faith in the PD community.

[beefmalone]

man some of you guys need to get a life. go find something important to get all righteously indignant about like the global aids epidemic or angelina jolie's african water birth.

[Anonymous]

Blowing those horns in an urban setting is twisted and mean.

These horns are meant to be heard from hundreds of feet away.

This is too much for the auditory system to handle.

Andrew F.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GP-9_Man11786

As for loud stereos, I have one of them, but nobody seems to complain about the Beatles or the Beach Boys or the Doors for whatever reason.

In other words - real music! [:D]

What usually thoroughly tickles me about the young fellows (I can't say as I've ever seen a girl with said sound system really cranking) with the big, bad stereos in their cars is how the body panels rattle when the bass kicks in. It rarely sounds encouraging, and often suggests that they may arrive at their destination with less parts on the car than when they left...

And we wonder why they can't hear train horns...

[Anonymous]

I installed vehicle type air horns on my 1950 Plymouth, as my standard two horn set up just didn't get anyone's attention. The air horns sure do, and they've saved my neck on more than on occasion.

Using them to scare old folks? Boy, they better never try that here in Tennessee! Old folks in these parts carry guns, and that would be the end of THAT vehicle.[(-D]

Regard! Michaelson

[coborn35]

Looks cool.

[wallyworld]

one word. irresponsible. maybe two-irresponsible -idiotic.

[Poppa_Zit]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GP-9_Man11786

...God help me if I even think about putting neon lights around my license plates or under the car. New York State is the one who needs to get a life.

Just curious. What is the thinking behind making neon lights under a car, etc, illegal in NY?

[GP-9_Man11786]

What is wrong with this picture? I can have loud train horns on my car but God help me if I even think about putting neon lights around my license plates or under the car. New York State is the one who needs to get a life.

As for loud stereos, I have one of them, but nobody seems to complain about the Beetles or the Beach Boys or the Doors for whatever reason.

[Anonymous]

My main worry would be the weight - those things must be heavy, surely? A vehicle airhorn is one thing but those are a lot smaller than a loco horn. While I'm sorely tempted to add a vehicle-type airhorn I wouldn't fit a train one. Rule over here is that such things are 100% legal (within the usual regs - if you sound it at 3am in a built up area you can expect trouble, but using it to wake up the idiot trying to ram you is ok) but they have to be wired via an extra switch and can't be used in place of the standard horn (which must still be in place and in full working order)

Regarding the stereos, I always laugh when I see a "streetracer" with a stereo that doubles the weight of their car. Clearly they've not made the connection between their half-ton of extra weight and the fact that they can be outrun by a stock TDI Land Rover...

[Poppa_Zit]

QUOTE: Originally posted by traisessive1

www.hornblasters.com

Go to the video section and watch the "terror in the streets" clips.

I think the main market for these horns is guys who feel a strong need to compensate for a *ahem* "physical deficiency."

Of course, I personally have no need for such horns. [(-D]

[traisessive1]

www.hornblasters.com

Go to the video section and watch the "terror in the streets" clips.

[Anonymous]

It is nice on so trucks But to only use them when it is important.

[locomutt]

I really liked Larry's first post on this subject.
When I was on the fire dept. we used the "Grover Stutter Tone"
air horns with great sucess.
I also had on my personal vehicle,an electronic siren with airhorn.
When I made a 'run' the neighborhood kids (if they were out) would
pull their arms up and down,wanting me to blow the airhorn.

Also, here is another link for info:http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/m5.html

Personally,I can't imagine why anybody would want something like
that on a car just for everyday use.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

Tree68,Those pics are way cool[8D]. Especially the one with the red pickup and the CSX train[:D]!Wish I had horns on my car[:p]!Don't worry folks,I would use common sense in blowing them.

The day I saw that truck I was at the Syracuse Train Show. I heard the horns blowing for a grade crossing, but could see the only one around and there was no train there. In fact, from what I could tell by where the sound seemed to be coming from, and knowing the NYS Fairgrounds (there are no tracks where I thought the sound was coming from), I was thoroughly confused. Until I turned a corner and saw the truck sitting there....

For those who haven't checked out the links - the guy collects and repairs horns, and has added a rack on his truck to hold them (along with a couple of strobes and a locomotive bell). Check it out...

[passengerfan]

Being a very youg and not so wise trucker in the early 1960's I often thought about installing train air horns on my truck. Instead I installed a pair of 24 volt aircraft landing lights. They really were great for making oncoming drivers dim their headlights.
They lasted until i received an indoor inspectrion in California entering the State on I-5, when theuy asked me to flip on the fog lights and I lit up the palce like midday the officer quietly waled over with a tire iron and broke both lights. He then said don't reinstall them or the ticket will be more than they are worth. I took his word for it and never reinstalled the lights but for the year I had them they were a lot of fun.

[Anonymous]

Well for one thing,You don't have to worry about installing (GEVO) Horns on you car or truck because they "SOUND LIKE CRAP".
BNSFrailfan.

[espeefoamer]

Tree68,Those pics are way cool[8D]. Especially the one with the red pickup and the CSX train[:D]!Wish I had horns on my car[:p]!Don't worry folks,I would use common sense in blowing them.

[garr]

Once the Nathans are outlawed, maybe the offenders will switch to Hancack (I know, it should be o but it wouldn't pass the censor) whistles. Now that was a pretty sound. But it would still not pass the noise ordinances.

Jay

[Anonymous]

=)

[adrianspeeder]

QUOTE: Originally posted by equinox

QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianspeeder

I don't know, I think it would be cool to have some hidden on my PSD....

Adrianspeeder

What part of the above posts did you not understand? Time to grow up!

I understand the morons that blast em at the wrong time and place shouldn't affect what I want to do with my rigs. It's no different than the dipsticks that 4x4 on private or protected land and give people like me a negative image of destroying bambi's home when I take my broncos out four wheeling when and where I should.

Just like I have strobe lights installed and as long as I don't use them on road or in non work related environments, I can put on horns if I darn well want too as long as I use some common sense.

In fact, I already have dual Hadleys off a 79 Pete and a belt driven York compressor, and as soon as I get a good tank that I want, you can bet I'll be honkin when there is a need to. If a set of loco horns comes my way, they would prolly go under the frame rails too.

Adrianspeeder

[coborn35]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DSchmitt

I know of several railfans who had locomotive air horns on their cars 15 years ago. They were set up so that the sound level was the same as a stock auto horn.

As I said before, having a 5 chime nathan air horn would be super cool as long as you put it down a notch. Also, as far as some people blowing them at the crossings, it will increase the problem with people who dont look at crossing and just go through. They will hear a REAL train and go "ohh, im in a hurry and its probably just some guy with a cool (but actually dumb) set of air horns. CRASH!!! BYE BYE What idiots[soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox][soapbox]
I also agree with ericsp's idea of the air hornv punishment. LOL LOL

[BaltACD]

Much ado about nothing.

Better to get upset about those that put $4000/$5000 into their onboard sound system....sound that can be heard and felt when you pass them on the Interstate...both cars with the windows up.

Kids will be kids (and truthfully we are all kids...no matter the age)!

[Anonymous]

Radar detectors are illegal in Alabama. It doesn't really matter much any more, because a lot of PD's and SO's use laser type speed devices anyway- and they can't be detected by radar detectors. Anyway, I advise truck drivers to get rid of the things- but I don't routinely break them. Realising that most of these guys make a living doing what they are doing, I try not to cite them- unless they are really, really impaired or doing something really, really dumb. (Both have happened.)

Horns fall under a weird sort of judgement call. Ordinary people can't use sirens. A locomotive whistle, for all intents and purposes, is a warning device along those lines. About the only reason I can see citing someone with a train whistle is if they were disturbing the peace- like firing the thing off sitting at a traffic light right next to me at three AM. To me, it's really no different than someone with a stereo cranked up so loud you can hear it a block away. Nice to have, but a nuiscance to the folks stuck listening to it.

Erik