N&W steam locomotive whistle manufacturers

[Locojunkie]

Does anyone happen to know who manufactured the steam locomotive whistles for the Norfolk & Western? Or did they make their own in their shop? Does anyone know who manufactured them for the Southern or the C&O as well? Thanks.

[feltonhill]

They made their own.  There were two types - both were single note, one short bell and long bell.  The latter was the so-called "hooter."  The E2, K2 and J passenger whistles  were "store-bought" Hancock 3-note jobs.  There was one custom made whistle on the Abingdon Branch that belonged to a Mr. Nichols.  It was made for him in the Bluefield shop.

Don't know much about SR or C&O.  Probably commercially supplied on C&O.

[selector]

I have seen claims that the J had a Hancock three chime long bell steamboat whistle on another forum.  What was it....reallly?   Nathan or Hancock?

Crandell

[feltonhill]

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They were a commercially available 3-chime product, manufactured by Hancock Valve Division of Manning, Maxwell & Moore, in Bridgeport, CN. My error, previous post corrected

[selector]

Thanks, Feltonhill, it was something that popped up in my usually feeble memory bank, and I had to ask. 

Crandell

[jfallon]

Did the N&W use different whistles for the Y6b vs. the Y3? I have a PCM Y6b and it's whistle is very different from the P2K Y3 or BLI A.

                                                                                                 John

[BigJim]

jfallon

Did the N&W use different whistles for the Y6b vs. the Y3? I have a PCM Y6b and it's whistle is very different from the P2K Y3 or BLI A.

 John

There were two types - both were single note, one short bell and long bell.

John,
At one time, the short bell mentioned above was used on freight locos and the long bell "Hooter" on passenger locos. Somewhere along the line, maybe when the J's arrived using the "steamboat" whistle, the short bell on the freight locos were replaced with the long bell or "Hooter" whistle.

I think what you are finding, and Lionel did the same thing with their Y3 & Y6b, is that the manufacturers are using the older short bell type on the Y3's and the "Hooter" on the Y6's & Class A's. Personally, I wish they hadn't used the short bell version, but they didn't ask me.

[jumper]

Hi, This is a sight with horns, but might be of interest to you all: http://www.dieselairhorns.com/sounds.html?album=5

Regards, John

[samfp1943]

selector

I have seen claims that the J had a Hancock three chime long bell steamboat whistle on another forum.  What was it....really?   Nathan or Hancock?

Crandell

Crandell:

               I cannot speak to the specific issue of whistle manufacturer for N&W, but I recall hearing, or reading a comment referencing the N&W J class #611 that for a time she was fitted with a whistle owned by a private individual. [Possibly, the whistle mentioned earlier in the thread- the whistle owned by Mr. Nichole's?]

I found this video of the newly refurbished 611 in 1982as she was on the shakedown run from Irondale, Al to Chattanooga,Tn. The whistle sound very different from the whistles blowing in later videos of the 611.

My guess that the whistle in this video is probably a shop built whistle from N&W (?): It (to me) sounds a little harsh and horse?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OCw26yigEU&feature=related   

This video is of the last run; The whistle sound pretty 'rich'  and not too rough:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amY10Iq7_Rk&feature=related

This whistle sound like a steamboat whistle(?)  [Near end of track on video]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_dz6seZP2Q&feature=related

There are a number of videos with 611in them, and seem to me to have more than a few different whistles(?)

[#off topic]

(interestingly, last video has footage of 611 running backwards, at speed, pushing train, in Buffalo,NY.)

Also, The water tender in the first video is of the EM-1 Tender (nee:L&N RR) first used and later supplemented with more standardized N&W water tenders.

 

[nasaracer32]

I feel pretty safe in saying that the train wasn't being shoved back by the 611 at that rate of speed, rather being towed from the other end by a diesel.  Given the possibilty of thing going wrong by shoving a half of mile of cars at that speed, they would have towed the train, 611 included.

As it was mentioned, the 'J' whistle is a 3 chime Hancock.  I believe that the same whistle is run on the 844 and 3985, albeit blown with superheated steam.  Regarding the comment of the whistle sounding different on the J, the locations was changed from when it first came out in '82 until she was retired again in 94.  That would have a big effect on the sound and pitch.  Also remember that angle, humidity, surrounding landscape, weather conditions, etc. can all have an effect on the sound and pitch of the whistle.