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[Anonymous]

I am new to this forum. I love trains, real ones and also models. I live a few miles inland from the Amtrak station at Jack London Square in Oakland. In the last week or so, I have been woken up at around 3:30am on a couple of occasions by a beautiful harmonic train whistle sound which is really different than any of the train sounds I have heard in the last (many) years I've lived here. You can hear the train whistle sounds from a lot of neighborhoods in Oakland, but this was something really lovely and different. I thought it was my alarm going off, set to the classical music station. But then, it just stopped and I realized it must have been a train whistle. Is there a new sound out there in trainland? Or has it always been there, and I've just noticed it? The fact that it happened in the wee hours just confirmed my thought that it was a train, though I lost patience trying to check the Amtrak schedule to see what was coming through at that time. The Port of Oakland is nearby and there are a lot of frieight trains coming and going from the Port which might have fancier whistles than Amtrak. Does anyone know what this beautiful sound is?

[Anonymous]

Howdy and welcome.
As long as you don't mean a steam whistle (the definition of beautiful noise). I would wager to say it was some leased power from a different railroad on the head of a freight train.

[Anonymous]

Hallo, I´m a new member as well, and I´m German, west german, that is, and grew up with trains in the 50s, 60s and 70s, then joined the railways myself(Deutsche Bahn) and am now retired, but still going strong as a railfan, not having to care any longer of the corporate belongings...

Nowadays, I must say, trains sounds grow more and more ugly! I fondly remember the chimes of steam in Germany, the deep-throated howl of the big steamers as well as the higher "peep" of the older steamers of Prussian or Bavarian origin (famous Prussian P8 or Bavarian S3/6 for instance...).
But, one sound that still can be watched is the sound of a train rolling across switches, or streets of switches in stations, though this noise has altered a bit, too, over the years, due to track quality and wheel techniques. But, one familiar sound at least!
On the open track, today, trains are going by at a whoosh rather than the old familiar clickaticklack of wheels, from which noise a skilled watcher could tell which engine or trains had just passed...
Reminds me of steam engines slowly rolling onto or from a turntable as well, from which noise you perfectly could tell which engine it was, as well as a steam engine coming at you, picking up speed!

Best greetings to you US-railfans!
Tom

[Anonymous]

In the sense of train music in terms of train sounds my son purchased two CD’s with train sounds.

One is called “Authentic Train Sound – BIG TRAIN SOUND.” The backside is quoted as follows: “This album contains a collection of diesel locomotive sounds specifically designed to please the diesel locomotive rail fan….”
Produced by TWO TRACKS Copyright 1998. Write to: BIG TRAIN SOUNDS, P.O. Box 511, Southfield, MI 48037-0511
Or try this: http://www.bigtrainsound.com/
They are even into motorcycles now.

Another one is called: “Authentic Steam Sounds for All Rail Fans.” The backside is quoted as follows: “This disc contains a variety of digital steam locomotive sounds specifically designed to please the steam locomotive rail fan….”
Same as address as above. This one is copyright – 1995.

In vocal music arena of railroad music there is a Johnny Cash DVD.

A pretty good DVD is one featuring Johnny Cash called “RIDIN’ THE RAILS: THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAIN STORY.”
The Cash video is “A nostalgic look at the history of the American Railroad as told in story and song by the legendary Johnny Cash.”
This was a one hour television show that aired on television in 1974. DVD runs 52 minutes.
Some of the songs featured include: Ridin’ the Rails, They Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Casey Jones, City of New Orleans, The L & N Don’t Stop Here Anymore, and several more.
My son ordered the DVD through a book store like Barnes & Noble or Borders a couple of years ago.
The website on the back of the case is: www.rhino.com
The DVD is found on this site: http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=970410
or search “Ridin’ The Rails”

[Anonymous]

http://www.sounddogs.com/subcategories.asp?Type=1&CategoryID=1053

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much to you all for the links, thoughts and information. I agree that it's all beautiful, but I am going to see if I can match up what I have been hearing to any of the sounds you have referenced. I really appreciate your replies!

[Anonymous]

Hope it helps you.