Union Pacific Diesel Horns

[Anonymous]

My dad and I just took a trip to Colorado and Wyoming to do a little railfanning. Since it's mostly U.P. out there, we sampled a variety of yards and mainline running. This brings up a very daunting question: Why do (most) U.P. Diesel horns sound like a goose stuck in a trap? Is it the maintenance (or lack of therof)? Or does U.P.just order their engines with crummy horns? I hope you all can share your ideas on this interesting topic. Thanks!

[EvanWerkema]

UP actually has quite a variety of different
horn types running around on its system now,
so chances are you're not hearing just one brand
of "crummy horn." Horns aren't maintenance
free, unfortunately. Exhaust, road grime, and
other stuff can get in them from the outside, and
oily or dirty supply air can gum them up inside.
Regular use puts wear on the diaphragms and
power chambers. Some horns have a tendency
to "squeal" when they're having problems, while
on others, the bells just go silent until they're
down to just one note. At any rate, yes,
maintenance plays a part in the sound you hear.