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Train Horns at RR Crossing

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Posted by traisessive1 on Saturday, April 28, 2018 3:46 PM

I don't understand the point of silencing the actual train horn and then installing these. 

Just make it a quiet zone. You don't even need quad gates. We have quiet zones here in Canada where the protection does not have a gate. The track speed is 25 mph, but it's still a quiet zone. 

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, April 27, 2018 8:38 PM

zardoz
Thank you, Horatio.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your rulebooks.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Friday, April 27, 2018 8:36 PM

RDCs live! 

I didn't see the horns until about 4:17 of the 5:19 video - on a mast above the signal bungalow to the right of the photo, with pretty small 'bells'.  

RDC horn sounds better anyway.

- PDN. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by zardoz on Friday, April 27, 2018 8:35 PM

zugmann
Disclaimer:  Follow all rules and regulations pertaining to proper horn blowing.

Thank you, Horatio.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Hornblower

 

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, April 27, 2018 5:06 PM

tree68
A friend says the first thing that should move is the bell.

If my E-bell moves, something is wrong. But yeah, unless doing switching with momentary starts and stops, you ring the bell.  Also a bone of contention with me and newer EMDs* that have the bell switch up high.  The nice thing with it being down low (where it should be!) is that it's next to the indep. handle. Easy to ring it as your hand moves to release that handle.    

 

*-headlight swithces, too.  I swear whomever at EMD/Progress/Cat/whoever this week designed their latest control stand never ran an engine, and never asked anyone that did/does.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, April 27, 2018 5:03 PM

mudchicken
I really have little sympathy regarding the noise complaints. The people whining ought to pay for the QZ, especially the inevitable accident costs in the stupid zone.

In all seriousness, if a crossing has quad gates or the median barriers, do train horns really matter?  If someone is wanting to run a crossing with all that stuff in place, I doubt a few honks will do crap.   I sometimes wonder if all the blowing we do causes the horns to become simple background noise anymore. 

 

Disclaimer:  Follow all rules and regulations pertaining to proper horn blowing.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, April 27, 2018 4:39 PM

Deggesty
I do take issue with the "two shorts" when the train leaves the station. In my experience (onother roads), they have been shorts, blown before any movement.

A friend says the first thing that should move is the bell.  In my experience, the two shorts usually do come just before the train moves (as called for in the rules), but I've got no real quibble with them occuring just as the train starts to move.

If that horn is timed to the crossings, than that's how it is.  However, it appears that it is located at the crossing by the station, not by the other crossings.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by mudchicken on Friday, April 27, 2018 2:31 PM

More common than you would think and Zugster is correct on the directed noise issue. Regardless, the morons still ignore the warnings.

I really have little sympathy regarding the noise complaints. The people whining ought to pay for the QZ, especially the inevitable accident costs in the stupid zone.

 

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, April 27, 2018 8:07 AM

BaltACD

Video is from 2011 - I presume no changes have been made in the ensuing 7 years?

 

According to the comments in the newspaper?, the situation has been remedied.

I do take issue with the "two shorts" when the train leaves the station. In my experience (onother roads), they have been shorts, blown before any movement.

Johnny

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, April 27, 2018 7:51 AM

CMStPnP
Not sure if I like this new warning system with the train horn perm at the RR crossing, it makes a lot more noise than if the engineer just blew the horn on approach.

More directed noise, I guess. 

 

If you're going to go through all the trouble to install those, just do what it takes to make it a quiet zone, IMO.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, April 27, 2018 7:45 AM

Video is from 2011 - I presume no changes have been made in the ensuing 7 years?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by BOB WITHORN on Friday, April 27, 2018 6:58 AM

I agree Chuck, way too funny.  Welcome to La-La Land.

 

Bob

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Friday, April 27, 2018 12:00 AM

LaughLaughLaughLaughLaugh

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, April 26, 2018 11:31 PM

What the heck? Whaaattt? As Gump says " stupid is as stupid does"

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Train Horns at RR Crossing
Posted by CMStPnP on Thursday, April 26, 2018 10:53 PM

Not sure if I like this new warning system with the train horn perm at the RR crossing, it makes a lot more noise than if the engineer just blew the horn on approach.    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg0LprKh_ic

 

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