Hot Box Detector Voices

[nanaimo73]

Do any hot box detectors in the United States have female voices, or are they all male ? Do employees have common nicknames for these voices ? Did CSX and NS change the voices on all of the former Conrail detectors ?

[chad thomas]

Yes, female voices are quite common. I think most all of the SPs detectors were female.

[TheS.P.caboose]

Good point Chad.

I don't recall hearing a male voice anywhere on the Southern Pacific. So far I haven't heard any male voices on the Metrolink detectors either.

[Anonymous]

All male voices up here on the CP, though there is an automatic derail with a womans voice on the CN......

[dwil89]

On the Norfolk Southern in Pennsylvania, there is one detector just East of Horseshoe Curve that has a female voice..only on one track, the rest of the tracks have male voices....Female voice sounds nonchalant...says 'Norfolk Southern, Milepost 240 dot 7, Track 1..no defects' There are at least three different male voices on other detectors in the area, and most say NS Detector, instead of saying the entire name, and they also announce the milepost decimal as 'point' such as 'Milepost 245 point 5 for 245.5 near Bennington... The female voice near Horseshoe pronounces it as 'dot' rather than 'point' Dave Williams @ [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

On the UP Omaha line just south of Mo valley the hot box at Milepost 335.3 is female.
On the Boone line at Milepost 314.5 is female.
On the Blair line all the way to Fremont it is all Male. Milepost 332.0 and Milepost 356.0.
BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

Did Mel Blanc record for any of these trackside detectors? He would have been a natural for the job.

[DPD1]

On the EJ&E in Chicago, they alternate with both. Someone was explaining to me the different boards, and which ones have which DVR chip, but I forget now. I think it's basically two companies that make the boards. I never particularly like the SP female one. She always sounded a little cranky.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Featuring the NEW TrainTenna LP Directional RR Radio Monitoring Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

[Anonymous]

On the Indianapolis line between Indy and Crestline, OH the majority of the defect detectors are still Conrail. "Conrail, Harrisville, Indiana, no defects, total axle count 328, train speed 49, detector out." A few have been either added or replaced and are CSX detectors, all are male voices.

When I worked out of Danville going to Chicago on the UP line there was a female detector at Watseka, IL, but that's the only I've ever heard.

[Junctionfan]

Some of the detectors scream at you practically. I was listening on a scanner near Fostoria and it was a NS train going through head toward Bellevue and it just left mile post 285.8 and then a pleasent sounding voice gets on.....Norfolk Southern Equipment Defect Detector............ then a westbound CSX train comes a bit later, clears the detector at milepost 31.1 on the Willard Sub and he comes on CSX EQUIPMENT DEFECT DETECTOR......had to turn the volume down and startled me. I think the next county new that it had no defects though.[:D]

[eolafan]

Both the UP and BNSF detectors in my area have male "voices". I understand female voices are often used due to their being able to get the attention of crews quicker than a male voice. Interestingly enough I was in Minneapolis airport this week and the computerized voice on their new monorail system between terminals has a male voice with a distinct British accent...I have had enough of British accents from the all too many MTV shows and endless infomercials on TV as well.

[mudchicken]

Ah ServoTalk!

[chad thomas]

If I remember right.... the reason SP chose to use female voices was they thought hearing a female voice would be more comforting to the crews. They could rest assured that mom has given there train the OK.

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lincoln5390

Did Mel Blanc record for any of these trackside detectors? He would have been a natural for the job.

No...But certain UP & BNSF talkers do sound an awful lot like Teddy Ruxpin on an acid trip![:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

QUOTE: Originally posted by lincoln5390

Did Mel Blanc record for any of these trackside detectors? He would have been a natural for the job.

No...But certain UP & BNSF talkers do sound an awful lot like Teddy Ruxpin on an acid trip![:D]

Now THAT is funny. [:D] [;)] [:D]


It must be a Beary rough life cramped up in one of those small boxes next to the railroad track. [:p]

[Jack_S]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

If I remember right.... the reason SP chose to use female voices was they thought hearing a female voice would be more comforting to the crews. They could rest assured that mom has given there train the OK.

Another possible reason: Female voices are usually higher in pitch than male ones. A high pitched voice reproduces better over the low fidelity speakers used for these radio links. This can make for easier and quicker understanding.

I know it works for me: when listening to a news station for traffic reports on my car radio I crank up the Treble to hear the info better.

Jack

[Anonymous]

Here in South Texas, the Glidden sub (east to west) has a female voice, and the Giddings sub/Cuero sub (north and south) has a male voice. As hot as it's been down here, I think they would let those folks out of those little boxes by the track.

mike

[jchnhtfd]

for what it's worth, most aircraft voice announcements for the pilots (to which one really is supposed to pay attention!) are female, on the theory that it will get your attention better. I rather think it does work.

[Mookie]

Hmmm - men start losing their hearing in the range of the female voice.

Men have selective hearing as any wife will tell you.

Are we sure a woman's voice is a positive thing on a detector unless she sounds like Lauren Bacall?

Moo

[Rustyrex]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

If I remember right.... the reason SP chose to use female voices was they thought hearing a female voice would be more comforting to the crews. They could rest assured that mom has given there train the OK.

LOL[:D] "you hear that, we have no defects Tom? It's going to be allllll right." ---both give a huge sigh as they proceed on into the sunset---

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lincoln5390

Did Mel Blanc record for any of these trackside detectors? He would have been a natural for the job.

"What's up Doc? No defects at UP 299.3, and it IS duck season". I think that would make for a very entertaining defect detector.

But really as long as the male and female voices don't start arguing about whether or not there is parking in the "white zone", then I think it would fine.[;)]

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rustyrex

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

If I remember right.... the reason SP chose to use female voices was they thought hearing a female voice would be more comforting to the crews. They could rest assured that mom has given there train the OK.

LOL[:D] "you hear that, we have no defects Tom? It's going to be allllll right." ---both give a huge sigh as they proceed on into the sunset---

and everybody lives happily ever after......................

Somethin like dat.

[Anonymous]

Well, here in pittsburgh, PA, Norfolk Southern uses mainly male voices, but there is on ex-conrail one that is female. THen there is one i belive got replaced that sounded like a mix [:0]. no wonder why it got replaced...

"CONsRAIL.. detcter... mill. post'd. one one one PINT one. no defec. haft a SAF tip. OUT."

What is should have said was: "Conrail detector...mile post... one one one, point, one, no defect, have a safe trip. Out."

Way off but, good old mono-tone computer voices. [:D][:p][:D]

(I can't remeber the mile post, sorry.)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchnhtfd

for what it's worth, most aircraft voice announcements for the pilots (to which one really is supposed to pay attention!) are female, on the theory that it will get your attention better. I rather think it does work.

Some types of military aircraft even went so far as to have custom voices for every plane, using the mother, wife, or daughter of the pilot. And some got pretty creepy, saying stuff like "honey, my number one engine is on fire."

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by radivil
Some types of military aircraft even went so far as to have custom voices for every plane, using the mother, wife, or daughter of the pilot. And some got pretty creepy, saying stuff like "honey, my number one engine is on fire."

LOL!

Daughter voice: "Daddy, were leaking fuel at a rate of 30 gallons per second and on fire, I recomend you bail pretty soon."

[:D]

[adrianspeeder]

Oooo maybe they could throw in a little dirty talkin to REALLY get the crews attention...hahaa

Adrianspeeder

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianspeeder

Oooo maybe they could throw in a little dirty talkin to REALLY get the crews attention...hahaa

Adrianspeeder

With the voice of Traci Lords, who could mind dragging equipment![:D]

[emd_SD_60]

QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianspeeder

Oooo maybe they could throw in a little dirty talkin to REALLY get the crews attention...hahaa

Adrianspeeder

There could be an Ozzy Osbourne detector box... 'Union F***ing Pacific, F***ing Milepost F***ing 240 dot f***ing 7, Track f***ing 1..no f***ing defects' [:o)][:)]

Of course Ozzy would provide the voices, but the way he talks (like he has f***ing marbles in his mouth[:p]) none of the crews would be able to understand, ensuing in fatal consequences should there be a defect!

[tree68]

Somewhere in the attic is my old TI994A computer, with voice sythesizer. You could adjust the various factors to get any number of types of voices, male or female. I may have to dig it out and see if it will still fire up...

The DED/HBD I hear most of the time is sythesized male.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by corailfan

QUOTE: Originally posted by lincoln5390

Did Mel Blanc record for any of these trackside detectors? He would have been a natural for the job.

"What's up Doc? No defects at UP 299.3, and it IS duck season". I think that would make for a very entertaining defect detector.

But really as long as the male and female voices don't start arguing about whether or not there is parking in the "white zone", then I think it would fine.[;)]

"Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a hotbox outta my hat!" [;)]