Large Scale Central

I didn't know cabooses had steam whistles?

Prototypes
#1

Recently I came across a old US Navy bell at a antiques store and I thought for a moment how neat it would be to have it in the garden for the trains but it needed a harp and it was more money than I wanted to spend so I didn’t buy it.
This idea led me online to have a look around for bells and WOW they range in price from $250- $3000+ reproductions to the real deal. Neat to have if you can afford it. I can’t right now so I thought the next best thing would be a whistle. The other night on “American Pickers” they visited a guy who had worked for a RR and he had picked alot of stuff out of the scrap yard including a big whistle that he had hooked up to a air compressor. It was loud.
This led me online again to search for a whistle and the prices and conditions are all over the place.

I came across something I didn’t know about and that was a whistle for a caboose. I assume these were used by the crew to signal the engineer but how were they powered? Would they have a steam line all the way back to the caboose? Did they have a tank of compressed air or steam? How did these things sound?

I think it would be pretty neat to have one and hook it up to either a compressor or a tank and be able to toot it when company came to view the layout.

Tell me more about the caboose whistles?
Todd

#2

Caboose whistles are fairly common still on ‘shoving platforms’ as the crews riding them can blow for the crossing. A caboose whistle is a much higher pitch sound than a regular locomotive horn. They are normally use air directly off the train line. I’ve never heard of one being used as a signaling device for other than a grade crossing.

Craig

#3

Yeah, what Craig wrote. The caboose whistle is usually used as a crossing signal when backing up the train, as to service one or more industries. Most communications with the engineer are now via radio. I frequently have seen this type of move used to deliver cars to industries around Salem, VA and Roanoke, VA. It is now the ONLY time I get to see a caboose in use.

Yours,
David Meashey

#4

A friend called to straighten me out and told me pretty much what you, Dave and Craig said here. Interesting.
My buddy added that it is a much higher pitch note then a loco has. There are a few on Ebay right now for around $40. I wonder how the neighbors would respond if I bought one, hooked it up to a compressor and tooted it each time the train was backed up?
Now I wonder how many train fans out there have real operating train whistles in their gardens?
Thanks for the info guys.
Todd

#5

A caboose whistle would be a lot easier to get a convincing sound from (only a 90psi source of air), where as a locomotive whistle has a 120-140psi source of air. You ‘might’ get 1 short toot with a standard air compressor and a locomotive whistle.

#6

If you want to listen to a variety of Train Horns, Visit the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum for the Oak Ridge Horn Honk. Usually held in late September it is definitely a “Blast”, but be sure to bring some hearing protection especially for any kids.

For information:
http://www.oakridgehornhonk.org/

#7

Todd Haskins said:
Now I wonder how many train fans out there have real operating train whistles in their gardens?

Not in the garden…

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/46003_144292435602840_144288548936562_269111_6585047_n.jpg)

It’s a 5" diameter Lonergan. Most locomotives usually carried a 5" or a 6" whistle. I think you may underestimate the sheer volume of air (or steam) needed to blow a large whistle. Most Locomotive sized whistles had 1-1/4" 1-1/2" pipe inlets. My engine is a 25HP and it’s actually too small - I have to use a flow restrictor to keep from damaging the crown sheet. A 300# propane cylinder MIGHT be an adequate sized receiver to blow for the crossing on air - and even then a whistle designed for steam would sound thin and thready. I DID have a Cunningham 2AS steam horn from a logging donkey on my air compressor for a while last year… think '68 Roadrunner horn on steroids. The dogs hated it.

#8

5 or 6 years ago I thought I wanted to have a whistle to blow in the yard. A quick look at eBay told me I wasn’t going to be buying any locomotive whistles anytime soon. I didn’t even consider that my small 1/2 HP 5 gallon compressor would never blow one. I did some experimenting making my own from PVC tubing with wood plugs. I had a 5 chime that sounded nice using 1.5" tube as a manifold and 1/2" tube for each of the chimes. I tried some single chimes using the 1.5" tube and could just barely get that to blow using my compressor.

#9

You really want an “affordable” locomotive whistle, try MD Whistles
http://mdwhistles.com/

#10

Do I need a big Shay to power them ? :slight_smile: If #6 is still wearing that whistle I have video recordings of it myself. But like you say, whistles on air just don’t sound quite right. Would need home brew a vertical boiler too! That’s when my family said NO, not in OUR back yard !

#11

Guess what? I am now the proud owner of a caboose whistle.
Question is what is the best way to hook this baby up to give it a toot. I do need to take it apart and get the action moving and then a few appropriate fittings, connect it to my 15 gallon compressor then put the dogs inside and cover your ears!
Nice video from Cass that place looks great, I really need to get myself here someday.
Todd

#12

OK I got the caboose whistle set it up with several fittings and a valve to make it look steam punk attached it to my compressor set for 90 pounds and charged it up. I had air leaks, maybe I shouldn’t have taken it apart and cleaned out all the heavy grease in there? I tightened the nut and spring which sealed the air leak. BIG Question I thought the swivel arm caused the whistle to blow but it is the button on the end? Why does this whistle have a valve to let off air?? Any one know?

#13
Todd Haskins said:
Why does this whistle have a valve to let off air?? Any one know?
because it also served as an emergency air dump
#14

A 1:1 locomotive whistle is a loud thing to have on your layout, if you have neighbors within… well, if you’re anyone other than, say, Ron Simpson in February. And most steam whistles don’t sound right on air; something about the density changes how the thing vibrates. They also generally use A LOT of air.

You might try to get your hands on a Hancock 4700 … it’s authentic 1:1, and not very loud at all (which is why a lot of places quit using them.)

There’s a place in Strasburg called the “Choo Choo Barn” that used to have an aluminum 6 pipe whistle that sounded pretty good on about 40 lbs of air, and wouldn’t carry much beyond the average size backyard. It was threadable, being made entirely of aluminum, and easy to fit to some copper tubing, or whatever.

#15

I just found a video on youtube about a caboose whistle and mine sounds just like the one on the video. Not that loud but distinctive.
The narrator also explained the need for the long handle and like Mik wrote it was for an emergency air dump which when pulled would set the brakes. Pretty neat.
I think since the caboose whistle was designed ot operate with compressed air that the sound is good from a tanked compressor but as for a locomotive whistle I can see how that sound may suffer due to the difference in properties of steam to air and not to mention the pressure and volume of the steam. Someday I might find a steam whistle to add to the collection.
Thanks for the input guys.

#16

Steam Whistle 101:

Pitch is a function of chamber length.
Volume is a function of diameter.

In other words, at least in theory, you CAN build something that SOUNDS (more or less) like a locomotive, but won’t make your ears itch and the neighbors b-tch. There’s a guy on fleabay peddling plans for a pvc pipe whistle, They’re pretty good plans, but you don’t really need him if you’re willing to research stuff…
http://www.ehow.com/how_6127149_make-pvc-train-whistle.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rft_ElDvvV0
http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/00iiNF4tn4o

You can cut the tubes long and foodle around with each chamber length until you get a decent chime, or for the more technically minded
http://www.fonema.se/whistle/hotwhiz.html

An option for those without an air compressor is to build a low pressure one and power it with the exhaust from a shop vac

And for you diseasel guys…
http://pvctrainhornguide.webs.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE-E2EuWR0Q

#17

Somebody used to sell a 3 or 4 chime whistle that had the pipes attached to a bellows. You mounted the whole apparatus above your head and pulled down on a whistle lanyard to blow it (via pumping the bellows). Don’t know whether they are still in business, but it looked lika a good idea for those lacking a compressor.

Also, Mik’s idea for using a shop vac’s exhaust might just work with one of the wooden chime whistles that can be found at most tourist railroad gift shops and many local hobby stores. You would have to rig up some kind of valve, but it could be fairly simple.

I remember that there was a vendor who used to come to the Hershey Antique Car Show and sell exhaust whistles. They sounded a lot like a steam whistle, except that their tone “fluttered” from the engine rpms.

Yours,
David Meashey

#18

Dave I have seen those bellows style whistles and pulled on one at a train shop last year and it actually sounded pretty good. I have one of those little wooden ones which works and sounds fine with a simple and cheap breathe of air.
I don’t know why I find the need to go beyond that but there is always the nagging passion to bigger and better all the time.
WOW Mik I’m literally blown away by the lifelike sounds that can come out of a homemade PVC horn. Really cool.
However the neighbors would not be happy. I might still have to build one though. Thanks for the links. I followed a few to other videos of homebuilt horns and they do sound good in all sizes, even the small ones.
Has anyone built one of these PVC horns?

#19

Mik, I lost it when I saw this…

(http://www.fonema.se/whistle/hotwhiz3.gif)

:smiley:

#20

Steve when you fold that up does it become a Swan?