• Why do some locomotives have/use bells, but some don't?

  • General discussion about locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment
General discussion about locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment

Moderator: John_Perkowski

  by SouthernRailway
 
Yesterday while in Metro-North territory, I noticed the following:

(1) Amtrak locomotives use bells when passing through the station where I was, even when they don't stop.

(2) Metro-North EMUs don't use bells, even when stopping at the station where I was.

Are bells (or whatever the clanging sound device is) required by some FRA regulation or the like? If so, only at certain times and on certain pieces of equipment? I assume that Metro-North EMUs aren't generally used in territory where there are grade crossings; maybe that's the reason why they don't have them (if they don't)?

Just curious. Thanks.
  by DutchRailnut
 
Bells on Locomotives are a rules requirement, EMU's do not have bells.
  by SouthernRailway
 
Thanks! Out of curiosity--why? Wouldn't locomotives and EMUs both have the same ability to run over someone, if the point is to alert people about approaching trains?
  by DutchRailnut
 
Bells are not even required by FRA rules, only by company rules.