Horn blasts

[Baxterdog]

I live near a crossing and am used to hearing the Long, long, short, long series of horn blasts. Recently, I noticed the conductor just layed on the horn with one consecutive long blast. Could this have been to warn someone on the track? I thought an emergency warning was a series of short blasts? Any idea why the long consecutive blast?

[DutchRailnut]

first it was Engineer blowing horn, second most likely a person or car was fouling crossing.

[Baxterdog]

Sorry, so the ENGINEER controls the horn. Okay, now I know. Still, what about the long continuous blast v. series of short ones for an emergency? I'm fascinated by the code of what these sounds mean.

[DutchRailnut]

series of short blast is usually used for person or animals near right of way.
a long continuous blast , means I am about to obliterate whatever is in way.

[Baxterdog]

Interesting. Is there a book/list of what means what?

[DutchRailnut]

listed in rules like Norac or GCOR under whistle signals.

[amtrakhogger]

One long and loud to blow out the eardrums of that punk kid playing chicken with me.

[Tela1416]

One consecutive long blast, I thought, was to signal station departure.

[ExCon90]

In New Jersey one long blast is required by state law when approaching a station (the result of spectators awaiting passage of the Robert Kennedy funeral train getting in the way of scheduled trains, resulting in some deaths). Two shorts from a standing train indicate an imminent forward movement, as does sounding the bell.