BNSF horn blowing patterns?

[emd_SD_60]

Do all BNSF engineers blow their whistles in a series of short blasts? Back in March when the detours over the CN were going on, they seemed to never sound them in the long-short-long pattern, just a series of short blasts. I guess they really don't care how it's sounded, just as long it gets sounded. Although there was a few that did the standard pattern, one of them had a GEVO (sweet!) leading.

And mind you, some of them wouldn't sound their horn until they were within 15-20 feet of the crossing! Dunno, maybe I am just used to the CN and UP ways, they always give fair warning! (esp on UP, a train could be a mile from the crossing and it's still blowing away!)

[CN_Hogger]

It all depends on the individual engineer. Some can't stand the sound of the horn, some are by the book and some just like to make noise.

[emd_SD_60]

But most of the locomotives had isolated cab SD70MAC's leading, meaning the horn is just barely audible in the cab... hmm, who knows.

[Fatal]

But most of the locomotives had isolated cab SD70MAC's leading, meaning the horn is just barely audible in the cab... hmm, who knows.

I guess some engineers are just hornier than others!

[Komachi]

Fatal quipped...
"I guess some engineers are just hornier than others! "


LOL, Nice. (See? I do have a sense of humor! Just wish I had as witty a comment to compliment it. Unfortunately it's a tad late in the night as I write this...)

[Komachi]

Hmmmm, ya know, I just re-read that comment, and it doesn't really fit without context. Badnighbor had jokingly posted a redundant thread on the new logo and I locked it, commenting on how I had a sense of humor, but not in that situation. Then I came here and read Fatal's comment on some engineers being "hornier" than others.

Then I made the above comment, a failed attempt to show that, yes, I do have a sense of humor (especially if it's creative or witty). Unfortunately, after wracking my brain for a good addition to Fatal's post, I could only come up with...

I guess some guys just like to toot their own horn.


(ducks incoming barage of tomatoes)

Well, maybe someone can do better.

And don't worry about humor here, as long as it's tasteful and within the bounds of the railroad.net rules on posting.

[txbritt]

Since the advent of the radio, I don't think the horn means as much as it used to. I know I don't know all the horn signals, and I doubt if any of the newer railroad employees do either.

I think if the engineer is sounding the horn far enough in advance as to warn traffic of the train's presence, its fine.

I personally blow the guts out of the thing, to the dismay of the unfortunate switchman that isn't wearing hearing protection, like they should be. Sometimes its --o-, sometimes its not. Sometimes I feather the horn ( we've got the manual valves on all of our junk ) and try my hand at horn music, or sometimes I pull it wide open.

Its all personal preference, and what kind of mood you're in that day I reckon.

TxBritt

[route_rock]

I just got my letter saying "whack the engineer on the noggin with the AB wrench if he doesnt blow the whistle for this long at this speed in this pattern! SO duck you whistle jerkers Just kidding I am obnoxious as well whenever "hitting the alerter" while the engineer is indisposed. Towns probably want to have his hide after I am done but alas with the new rule we will have to have a stopwatch to time the - - 0 - now

[Joe]

Yeah the --o- has to be between 15 and 20 seconds under the new rules. I hardly expect any engineers to get out their stopwatches, though.

After passing the whistle post, wait until sounding the horn according to this:

For 40 MPH - wait 3 Seconds
35 MPH - 6 Seconds
30 MPH - 10 Seconds
25 MPH - 16 Seconds
20 MPH - 25 Seconds
15 MPH - 40 Seconds
10 MPH - 1 Min 10 Seconds

Above 45 MPH, sound horn at Whistle post.

[route_rock]

Yeah not all but we have a few engineers that time everything. We had an engineer who got popped by FRA and a trainmaster for not blowing it right. SO he said watch this! He blew looooooooooooong looooooooooooooooooooong short looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong at every crossing. Did I mention this was on 10 mph track? in the city? with a crossing at just about every 3 or so blocks! Needless to say he had three cities police forces coming after him.

[freshmeat]

BNSF Powder River Division (and I assume all divisions) are now pulling tapes to ops test train crews, not just engineers but entire crews, for whistle blowing. In Gillette, they are going to pull 180 tapes a month to check for compliance. A friend of mine was ops tested in person for whistle blowing and then notified of an investigation because the tape said the engineer didn't blow the whistle right. Go figure.

Just looks like the flavor of the month. BNSF probably got burned by the FRA so now it will micro-manage the whistle blowing regulation and then find something else to go on to in a few weeks.

[TB Diamond]

Gillette was always a "fun" terminal with lots of TMs and lots of efficiency testing. The advent of the event recorder really gave a boost to the big brother syndrome up there. Radio availability does not in any way diminish the importance of proper use of the locomotive horn. Sounding the horn in a series of short blasts serves as a general warning to anyone near the tracks upon the approach of a train or engine. There is only one way to properly use the horn and this is outlined in the rule book. Saw lots of violations but, as it has been said:"there is no rule violation as long as you don't get caught".