Bells on Electric MU's

[Stephen B. Carey]

I appologize if this if this has already been discussed (I did a search that turned up nothing)

Do the Metro-North electric MU's (m2 m3 m4 m7 etc...) have bells on them, I was just wondering because I have never heard one, the P32's have them and I assume the others deisels do as well. Just wondering why the EMU's would be exempt because as far as I know they are regular heavy rail vehicles right??

[DutchRailnut]

MU's are not required to have bells and the M equipmend does not have them.
Bells on Locomotives and Cabcars are not even required by Federal rule, but if so equipped they must work and must be used.

On Amtrak the Acela does have a bell, it is however just like the HHP-8 and AEM7ac an electronic Bell

[Stephen B. Carey]

Thanks, I thought that they were required, so I guess most freight locos dont have them either.

[DutchRailnut]

As I said all US Locomotives have bells, both freight and passenger, MU cars do not have bells most of time.
The bells on locomotives are required by Railroad rules, but not by FRA rule.
The FRA however requires all equipment on a locomotive to work as intended.

[Head-end View]

I never understood why Diesel Locomotives (which you hear coming 'cause they're noisy) have bells, while electric MU's (which can quietly sneak up on you) do not usually have them. If anything, the MU's need them more. Interestingly, New Jersey Transit's MU's have flashing white strobes and alternating ditch lights, which MTA's railroads have never had. Go figure............

[DutchRailnut]

Flashing ditch (aux headlights) lights are no longer required and a big maintenance cost, steady burning lights give same effect and are just as effective according to FRA and AAR.

[Tadman]

Out here in Chicago, our EMU's have both bell and horn, but rely almost exclusively on bells. Coming into a station, leaving, and crossing roadways is mostly bell-alerted. I finally heard a EMU toot a horn for the first time in about ten years a few weekends ago. Once the EMU's hit Indiana, horns are used over bells.

[Clean Cab]

Bells on MUs are optional, not required as Dutch Rail Nut has already stated. Some have advocated that the upcoming M8s using an electronic bell as an additional warning device at crossings and when moving through yards. But don't hold your breath expecting to find this feature on the M8s. The M8s are going to be quite complex enough!!

[Otto Vondrak]

Dutch said if there is a bell installed on the equipment, it must be functional.

-otto-