Nathan K5 horn on EMD vs. GE

[Steve F45]

I have wanted to ask this for a while but kept forgetting. How come the Nathan K5LA that is on a EMD SD70ACe is much much more loud then on a GE ES44? I've heard both in person and there is a considerable difference in tone swell.

[DutchRailnut]

location location location ?
Same 140 Lbs Main reservoir presure

[Steve F45]

they all seem to be on the long hood above the engine on ge and emd's.

[MEC407]

The reason they sound different is because they are two different horns. Neither one is a K5LA. EMD uses a K5LLA on the SD70ACe. GE uses a K5HL on the Evolution Series.

K5LLA info: http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/k5lla.html

K5HL info: http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/k5hl.html

Also, there are some variations from horn to horn, due to manufacturing inconsistencies, which can result in two horns of the same type sounding quite different. On top of that, they were some slight changes made to the K5HL after 2007, which means that the horns on older Evolution Series locos sound different than the horns on newer Evolution Series locos, even though they both have the same type of horn.