RS1 RS3 Horns

Ive posed this in another forum, what type or types of horn was used on the RS locomotives. WABCO E2 or Leslie A200, S2M or the S3L. Modeling the mid 50s West Shore feed back or a point in the right direction would be helpful.

I don't know the technical names/numbers of the various horns. The RS1's had two horns, both single bell. Long hood direction had a deep "moose call" sound which was pretty common on early diesels. The short hood direction had a higher note like what was found on the Alco switchers.

RS3's varied - some had the "moose call" horns, some had Hancock whistles. I don't remember for sure whether any had 3 or 5 chime horns but off the top of my head I don't believe that was the case.

Hope this helps. And I see we're both about a week away from earning our "10 Year Forum Member" badges!

The WABCO E2 and Leslie A200 were both similar in pitch and tone and were both single bells. I know the E2 was used on the FAs, guess I could stick with the E2s but I would be mad at myself if more info became available. Really hate reprograming decoders.

NYC's RS-3s carried the WABCO E-2.

None of NYC's RS-3s carried "chime" horns.

The only chime horns carried on NYC's early Road Switchers (so far as I know) were those on the BLH RS-12s, which were Nathan M-3s.

So then I would assume the RS1 also had E2s?

R Paul Carey wrote:None of NYC's RS-3s carried "chime" horns.

The only chime horns carried on NYC's early Road Switchers (so far as I know) were those on the BLH RS-12s, which were Nathan M-3s.

Paul, when you say "chime" horns I'm guessing you mean those with multiple bells to make harmonies or whatever - I'm not "into" horns so I may not have all the terms correct.

However, I AM familiar with the Nathan "Airchime" which looked like a horse dong and produced a tone somewhat similar to a steam whistle. And some of the NYC locos did indeed have those: (sorry, this darn web site won't let me post the pics without resizing them, which I'm not tech savvy enough to do)

RS2 8221 had one on the short hood end: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc8221ags.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RS3 8320 had one on the long hood end: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc8320s.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And RS3 8322 had one on the short hood end: (I love this picture!) http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc8322wka.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No doubt there were more.

I think the idea was to create a softer noise which was more pleasing to nearby residents, but I don't think it was as penetrating. I doubt one of those would meet the dB requirements now in place in the federal regulations.

Not a "Nathan Air Chime", but a Hancock Air Whistle, Model 4700. Quite a few of these used on the New Haven (all 60 FL9s, all 30 GP9s, 15 RS-11s, 15 FM H-16s, 20 SW1200s, 10 EP-5 electrics, etc). Seaboard Air Line liked them on E-unit passenger power also.

H.F. Malone, you are 100% correct, that was my error. Posting Without Coffee or Someofthetimer's disease, not sure which . Hancock whistle is what I meant to say. Sorry to all for any confusion, this one is on me.

FWIW, I note on the Fallen Flags web site pics that P&LE's RS3's while painted in the NYC family colors, DID have multiple bell horns rather than the single-note.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ple/ple8355s.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am sure that a small number of New York Central RS-3's had Hancock Whistles at least on one end. I don't have any numbers, maybe I have a photo somewhere but that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I remember these engines in Brewster on Harlem Trains.
Noel Weaver

Noel Weaver wrote:I am sure that a small number of New York Central RS-3's had Hancock Whistles at least on one end. I don't have any numbers, maybe I have a photo somewhere but that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I remember these engines in Brewster on Harlem Trains.
Noel Weaver

Noel, I posted links to 3 pics above, of NYC RS3's with Hancock whistles, altho I mistakenly called them Nathan Airchimes. There were several more such pics on Elwood's site but I figured 3 was enough.

BR&P wrote:H.F. Malone, you are 100% correct, that was my error. Posting Without Coffee or Someofthetimer's disease, not sure which . Hancock whistle is what I meant to say. Sorry to all for any confusion, this one is on me.

FWIW, I note on the Fallen Flags web site pics that P&LE's RS3's while painted in the NYC family colors, DID have multiple bell horns rather than the single-note.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ple/ple8355s.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc5203jra.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a photo from the Fallen Flags site of 8355 after it was sold back to the parent corp and renumbered 5203 ahead of the PC merger, with a clear view of the bracket-mounted horns and their configuration. I always figured that this subclass of RS-3s for the P&LE were delivered with multiple horns and mounted higher than the norm because they operated in noisier environments (e.g. around steel mills) and the sound carried farther and louder this way. FWIW, the P&LE's GP-7 were also delivered with roof mounted horns while most if not all the Central's GP-7s came from EMD with horns mounted on the side of the hood.