Pan Am Locomotive Horns

[KSmitty]

Gotta say,
the K3L's on the 500's sound really good, when they are fully fuctioning.

[trainiac]

Minor nit-pick but the horns on the 500s are K3Ls. PAR doesn't have any K3Hs. The L stands for low profile manifold. The K3H has an elevated manifold. They both play the same chord. (I know you already know that, Michael; I'm just stating it for the benefit of everyone else.)

D'oh! I knew that. They are my next favourite after the K5L/K5H.

I've noticed that a lot of K5L/K5Hs have a slightly sharp #4 bell (before they erroneously started using a #4a bell, which is way flat) and the video was one of the few I'd found with a #4 bell playing the proper pitch.

[MEC407]

To hear some nice K5Ls, check out the Pentrex video BC Rail Cab Ride: From Sea To Sky. It's also a very enjoyable show even if you're not a horn enthusiast.

[calaisbranch]

I'm backing up my claim on 353 being one of the worst, if not THE worst, horn on the system. Got it leading EDNM into Northern Maine Junction this morning. Nothing has changed in the few years since I got it last. Only one time, when the engineer really let into it, was it half decent. High shriller. It still sucks, and it's a 5-chimer even!

Fortunately, on the other end of the spectrum, #504 is damn sweet! Caught that one leading NMED west an hour or so later.

[MEC407]

353 has a K5LA, which normally would be a nice sounding horn, but that particular one is in rough shape.

[MEC407]

I came across a video of AYMO today, which also features some footage of Extra 518 through Farley, MA. The power on AYMO isn't anything special, horn-wise, but the K3L on the 518 is probably one of the best examples I've ever heard of what a K3L is supposed to sound like. The tuning and balance are just about perfect. Here is the link (the footage of 518 starts at 2 minutes and 30 seconds into the video):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYgReWgepCc

[KSmitty]

First,
very cool video, that water was almost as cool as seeing a train cross a road after a day of snow. The plow trucks pile the snow up on the crossing, and if the train is doing atleast 25 the snow goes flying a good 40-50 feet, what a BLAST! Must be real impressive out on PAS or even to see the Downeaster hit some snow like that.

Secondly,
That horn on the 518 is real sweet. Thanks for sharing that.

[MEC407]

MEC 381, which previously had a rather unpleasant Nathan P3, now has what appears to be a brand new (not even painted yet) Nathan K5LA, as seen in this photo from Dan Nelson:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=337637


For comparison, here is a shot of the 381 before it went through Extreme Makeover, Horn Edition:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=318499


The new horn could also potentially be a K5LLA or K5L, which both use the same manifold as the K5LA and look pretty much identical (unless you can get close enough to read the numbers on the back caps).

[KSmitty]

Hmm, I wonder if the plan is to upgrade the fleet to 5 chimes or if they just found that one lying in a box somewhere and put it to use?

As a side note, the silver horn looks good, would complement the silver bell of MEC 506 nicely...

[calaisbranch]

I saw the 381 in Bucksport on the "down train" from NMJ this morning. Almost looks like they ripped the one off the FRA 219 that was here a little while back!
I can't wait to hear it. Hopefully, it stays around on that job for a couple days.

[masscoastalfan]

Anyone else think it's kinda funny that they put the horn on 381 on backwards? It has 3 horns reversed and 2 foreward.

[MEC407]

Yes, I noticed that too. It's not the first time... they've done it with some of their RS5Ts as well.

[drcrf93]

Here's a video I got of 381 leading a long train near Waterville. Had a nice horn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efSNlO_pLc

[masscoastalfan]

there is a photo on nerail showing one of the ex KCS/TFM sd40's sporting a new silver K5 horn as well

[bmcdr]

Caught NMED at Atkinson,N.H. today, 604 now has the new horns. Funny, Guilford never cared about new appliances before, and now, new horns are starting to turn up on some of the recent re-paints.

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