New BNSF ES44DC Horn and Bell

[Andrew Matuska]

For those who have seen the new BNSF ES44DC in action or just sitting did you noticed the new bell and horn. The bell is electronic and sounds electronic, it sounds the normal bell but more of a ‘gong’ to it. Not like the old Milwaukee Road electronic bell for those of you that remember that. The horn is a 5-chime with 1 bell forward and 4 back. It really does sound unique[/u]

[Joe]

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreject.php?id=90503

They could at least make it look like a bell! I also noticed that it says "ES44DC" on the side, instead of "Dash 10-44CW." :lol: I wonder if BNSF's new ES44ACs will actually have ES44AC on the side? :P

[NicTrain35]

I saw 7653 at Downers Grove, IL. on Saturday. The motor sounded very unusual! To make the lash-up even better, there was a Santa Fe SD75M second! :) 7653 was leading a Stack Train towards Chicago.

[bnsfnut4924]

I have a picture of the horn if you want to see it.

[Cyclonetrain]

way to drag up the dead (post)

[bnsf sammy]

way to drag up the dead (post)
What's wrong with that? :shock: I think that the photo looks cool.

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

way to drag up the dead (post)

Thats what forums are for. Instead of him starting a new thread just to put up the pic, he saw that it fit into this one and it does. The forums are open for as long as the moderators leave it open meaning you can bring it back up at ANY time. If you don't like it...tough...keep the comment to yourself (its not what the thread is about!).

It's good to have a visual aid when reading about the horn. Thanks bnsfnut4924!

[busyEMT]

way to drag up the dead (post)
It would be helpful if you could link to the "original" thread.

[bnsfnut4924]

I also have a picture of the bell.

[Frederick]

Wow, big page stretcher... it seems 4 times as large as my screen. Would you mind resizing them a bit?

[bnsfnut4924]

I can shrink it more if you need.

[Frederick]

Thanks... I've never seen a bell like that before.

[BNSF_SD40-2B]

That is a pretty weird looking bell, I'm used to the old bells you see on the DASH9's and SD70M's.

[cmherndon]

That is a pretty weird looking bell, I'm used to the old bells you see on the DASH9's and SD70M's.

It's electronic and not a standard bell.

On another note, did anyone else notice that GE can't even put a horn on right?

[fuente1]

Thats a bell? Looks like a speaker to me! Bells are made of Brass :)

[BNSF_SD40-2B]

It's electronic and not a standard bell.

On another note, did anyone else notice that GE can't even put a horn on right?

Are you talking about most of the horns facing backwards? That's the way every new GEVO is, but don't ask me why since I don't know much about horns.

[cmherndon]

Are you talking about most of the horns facing backwards?

Yes. The entire horn is mounted backwards In this case, it's an Airchime K5HLR2345 (or something like that). The horn should be turned around the other way for maximum effectiveness. Think about the doppler effect for a second and how a train horn sounds like it's changing pitch as it passes you. It's also a little quieter when it's going away due to the fact that not as many of the bells are facing you. One bell facing you won't make as much noise as four, and thus said warning device is not as effective. Plus, I highly doubt these locomotives are set up to run long hood forward anyway.

[milepost 48.1]

Yes. The entire horn is mounted backwards In this case, it's an Airchime K5HLR2345 (or something like that). The horn should be turned around the other way for maximum effectiveness. Think about the doppler effect for a second and how a train horn sounds like it's changing pitch as it passes you. It's also a little quieter when it's going away due to the fact that not as many of the bells are facing you. One bell facing you won't make as much noise as four, and thus said warning device is not as effective. Plus, I highly doubt these locomotives are set up to run long hood forward anyway.

From the Five Chime Consultants (http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/) page:

The US Code of Federal Regulations has long specified a minimum decibel requirement for the "audible warning device" on railroad locomotives: 96dB(A) at 100 feet forward of the locomotive in its direction of travel (49CFR229.129). Effective December 18, 2004, the regulation also began to specify a maximum volume of 110dB(A) at 100 feet. Contemporaneously, and apparently in response to this regulation, AirChime began producing 5-chime K horns for US locomotives that made use of the low-pitched 1L bell, which plays C (261Hz).

So it somehow has to due with some new regulation I guess, maybe the mounting is part of it?

[Frederick]

Isn't it to cut down on noise pollution?

[cmherndon]

So it somehow has to due with some new regulation I guess, maybe the mounting is part of it?

Not really sure if mounting has to do anything with it since I do know that NS is receiving SD70M-2's with K5LLAR1 horns. Those have 4 forward and 1 reversed. It just seems to me that it would be easier to get that minimum 110 dB at 100' with more bells facing forward.

Isn't it to cut down on noise pollution?

Not sure about that either, but you could be right. I never have considered a horn to be noise pollution. I guess if you get enough people to complain about it, it can be.

[BNSF_SD40-2B]

All I know for sure is that BNSF and UP both got their GE's like this.

I've noticed ever since the GEVO came out that they seem more quiet when they are coming my way compared to the DASH9's and SD40-2's.

[VirginiaSouthern]

CSX has quite a few of their horns mounted in that way. Never shot CSX before I did in Brunswick, MD over Christmas week. The older units have most of them mounted forward, but the newer, wide cab power had most of them mounted towards the rear. They're much louder going away from you then coming towards you. Good for those railfans that seem to jump at the sound of a close horn blast. :lol:

[Topher]

When a horn is measured for db rating, it is done in an anechoic chamber. Completely free of any outside noise. One of the reasons the horn may be facing to the rear is to reduce the amount of noise for the crew in the cab. This is why it is mounted on the long hood and not the top of the cab.