Does a Train have a whistle or a horn?

Question

Does a Train have a whistle or a horn?

Answer 1

both.

Answer 2

Rat Azz is correct.The rule book says whistle.Strangely though on my control panel the whistle is labeled horn.

Answer 3

Modern trains in the UK have horns, except for a few older diesel shunting engines that have air whistles.

Steam locomotives have mostly whistles, of varying pitch, though some have deeper-toned hooters.

The steam locomotive, 'King George V', built in 1927 and now preserved, carries a bell which was fitted when the loco visited the US in 1928 to commemorate the Centenary of the Opening of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, 1st rail line in the US.

The locomotive, 'Flying Scotsman' (another famous steam engine) also carried a bell when visiting the US & Canada some years ago.

In the UK it is also a legal requirement that any locomotive which travels along rail lines built into a street (i.e. tramlines) must carry a bell and a yellow flashing light.

Answer 4

Kate-

Pick up August 2008's Copy of Model Railroader Magazine.  Turn to Page 24 and read the article.  It continues on page 26.

Jim Hediger is the Senior Editor for this Magazine and the answer he gives in this article completely explains the rules about Quiet Zones and Horn Rules.

The Federal Railway Administration is responsible for setup and enforcement of these rules.  They are designed for your safety, and that of others.  

I think after reading this article you will have a better understanding of what the Locomotive Engineers are required to do by law.  

I hope this answers your question.

Enjoy the read!

Answer 5

If you live next to a tourist railroad like the Strasburg Railroad or the Durango and Silverton Railroad; You'd get used to hearing a steam whistle if you live next an active main line like the Union Pacific or the B.N.S.F. you'd get used to hearing diesel horn.

Answer 6

The train has a horn but the conducter has a pretty decent whistle.

Answer 7

Horns

Answer 8

It's called both.  It's more or less a trumpet that runs on compressed air.

Answer 9

The proper term is "whistle."  If looking in a rule book, you don't see the word "horn" anywhere, unless referring to a "coupler horn," which has nothing to do with the whistle at all.

They can be operated by steam or as an air horn.  In the last of the steam engines manufactured for the SP, class AC11 & AC12 (the last two classes of the famed SP "cab forwards"), they were equipped with both types of whistle, which could be sounded individually or both at the same time.

The air horn was located on the front, center of the locomotive right under the windows, while the steam whistle was located near the smoke stack.

Since we're talking about both a communications device as well as a safety device, keep in mind that the air horns often get plugged with snow during a storm and work not well or not at all.  That is why one must always LOOK, as well as listen for the whistle before crossing any tracks.

Here's a star for a good safety question.  Thanks for asking.

Answer 10

They have air horns in the olden days they had whistles and used steam. However they now have horns and a bell.

Answer 11

depends on the train. older ones have big whistles