Amtrak horn

[rettop]

Saturday I rode the Wolverine 358 to KAL from CHI. After leaving Union Station and over the Chicago River, we were passing a stopped container train (really long). The engineer was tapping the horn as we went by it. Was there a specific reason for this? Was he warning anyone that a train was passing. I have ridden this train many times and this was the first time I have hear this. Also, out of Michigan City the horn got stuck on four about 4 mins--that could get very tiresome quickly (no crossing were observed).

[Saturnalia]

"Tapping" as you describe I've seen as a railfan horn show, warning to anybody near the tracks, or a passing salute to another train. Nothing too specific.

I heard about the stuck horn...sure the engineer was pretty tired of it, too!

[Ypsi]

The tapping on the horn, generally two short blast every couple seconds or so is meant to alert anyone who may be trespassing between the cars or if any crew members of the train you are passing are near or between cars for some reason (not likely but could be the case). Been and observed the short tapping many times on Amtrak trips or when fanning.

[Jetlink]

Likely there was a trainman on the ground walking or otherwise troubleshooting the stopped train but told to remain clear of your trains track. The Chicago West dispatcher probably notified your trains crew by radio advising them to "Make Noise" as they passed the stopped train with personnel on the ground.

Your train could also have been passing through work limits with MOW or contractors working that just co-incidentally also had a stopped train on an adjacent track. The foreman in charge of the limits often instructs trains operating through their limits to "Make Noise" while passing through.