GLC horns

[KVERBERK]

Does Anyone know what horns are used on GLC's GP-38's and as long as I'm asking what about the GP-35's? Thanks

-Kyle

[Ypsi]

396 and 397 sound to have a P3 horns on them, I watched this video from Delay in Block
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1a-xm88Hxc

385 sounds like it could have a Nathan M3 horn.. As far as I know the Ann Arbor had M3's on the GP35's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZDMVdpcLTs

395 sounds to have an RS3 (or RS3L)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1gFA1_ap3c


Those were just a couple of the horns I took the time to listen to and am pretty confident in. I heard some other on the YouTube that I wasn't quite sure about, possibly a K3LA on one of the GP38-2's. As far as I know most of the GLC power has 3 chime horns like P3's, RS3's, K3LA's, M3's, ect.. Someone else might have a better idea of the entire roster and what horns they have, that what I got from a couple minutes of listening on YouTube, hope it helps a little.

[KVERBERK]

Thanks that does help. There is no way I can tell just by listening, that's pretty good. I also enjoyed the video comparison. I like the sound of the M3 and the RS3L. I hope I'm not turning into a horn geek. Thanks again.

Kyle

[Mr. Tops]

396 and 397 sound to have a P3 horns on them, I watched this video from Delay in Block
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1a-xm88Hxc

385 sounds like it could have a Nathan M3 horn.. As far as I know the Ann Arbor had M3's on the GP35's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZDMVdpcLTs

395 sounds to have an RS3 (or RS3L)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1gFA1_ap3c


Those were just a couple of the horns I took the time to listen to and am pretty confident in. I heard some other on the YouTube that I wasn't quite sure about, possibly a K3LA on one of the GP38-2's. As far as I know most of the GLC power has 3 chime horns like P3's, RS3's, K3LA's, M3's, ect.. Someone else might have a better idea of the entire roster and what horns they have, that what I got from a couple minutes of listening on YouTube, hope it helps a little.

396 and 397 in the first video have K3LAs (there's no mistaking a K3LA for a P3), as well as 398. 385 in the second video also has a K3LA, as well as the rest of the GP35s (I believe) .395 in the third video is correct, with an RS3L and 399 is the only to have a P3. The majority of their fleet though, have K3LAs; some of them sound differently because they are tuned different.

[cfriedri]

Thanks that does help. There is no way I can tell just by listening, that's pretty good. I also enjoyed the video comparison. I like the sound of the M3 and the RS3L. I hope I'm not turning into a horn geek. Thanks again.

Most train horns have a rather unique appearance about them. Leslie horns are typically larger in comparison with Nathan horns. The Nathan P3 and P5 are always easy to distinguish from other horns as they have much slimmer bells.

Here's what I could gather from several photos taken within the past 4-5 years:

GLC GP35 385: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP35 390: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP35 391: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP35 392: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP35 393: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP35 394: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP38-2 395: Leslie RS3L
GLC GP38-2 396: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP38-2 397: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP38-2 398: Nathan K3LA
GLC GP38-2 399: Nathan P3

As Mr. Tops stated, most of the roster are equipped with Nathan K3LAs tuned in several different ways. As can be seen, there isn't much of a variety with this roster.

[KVERBERK]

Thanks for the good information guys!

[hoborich]

Now for extra points: How come 385s ditch lights flash with the horn, and 395 and 396s don't?

[Ypsi]

Now for extra points: How come 385s ditch lights flash with the horn, and 395 and 396s don't?

I too have wondered about ditch lights, my two questions are

1) why western roads (UP, KCS, and BNSF units) tend to prefer ditch lights stay solid (and vice versa on the eastern roads (CSX, NS) tend to prefer ditch lights to flash)

2) is it a "factory" option, or is it a "setting" in the cab/ computer of a locomotive that can easily be changed for flashing/ non flashing ditch lights

The first question is more of a RR's preference, and can probably be traced to the RRs that preceded those roads.

[Mr. Tops]

Now for extra points: How come 385s ditch lights flash with the horn, and 395 and 396s don't?

I too have wondered about ditch lights, my two questions are

1) why western roads (UP, KCS, and BNSF units) tend to prefer ditch lights stay solid (and vice versa on the eastern roads (CSX, NS) tend to prefer ditch lights to flash)

2) is it a "factory" option, or is it a "setting" in the cab/ computer of a locomotive that can easily be changed for flashing/ non flashing ditch lights

The first question is more of a RR's preference, and can probably be traced to the RRs that preceded those roads.

1) There's really no answer to this that I'm aware of other than preference. Canadian ditch lights don't flash either. The reason some ditch lights flash when the horn is sounded is to attract attention to the train. BN experimented with flashing strobe lights (similar to Amtrak's stobes on the F40s, etc) located in the same position as the "normal" ditch lights. BNSF has some flashing ditch lights on 70MACs, UP has flashing ditch lights on most of the ex-SP C44-9Ws and AC4400CWs.

2) You can have the locomotive delivered with or without flashing ditch lights, but it's only a wiring job to change it. It's not unheard of to see a CSX or NS motor with non-flashing ditch lights. There's also hardwired settings that can change the duration of the flash sequence. Amtrak, CSX and NS all are about the same; 1 second or so per flash. Though some of the newer NS rebuilds are slower, flashing only every 2 seconds. Amtrak also used the slower, 2-second flash sequence when they first started retrofitting their F40s with ditch lights. Then you look at some of the old Wisconsin Central power, and those ditch lights would flash so quickly, you have a seizure!

[Ypsi]

Thanks for the info Tops, very insightful, and it answers a couple of questions I have had for a while

[Saturnalia]

Thanks for the info Tops, very insightful, and it answers a couple of questions I have had for a while

I second the motion

[CSX_CO]

Then you look at some of the old Wisconsin Central power, and those ditch lights would flash so quickly, you have a seizure!

WC ditch lights flashed any time the bell was ringing.

Practice Safe CSX

[Mr. Tops]

That's right, they did! Now that you mention it, so do IHB's. We have a regular leaser that hangs around the Bloomington/Villa Grove area commonly, GMTX 2687 (ex-LLPX 2020 / CSXT 9667 / CSXT 2001 / B&O 3801) that the ditch lights flash continuously whenever the engine is in either forward or reverse.

[BerkshireKid]

The NS power we run has a switch for the option of steady ditch lights or flashing continuously while going down the rail. They of course flash when the horn is blown.

[Mr. Tops]

With NS's, if you meet a train at or near a road crossing, you can swap the ditch lights to flash on the long hood end so you don't blind the other crew. With CSX's, you don't have that option...they flash until they time out.

[bnsfben]

From what I've been told in the past is eastern railroads (Conrail/NS, CSX etc) have flashing ditch lights to attract attention to the train as Tops said. I believe Eastern roads did this because they often went through highly populated areas, where as western roads typically go through more open land with less people. Relatively speaking, east of the Mississippi is densely populated compared to the plains or rocky mountians where these western roads run.

I don't know if that's right, but that's my opinion behind it.

[Mr. Tops]

From what I've been told in the past is eastern railroads (Conrail/NS, CSX etc) have flashing ditch lights to attract attention to the train as Tops said. I believe Eastern roads did this because they often went through highly populated areas, where as western roads typically go through more open land with less people. Relatively speaking, east of the Mississippi is densely populated compared to the plains or rocky mountians where these western roads run.

I don't know if that's right, but that's my opinion behind it.

I just had CSX 4784 last night. It reminded how annoying flashing ditch lights are...