Horn sounding

Rail staff I have spoken to have said that the horns on the Class 80x trains are quiet compared to other trains. Anyone heard one?

83G/84D said:

Rail staff I have spoken to have said that the horns on the Class 80x trains are quiet compared to other trains. Anyone heard one?

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I agree with the people you've spoken to, they are incredibly quiet.

Apparently part of the issue is something to do with the train automatically determining the volume based on speed but I don't know how true this is. I'm not convinced this is the sole cause of the issue as they are often tricky to hear regardless of the speed that they are travelling at.

It's very interesting to read how / when to sound the trainhoens in the UK.
I've managed to have ridden & watch trains in N. America, & the Association of American Railroads have rules for level crossings that would raise a few eyebrows over here.
Basically the driver has to sound 2 x long applications, 1 short & then 1 long, with the last "long" lasting until the train is on the crossing.
Having spent a few nights in a farmhouse B&B in rural Ontario, only a few 100 yards from a grade crossing, you need to be very tired to get a good nights sleep......
I've also been told by a Canadian driver that the engine bell must be rung before the loco can move, if only because it's impossible to see the track for 1st 15/20 feet from the cab. (Long hoods & higher cabs than we are used to. I've experienced this myself a few times, especially when the locomotive is 16 feet tall, to match the double-deck passenger cars.)

delticdave said:

I've also been told by a Canadian driver that the engine bell must be rung before the loco can move, if only because it's impossible to see the track for 1st 15/20 feet from the cab. (Long hoods & higher cabs than we are used to. I've experienced this myself a few times, especially when the locomotive is 16 feet tall, to match the double-deck passenger cars.)

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which may be why UK PTS rules used to say that you were forbidden to cross the track within 15 metres (?, I can't remember now) of any train.

83G/84D said:

Rail staff I have spoken to have said that the horns on the Class 80x trains are quiet compared to other trains. Anyone heard one?

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Two volume settings, below 100mph and above 100mph, done automatically.

TractiveEffort said:

Two volume settings, below 100mph and above 100mph, done automatically.

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Interesting thanks, is below 100 quieter than above or the other way round?!

83G/84D said:

Interesting thanks, is below 100 quieter than above or the other way round?!

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Louder above 100mph. Like an HST having loud and soft tones, but only two lever positions instead of four.

Glenmutchkin said:

In my experience drivers on Indian long distance trains usually give a blast on the horn about 30 seconds before departure and another just before moving off. The first blast acts as a warning for those who have stepped down off the train.

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On local trains as well, there is always a blast of the horns - it's main function is to tell passengers to get on the train before it moves. Think of it like a hussle alarm.

By the way on LU the whilstle is only to be blown between 0700-2300 apart for reason of safety (alerting P-way workers, wrong direction move, depot shunting etc. )

rosschap said:

By the way on LU the whilstle is only to be blown between 0700-2300 apart for reason of safety (alerting P-way workers, wrong direction move, depot shunting etc. )

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Probably because they don't suffer much in the way of UWGs at farms etc. That was the main reason the national network had its hours extended to 0600-2359.

London underground is between 0700-1900

In Melbourne it's blow the horn before moving, blow it leaving a station, blow it approaching crossings and of coure blow it when a worker gives you a hand signal no if buts or maybes.
Like all this really: