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Tooting horns at Green lights

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richieb1971

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About 30 years ago I assumed train drivers toot their horns when a signal changed because it was a recognition of thanks to the signal man.

But some drivers still do it.. Why?

I heard a 5 tone at 3am this morning at Bedford. Surely that has got to be disturbing to the neighbours. If I can hear it and i'm 2 miles away, the people living at a stones throw away might fall out of bed. It didn't wake me up, I suffer from insomnia sometimes.
 
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83G/84D

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There could have been staff such as track workers nearby hence the reason for sounding the horn.
 

Spartacus

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Lots of engineering work in the area tonight, some unplanned due to a failure, so I expect it was due to that. Signaller’s all the way down in West Hampstead anyway.
 

muz379

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About 30 years ago I assumed train drivers toot their horns when a signal changed because it was a recognition of thanks to the signal man.

But some drivers still do it.. Why?

I heard a 5 tone at 3am this morning at Bedford. Surely that has got to be disturbing to the neighbours. If I can hear it and i'm 2 miles away, the people living at a stones throw away might fall out of bed. It didn't wake me up, I suffer from insomnia sometimes.

How did you know that the horn you heard was in recognition of a signal changing ? it could have been many of the other rulebook reasons why the horn needed to be sounded one of the most likely ones being peopleon or near the line .

Yes people that live near railways often complain about train horns .
Still it goes on , because until the rule book says otherwise drivers will have to sound the train horn in certain circumstances .
 

richieb1971

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I see what I see. 35 years ago, an old semphore would go up and the class 25 would toot his horn and start moving past the said semaphore. Thats why I thought it was a thankyou to the signalman.

Today, I wanted to stand corrected that is not the only reason as I know there is no local signalman anymore. I think its West Hampstead and Derby if i'm not mistaken.

So, if anybody is nearby the horn alerts said peoples that the train is about to move. I get it.. Thank you.
 

ComUtoR

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So, if anybody is nearby the horn alerts said peoples that the train is about to move. I get it.. Thank you.

The horn can be sounded for various reasons. Sometimes that the train is about to move, other times it may be to provide warning to trackworkers for an oncoming train.
 

sw1ller

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I’m trying to work out a scenario where a horn would need to be blasted 5 times in a possession at 3am. Unless it was a coincidence.
 

ComUtoR

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I’m trying to work out a scenario where a horn would need to be blasted 5 times in a possession at 3am. Unless it was a coincidence.

Not sure about working in a possession but.. If you sound the horn for people on the track and they do not acknowledge, you should then should the horn in quick succession until they do.
 

sw1ller

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Not sure about working in a possession but.. If you sound the horn for people on the track and they do not acknowledge, you should then should the horn in quick succession until they do.
Very good point, I’ve just woke up!! Come to think about it, I had the horn going more than 5 times after midnight this morning on the WCML. It happens all the time.
 

martin2345uk

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Yes people that live near railways often complain about train horns .
Still it goes on , because until the rule book says otherwise drivers will have to sound the train horn in certain circumstances .

There's a whistle board on the mid-cheshire line that's right by someone's house, they regularly come out and turn it through 90 degrees in the hope drivers will forget it's there and not sound the horn.
 

Islineclear3_1

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There's a whistle board on the mid-cheshire line that's right by someone's house, they regularly come out and turn it through 90 degrees in the hope drivers will forget it's there and not sound the horn.

Perhaps then the Mid Cheshire line should fence off said area and make it more secure so that safety procedures can be adhered to...
 

Peter C

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There's a whistle board on the mid-cheshire line that's right by someone's house, they regularly come out and turn it through 90 degrees in the hope drivers will forget it's there and not sound the horn.
Honestly! People who live near the railway (and I'm talking about a minority here) seem to think that because they live there the railway should conform to their needs, not realising that a 100-year-old railway was there long before their 20-year-old house! :)

-Peter
 

Steve Harris

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Honestly! People who live near the railway (and I'm talking about a minority here) seem to think that because they live there the railway should conform to their needs, not realising that a 100-year-old railway was there long before their 20-year-old house! :)

-Peter
Unfortunately that argument holds very little water.
 

Peter C

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Unfortunately that argument holds very little water.
Because it's not a bowl or a glass.
But in all seriousness, it is something which I have found to be the case over the years. I understand that an awful lot of people who live near the railway are perfectly content with it, but the loud few moan about the noise of trains which have been there for many more years than their humble abode!
-Peter

EDIT: Could you expand a little bit on your comment? Saying "That's not the case" or similar on its own is not helpful.
 

voyagerdude220

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There's a whistle board on the mid-cheshire line that's right by someone's house, they regularly come out and turn it through 90 degrees in the hope drivers will forget it's there and not sound the horn.

I'd sound the horn a little longer than usual in that scenario, just to ensure safety of persons on/near the railway. ;)
 

Steve Harris

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Because it's not a bowl or a glass.
But in all seriousness, it is something which I have found to be the case over the years. I understand that an awful lot of people who live near the railway are perfectly content with it, but the loud few moan about the noise of trains which have been there for many more years than their humble abode!
-Peter

EDIT: Could you expand a little bit on your comment? Saying "That's not the case" or similar on its own is not helpful.
Unfortunately I'm on a mobile device, which makes cutting and pasting from mutiple windows a tad difficult. Therefore I suggest you take a look at post #22 in https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/network-rail-working-at-silly-times.188298/#post-4148840

And take a look at the link I quoted.

It is enlightening !!

Although the railway has some dispensation in law, making a sweeping statement saying we have been here longer means we can cause a noise nuisance, well, the motorsport venue thought that. 2 courts disagreed.
 

Peter C

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Unfortunately I'm on a mobile device, which makes cutting and pasting from mutiple windows a tad difficult. Therefore I suggest you take a look at post #22 in https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/network-rail-working-at-silly-times.188298/#post-4148840

And take a look at the link I quoted.

It is enlightening !!

Although the railway has some dispensation in law, making a sweeping statement saying we have been here longer means we can cause a noise nuisance, well, the motorsport venue thought that. 2 courts disagreed.
Fair point - I apologise.
I stick by my point, however - if someone moves next door to a railway and knows full well that it is a busy line and they don't like a lot of noise, they shouldn't move there and won't get sympathy from me if they do moan.

-Peter
 

EE Andy b1

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I stick by my point, however - if someone moves next door to a railway and knows full well that it is a busy line and they don't like a lot of noise, they shouldn't move there and won't get sympathy from me if they do moan.

-Peter

Totally agree with you there.
Safety is paramount.

If you go to look for a new house you go at varying times to get a good idea of all conditions. If you don't like, then don't buy.

I just wish our trains had horns more like on Canadian/USA locomotives. You know when there coming.

 

Peter C

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Totally agree with you there.
Safety is paramount.

If you go to look for a new house you go at varying times to get a good idea of all conditions. If you don't like, then don't buy.

I just wish our trains had horns more like on Canadian/USA locomotives. You know when there coming.

Thank you. I agree with you - don't buy something for the sake of buying it!
The Class 91 horn is pretty close to an American loco... :)

-Peter
 

muz379

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There's a whistle board on the mid-cheshire line that's right by someone's house, they regularly come out and turn it through 90 degrees in the hope drivers will forget it's there and not sound the horn.
If this is true I am suprised said person has not been prosecuted , and its rather unwise because the whistle board will be there for a purpose , if there was an accident attributable to the horn not being sounded (unlikely I know ) this householder might find themselves in serious bother .
 

AndyCK

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Apologies for slightly changing the scenario, but are drivers still required to give a long blast on the horn before moving past a signal they’ve been authorised to pass at danger?
 

Dieseldriver

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Apologies for slightly changing the scenario, but are drivers still required to give a long blast on the horn before moving past a signal they’ve been authorised to pass at danger?
That one got taken out of the rule book a couple of years ago. However, if I am near staff or another train I still tend to do it.
 

Val3ntine

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Apologies for slightly changing the scenario, but are drivers still required to give a long blast on the horn before moving past a signal they’ve been authorised to pass at danger?

If it’s protecting a level crossing then yes but you’d usually pass the signal stop before just the crossing, and then sound then sound the horn before going at caution checking it remains clear
 

Robin87

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I don't think any driver would sound their horn at that time unless they had a legitimate reason.
 

pompeyfan

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Talking of neighbours bemoaning ‘W’ boards, there’s a rumour/story that the occupants of old signallers cottage at Woodfidley actively reported every train that did not sound their horn during permitted hours, using the yellow phone on the UWC there. It could be true, it could be a load of cods... but it makes a good story.
 
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