Eastern Railroad Discussion > Horns stolen from Reading FP7 prior to Strasburg move.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b3_2airhorn.6124947nov06,0,7084821.story

By Patrick Lester | Of The Morning Call
November 6, 2007

Three railroad organizations fell victim over the weekend to a crime that one train hobbyist says is becoming increasingly common: train whistle thefts.
Air horns were stolen from three trains parked at a railroad siding near Brown Printing Co., 668 Gravel Pike, Upper Hanover Township, according to state police at Skippack.
Dale Woodland, a member of the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society, which owns one of the trains, said locomotive whistles have become a frequent target of thieves in recent years.
In some cases, thieves have been brazen enough to advertise stolen whistles on eBay.
''It's not all that unusual,'' said Woodland, who lives in Souderton and has written four books on the Reading Railroad. ''Most often, it's truckers who want bravado-sounding horns. They've been stolen from locomotives from throughout the country.''
A quick scan of eBay Monday showed 39 air horns listed on eBay for between $80 and $200.
The whistles aren't easy to steal. Woodland said the horns, typically mounted to the roof of a train engine and used to warn motorists and pedestrians of an oncoming locomotive at railroad crossings, are between 1 foot and 2 feet long. He said they could weigh roughly 50-60 pounds.
Woodland said there are usually about five or six trains parked at the siding where the thefts occurred.
East Penn Railroad of Kennett Square, Chester County, and the Philadelphia chapter of the National Railway Historical Society based in Springfield, Montgomery County, owned the other trains from which whistles were taken, police said.
Investigators said the thefts happened between 10 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
Woodland, who was unsure how much the whistles cost, said his organization may have to pay for a new one.
He said two trains the organization kept in Upper Hanover were being stored there after October excursions offered in that area by the Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce.
He said the trains may soon be en route to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Lancaster County.
Woodland said that after past thefts, other train organizations have been able to find the stolen whistles on eBay. He said his organization would be checking that Web site.

Anyone with information about the stolen train horns is asked to call Trooper Timothy J. McDonough at 610-410-3835.

patrick.lester@mcall.com

215-529-2612

I think this is becoming a very bad reflection on society. And not necessarily railfans doing this, I have seen several semi trucks equipped with these, they like to chrome them up and half-hide them beneath the plastic wind fairing on the top of the cab. Curious, anybody know what these things cost new? I have often thought that if I needed a set that bad, I would just buy a new set. Do they have a catalog? How many manufacturers of locomotive horns are left? Can one just buy one, or do you have to go wholesale and buy four dozen to get one? Why don't truck stops feature these as special-order items if they are so #^@^%!$#$^* popular? --- --- - --- JLH

historic or not each horn should be fastened by 4 different type bolts so the average joe can't steal them.
One Hex, one Allen, one torx, And I am sure someone can think of a forth one.
All Museums and locomotive owners should no that nothing is safe for these maniacs.

FWIW, you can by a chinese imitation nathan 3-chime at the truck stop. it's chrome, and costs about $250. As far as originals, look on EBay--they sell there sometimes, I think a rule of thumb I heard was about $100 per bell, more or less depending on maker, type, rarity and quality. As far as fastening them--I like the 4 types of bolts...but that only delays them. What about spot welding it? That way the horn *could* be removed by cutting the spot weld when necessary...is that a bad idea? I know the horns I have are made of aluminum--which may create problems with different metal melting points...

Shortlines sometimes do weld the horns to the locos.

Gonut

how do you weld a alloy to a steel flange ??

I've been collecting railroad airhorns THE LEGAL WAY! Since 1968 buying them from scrap yards, antique shops, other collectors, and restoring them. I've even bought a bran new set offered to me from Super Steel, a locomotive re builder in the Midwest. That set of Nathan K-5LA's cost me $675 five years ago.

This theft indeed put a bad name on a lot of us true hobbyist's. I do get a lot of calls from person's wanting to buy a horn from me. Through experience I can tell if he is a RR. Buff or some Joe looking to make noise with his wheels. In any case The horns in my collection ARE NOT FOR SALE! I just enjoy restoring them, demonstrating them at meets we hold from time to time. Of course having a musical background help in deciphering the chords they sound.

Ed K. HORNS INC. OH WELL PRODUCTIONS
@ cp Laurel Run

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Jaap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> historic or not each horn should be fastened by 4
> different type bolts so the average joe can't
> steal them.
> One Hex, one Allen, one torx, And I am sure
> someone can think of a forth one.
> All Museums and locomotive owners should no that
> nothing is safe for these maniacs.

That's an exceptionally good idea.

You could weld a couple of pieces of angle iron to sort of lock them into place.
that way, if the horn itself is a different alloy, it wouldn't matter.

Jaap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> historic or not each horn should be fastened by 4
> different type bolts so the average joe can't
> steal them.
> One Hex, one Allen, one torx, And I am sure
> someone can think of a forth one.
>

A Ferry Cap Screw.

Whith all the crazy type buffs out this weekend because railfest, maybe someone took a side trip. I am sorry to here about the horns they sounded very nice. I go on ebay alot for model trains, I will keep an eye out.

I had commented on that article page about a similar incident involving the FGCRRM.

I too, am a responsible collector of diesel locomotive air horns, and even run a web ring dedicated to the hobby. The ring can be found at:

http://q.webring.com/t/Horn-Whistle-Ring


Harvey Henkelman
Brandon, Florida

It's a sad commentary on society that horns keep getting stolen right off these units, and I know several roads that have started tack-welding the horns (doesn't have to be a good weld, just enough to prevent easy removal). At least it was only the horns (not that this is a small cost, especially for a museum), and not the unexpected absence of traction cables and other copper bits that would be must costlier to replace...

> Shortlines sometimes do weld the horns to the
> locos.

Yep, the SD&IV in San Diego welded theirs to the roof, but the thieves brought in welding equipment too!

We weld tabs up over the tamper proof torx bolts and at least on strap over the manifold. This seams to have stopped the horn thefts but we still are finding our bells loose at least once a year. ( Not from vibration when you see wrench marks on the bolts)