Passenger Trains > Those beautiful Metrolink K5LA horns

Sometime during the past two days I got to hear one of those K5LA Metrolink horns. It was kind of funny because I was near a curve and heard the horn and I did not quite recognize it. Figured a freight was going to pass. Then a Metrolink train, cab car forward rolls on by. I won't say where and what time as I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but based on the comment several threads below there may be a mutiny at Metrolink.

From a safety standpoint these are wonderful horns that can be heard. I normally don't hear Metrolink trains until they are almost on top of you. Not this time.


Todd Clark

Well Todd. Might be one of ACE or Sounder Sets you are hearing.

Nope, it was a Metrolink cab car.


Todd

Very true comment on a Nathan K5LA being a very audible horn from a safety standpoint. I volunteer at ITM in Noblesville IN and can attest to the K5 making noise and being heard...its just they're an ear buster to be under when its bolted up on the short hood of a GP7 or right behind the cab of a GP9. I'm just waiting for the opportunity to make a quick change there for a day or two, as I have a freshly rebuilt Leslie RS5-T sitting in my basement waiting for a test drive. Attached is a shot of it in its current state, awaiting a trip to the paint booth.

webmaster Wrote:
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> Sometime during the past two days I got to hear
> one of those K5LA Metrolink horns. It was kind of
> funny because I was near a curve and heard the
> horn and I did not quite recognize it. Figured a
> freight was going to pass. Then a Metrolink train,
> cab car forward rolls on by. I won't say where and
> what time as I don't want to get anyone in
> trouble, but based on the comment several threads
> below there may be a mutiny at Metrolink.
>
> From a safety standpoint these are wonderful horns
> that can be heard. I normally don't hear Metrolink
> trains until they are almost on top of you. Not
> this time.
>
>
> Todd Clark

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Woah! Hope you're wearing earplugs when you drive that thing! Where'd you get those?

I've had those horns now for the better part of 4 years IIRC. Bought them from a guy in Kansas who I'd been buying parts from for another project horn, my Nathan K5H. I've been slowly taking off what's left of the paint on Leslie revealing the UP family of colors on the manifold (MP blue), power chambers (MKT green, more MP blue, and some primer), and bells (UP gray Imron is a bear to remove for the record). As for Mini, the general public has nothing to worry about. Thanks to a co-worker with a good sense of humor, that shot was made possible. No air hook up in that or my car. My horns get used occasionally at the Indiana Transportation Museum in the manner for which they were designed.

Don

hesdjjim Wrote:
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> Woah! Hope you're wearing earplugs when you drive
> that thing! Where'd you get those?

Here is my K5LA. I spent a couple months restoring it, and when time allows, I will add a coat of clear coat, and she'll be ready to roll.

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I would like to know whose decision it was (Railroad's, FRA, GE or EMD) to mount the horns back over the middle of the locomotive vs leaving them up front where they can be heard much better.
Many a time in Las Vegas (and now in the San Fernando Valley) with the windows rolled up and the air cranked up you could hear a train coming with the front mounted horns, that's no longer the case with these back mounted horns
Just a short blast when the middle of the lead loco is in the crossing.
I can see how at unguarded crossings if someone has the windows rolled up and the heat or air on full + a loud stereo you will never here the train coming.
What is the reason the horns are mounted back? To make them more quiet? You could regulate the air and make them quieter, or give the engineer the old fashioned horn valve and let him regulate how loud the horn blows instead of a full on relay button.
Can't be the engine crews complaining otherwise the horns on the cab-cars would also be mounted back.
I'm surprised some slick lawyer hasn't brought this issue up as a cause of trespasser accidents?

Someone told me once that some railroads place them in the middle so they can be warmed by the heat of the exhaust. This prevents them from getting plugged and frozen with snow in the winter.


Todd Clark

webmaster Wrote:
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> Someone told me once that some railroads place
> them in the middle so they can be warmed by the
> heat of the exhaust. This prevents them from
> getting plugged and frozen with snow in the
> winter.
However, that also creates another problem, especially on the new EMD's. On an SD70MAC for instance, the exaust is in front of the horn. Whenever the locomotive is moving, exaust, dirt, grime, oil...whatever you can think of gets in those horns. Eventually the diapragms and powerchambers can get so clogged the bell will not sound properluy, squeal, or even completely foul out. The newer (CW style) GE's are a bit better, as the exaust is located behind the horns. This is the same scenario that the Amtrak F40's went through, before retirement.

parts545 Wrote:
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> I would like to know whose decision it was
> (Railroad's, FRA, GE or EMD) to mount the horns
> back over the middle of the locomotive vs leaving
> them up front where they can be heard much better.
>
> Many a time in Las Vegas (and now in the San
> Fernando Valley) with the windows rolled up and
> the air cranked up you could hear a train coming
> with the front mounted horns, that's no longer the
> case with these back mounted horns
> Just a short blast when the middle of the lead
> loco is in the crossing.
> I can see how at unguarded crossings if someone
> has the windows rolled up and the heat or air on
> full + a loud stereo you will never here the train
> coming.
> What is the reason the horns are mounted back? To
> make them more quiet? You could regulate the air
> and make them quieter, or give the engineer the
> old fashioned horn valve and let him regulate how
> loud the horn blows instead of a full on relay
> button.
> Can't be the engine crews complaining otherwise
> the horns on the cab-cars would also be mounted
> back.
> I'm surprised some slick lawyer brought this issue
> up as a cause of a trespasser accident?


Maybe the guy who paid all the claims for hearing loss from crew members???

At least ACE knows how to do it right!

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