923 gets locomotive horn today

[ranchhopper]

A while back I had bought a nice set of train horns from a member here for my parade truck the crowds loved it so as with all hobbies went from expensive to real expensive. Picture one is the leslie RS3L set I first installed on the roof which turned out to be a bit heavy so I welded up a stanchion and U-Bolted it to the gun ring support plate on the back of the cab then I moved the RS3L set to the stanchion picture two and it worked great then to top it all off I installed a graham-white valve to sound the horn. I found a RS5T-RRO set and worked out a trade deal to get them they arrived yesterday. So yesterday evening I took them all apart checked out the diaphrams installed new gaskets and donuts then put them all back together with stainless steel hardware and installed them this afternoon. These RS5T horns are said to be the king of train horns and its not hard to figure out why after sounding it for the first time. I will be selling the RS3L set I have they have all new donuts and gaskets the diaphrams are perfect and sound like only a set of leslie horns can anyone interested can PM me for a price.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I have a set of Leslie RS5T. I currently have them on the 80 tonner at Shaw AFB where I work. They are the best sounding horns I think.

How does your air hold up when blowing them? They can be air hogs for sure. that's a pretty looking set!

 

[wsucougarx]

Got to hear a video on this one

 

[ranchhopper]

Adam I added a couple more air tanks which brought the capacity up 30 more gallons so its worked out real well. Those RS5Ts are getting scarce even junk sets go for over 800 dollars now its funny my wife can even tell the difference between the newer nathan airchimes now and says the old leslies are the best.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Yeah, it's hard to believe that they are going so high. I've seen a totally restored set on Egay go for $1500...

Good call on increasing the air capacity!

 

[ranchhopper]

Got to hear a video on this one

I am going to get my brother in law to video a runby with the truck in the near future but there is some nice videos of these on U-Tube.

 

[ranchhopper]

Yeah, it's hard to believe that they are going so high. I've seen a totally restored set on Egay go for $1500...

Good call on increasing the air capacity!

Most have been scrapped there is a lot of aluminum in these now unfortunatly everything is outfitted with nathan airchimes.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

My friend restored my set for me. On his website, the sound track for the red highlighted ones are my horns.

Samslocomotivehornrepair.com - Finished Projects

 

[ranchhopper]

I will take them off over the winter and have them all media blasted then send them in for powdercoating I have some spare bells and powerchambers here in case I need them somewhere down the road.

 

[ranchhopper]

Adam they look nice the guy does good work but I cant get the audio to work what did it run you to get them redone?

 

[Ferroequinologist]

He's a real good friend of mine, and does excellent work. He redid mine for free, but probably because I sent him the two from the Shaw railroad. I don't remember the figure but it was a really good deal.

 

[ranchhopper]

People really like these things going down the parade route you have to use a bit of restraint with them though around real little kids and older people. Its pretty funny the kids trying to cover both their ears while trying to signal you to hit the horn.

 

[Tlauden]

Man I've been looking for a set but they are EXPENSIVE.

 

[ranchhopper]

Man I've been looking for a set but they are EXPENSIVE.

I got lucky I had mentioned I wanted a set to a guy in south carolina who I buy horn parts from and he had this set he said he would sell me I had a RS3K set I traded him and a bit of cash and the deal was done. I look every day on ebay and only found one RS5K set and missed the end it went for a reasonable price. The problem with buying on ebay is you could get junk too I had a friend who bought a three chime set and the power chambers were corroded inside he had to have them remachined to get the squeal out of them when soundind the horn.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I got REAL lucky and an old friend GAVE me the set I have. Even has the holes for the snow cones, so I know it came from a 'Yankee' RR.

 

[ranchhopper]

I got REAL lucky and an old friend GAVE me the set I have. Even has the holes for the snow cones, so I know it came from a 'Yankee' RR.

Adam Im pretty good at figuring out what line most horns come from I have a RS3L from the norfolk southern and the RS3K came from the BNSF but this set is stamped ACWR I have no clue what that is.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Our company rebuilds them and once in a while I get to help test them. We have a shed with foam insulation to reduce the sound a little. You stand there holding the sound meter, wearing double hearing protection (which does work well), and the air just trembles and vibrates like crazy. It is a weird but cool sensation.

 

[bones1]

That is so cool and so loud.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

October 21st, 2012.

Not a bad mounting setup, but I hope you used security bolts, as air horns and bells are the things that we find disappear off of locomotives most often. I will be interested to see what the State Police do about those when you are on the highway, even not using them, as most states have laws limiting the size and use of air horns on trucks.
I have a new older Nathan KS-1 switcher horn, never nmounted, good for about 3 miles range, and an older Leslie Supertyphon off of a PRR E-8A. I would say the Leslie was probably the better sounding horn, though it came off of an ex NY,NH&H RS-3 I used to run, when the engine was scrapped due to the usual broken crankshaft in the 244 engine.
Now you need to find a steam locomotive bell with air ringer to put on your front bumper for parades only, and you will have a complete parade ensemble.... BUT you will have to lock the truck up indoors as those items are not prone to staying undisturbed... Ask me how I know! We ended up fitting the RS-3 with a section of ductile iron sewer pipe made into a bell, and the scrapper was pissed as he figured he was getting a good brass bell by the appearance of the bottom flange and the sound of it....

 

[ranchhopper]

I have not had a problem with the police yet most just give me the thumbs up I suppose if they got to be a problem I could make a cover for them. My truck stays in my driveway so theft has not been a problem when it goes into winter storage the horn will be dismounted and stored in my shop until spring.