One short whistle means STOP. One long whistle (three to 10 seconds) means the train is approaching a station. Two short whistles mean that the engineer acknowledges that he or she heard or saw a signal that affects movement.
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Train Horn RequirementsTrain horns must be sounded in a standardized pattern of 2 long, 1 short, and 1 long blasts.
Three short ones mean that the engineer intends to make a reverse movement. Two long, one short and one long mean trains are approaching a highway or street crossing. And the list goes on. So, while train whistles can sound nostalgic, they do have an important communication role in the railroad industry.
North American steam locomotive whistles have different sounds from one another. They come in many forms, from tiny little single-note shriekers to larger plain whistles with deeper tones (a deep, plain train whistle is the hooter of the Norfolk & Western, used on their A- and Y-class Mallet locomotives).
Anyway, don't blame the engineer: They're required to blow that horn. The regulation in question is called the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns—a name that strongly implies they've had just about enough of your bitching—and it requires four blasts 15 to 20 seconds before every crossing.
In addition to rolling noise, curve squeal (a high-pitched 'screeching' noise produced by trains when negotiating narrow-radius curves and switches) is a major source of local noise nuisance caused by railways.
It is the standard signal used when the train is about to move forward. Two long blasts of the horn are for warning anyone near the train that it is about to move forward.
- One long whistle-like sound can be heard when the train is coming to a halt, and the engineer applies the air brakes. - Two long honks mean that the train has released the brakes and is ready to continue its journey.
Its primary purpose is to alert persons and animals to an oncoming train, especially when approaching a level crossing. They are often extremely loud, allowing them to be heard from great distances. They are also used for acknowledging signals given by railroad employees, such as during switching operations.
Train Horn RequirementsTrain horns must be sounded in a standardized pattern of 2 long, 1 short, and 1 long blasts. The pattern must be repeated or prolonged until the lead locomotive or lead cab car occupies the grade crossing. The rule does not stipulate the durations of long and short blasts.
By 1938, the Association of American Railroads had adopted the long-long-short-long signal for rail crossings. But whatever the horn pattern, the goal is to warn people well in advance that a train is coming. In 2021, 236 people were killed at highway-rail grade crossings in the US.
Under the Train Horn Rule (49 CFR Part 222, issued on August 17, 2006), locomotive engineers must begin to sound train horns at least 15 seconds, and no more than 20 seconds, in advance of all public grade crossings.
Train is stopping: Blow one short whistle. Train is approaching the station: Blow one long whistle for 3-10 seconds. Train is going to reverse: Blow three short whistles in a row. Train is going to move forward: Blow two short whistles.
The reason that trains honk their horns so much at night is because it's dark and the trains aren't so easy to see. Even though the lights are on, we sometimes can't see them coming, especially around the many blind curves near or ahead of the train station.
One short blast tells other boaters, “I intend to pass you on my left (port) side.” Two short blasts tell other boaters, “I intend to pass you on my right (starboard) side.” Three short blasts tell other boaters, “I am operating astern propulsion.” For some vessels, this tells other boaters, “I am backing up.”
Today, the only whistle signals you're likely to hear regularly are the grade-crossing warning (which is also often used to warn employees or others on the tracks); two (or three) shorts to indicate the engineer has received a signal to start the train forward (or backward); and one long blast when a train is ...
Train whistles are used to communicate with other railroad workers on a train or in the yard. Specific combinations of long and short whistles have specific meanings. They are used to pass instructions, as a safety signal, and to warn of impending movements of a train.
Have you ever thought why trains blow their horns so often and so loudly? The truth is that they have to. And the main reason for that is safety. Locomotive engineers are required to honk every now and then, which is written down in the regulations called the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns.