Locomotive Horn

Keith Foor

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I am looking for a CAD drawing of a locomotive horn. Nathan Airchime, Leslie Superphone, a real locomotive horn.
Any help with location would be great.
I can't afford to buy a set so I figured I would make them instead but I need drawings to get that started.


thanks in advance
 
SOUNDS like an interesting project. This is one of those things that no one should have, but I want one. Please post your process. Cheers, Mike
 
I have no intention of doing the things I see on youtube with it. Driving around scaring prople.
First thing I want one for is work. I work on public safety communications for a living. At any time there may be a firetruck, police car, ambulance, UC car or any combination of those in shop on any given day. Since there is always old gear around we try to see who can have the louder horn on their car.
I need an edge here,, dual 5 tone train horns should cover me.

Second is for the specific fools that can't seem to drive correctly.
Cell phone users are a big one.
As funny as it is to grab the police car PA mike and tell them "Driver,,, put down the telephone and drive the vehicle" which typically gets the phone tossed in the back seat and the wheel grabbed at 10 and 2 while the idiot puts his head on a swivel it would be more fun to see if I can just get them to pee themselves.

Another one is "you are NOT driving a telephone booth, put down the phone"
That gets me flipped off, cussed at, only once did it get a 'physical' response when a guy got out of his car and approached me.
The statement that Ohio was a CCW state and their ARE folks that carry a gun, and his actions were clearly hostile and aggressive to the point of being shot he decided to get back in his car quickly and leave.
Mind you I don't have a CCW nor do I carry. But it made the point.
 
Not sure menacing is ever a good idea, but I'm sure all of us at one time or another have wanted to see the delivery of instant karma. Carried a gun for a living for a few years, glad I don't have to any more. Mike
 
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Just so happens I'm somewhat of a collector. Scavenged a few over the years from logging camps and navy salvage opportunities. Any particular size you are interested in, Keith?

I don't think I have ready prepared drawings, but maybe I can still help you out in some way, even if we just start measuring and drawing a few of mine. Let me know what you think.

-frank
 
I am trying to get an idea of the diaphragm and components in the back of teh horn where the magic happens.
The trumpets are pretty straight forward, but of course length is what tunes them.
 
Yup, not much in there on an Airchime. These are single layer SS disc that vibrates over the throat hole. Very basic. I've made them from scratch to replace bent ones. I'll take a pic and post.

-frank
 
Here's a newer Airchime K1 and Airchime CA. The CA has the simplest diaphragm with just the one piece of stainless and the bronze retaining ring. The K1 has a sandwich diaphragm with two layers of stainless steel separated by what looks like an oversized sealer ring. The third, smaller disc of stainless in the K1 I think is just a baffle of sorts. It secures around the throat opening with the three cap heads but doesn't touch the large diaphragm at all.

The CA is the smallest at 5" from stem to stern, but don't let the size fool you. These little guys are serious high-pitched noise, often used to signal the choker men down below. The K1 is quite a bit longer at 16" and just over 7" across the bell. Often mounted in tandem with a K2 -- nicer sound but still very powerful. Depends on how much air you give them.

I have one larger one, a pretty old K1 "L" for long, off a navy ship. Nice and low.

Used to have about six of these in various sizes rigged on an air manifold with momentary switches in my dining room. Lots of fun on New Years Eve!

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-frank
 
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