From what I can tell in Warrne Calloway's Seaboard Diesels book, it appears that the SAL GP-35s had three chime horns, all bells facing forward. Am I correct? Also, who made and what model were the horns?

Thanks.

-- Craig Zeni (clzeni@mindspring.com), March 15, 1998

Answers

Anybody for a visual representation of Danny's favorite air horn? (I grew up in Fitzgerald, GA and heard them all the time). Here goes: BLAAAAAAAAGH-BLAUGH-BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH........

-- David L. (Bud)Leggett (leggettd@dartnet.peachnet), June 09, 2001.

This is an answer to Danny Harmons question. The unpleasant sounding horns you are hearing are Leslie S5-Ls, not three. The Leslies are much louder than the Nathans. The Nathans on the other hand are much more melodic. (incidentally, this is a major reason why everyone is switching) If I were you, I would try to get a recording of those Leslies as soon as possible. Reason being; they are disappearing rapidly. This is due to the tremendous cost of adapting them to the modern locomotive. Leslies were originally designed to be used with the "ol' reliable" hand operated pull chord. With the advent of the new push button solenoid valve, the crews are discovering the bellows on both the old and new Leslies can't withstand the blast of air. The Nathans, on the other hand, even though they have their problems, are much more reliable and can withstand that massive blast from the solenoid valve.

-- Andrew Callo (calloa@ncsavx.ncarts.edu), February 08, 1999.

This isn't an answer, but another question: Are those Leslie S3-L's the same horns that stil exist on some CSX units? I remember as a kid growing up in Tallahassee watching SAL & SCL freights and listening to those honking, non-melodious horns. I still occaisionly hear them on CSX today, and I still don't like 'em. Thanks.

-- Danny Harmon (HDTampa@aol.com), April 26, 1998.

The air horns on SAL's GP35s were Leslie three chime S-3L. They later were modified by SCL to two forward, the small bell to rear.

-- Warren Calloway (calloway@aol.com), March 15, 1998.