February 2012

Nickel Plate Diesel Horns

Lake Shore NKP Live Steam & Diesel MODELER’S NOTEBOOK STAFF

EDITOR/WEBMASTER John C. Fryar MODELING EDITOR William C. Quick MODELING COORDINATOR Henry C. Brueggeman

NKPHTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS NATIONAL DIRECTOR Matthew E. Fruchey PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR Thos. G. J. Gascoigne ASST. NATIONAL DIRECTOR Willard A. Harvey, Jr. MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Thomas W. Newell PAST NATIONAL DIRECTOR William C. Quick SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR Brian J. Carlson NATIONAL SECRETARY David B. Allen, Jr. INTERNET SERVICES DIRECTOR John C. Fryar

NATIONAL TREASURER William M. Fisher ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Timothy P. Adang

INFORMATION DIRECTOR M. David Vaughn ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Nathan Fries

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Thomas E. Harris

CONTENTS

1. Nickel Plate Diesel Horns by George Greene ...... 2 ® 2. The Nickel Plate is Alive and Well On NKPHTS the "Lake Shore Steamers" PO Box 272 by Paul Emch ...... 6 Highland MD 20777-0272

Nickel Plate Diesel Horns by George Greene, #1086

Since shortly after the beginning of the railroad used on all . Its sound became industry, immediately following the first crossing synonymous with the modern passenger train. accident, it became evident that trains should be equipped with warning devices. As we know, these Even though other railroads now use the K5LA on devices eventually were standardized as a whistle freight locomotives, the sound of the horn still and a bell. The air horn replaced the whistle with makes most people familiar with the railroad think the coming of the diesel . of a passenger train.

As with the whistles on steam locomotives, the air The Nickel Plate used a variety of horns during its horns became not only an auditory warning but a diesel years. It upgraded horns through the ‘50s to means of identifying certain locomotives or the ‘60s to improve crossing safety and make its railroads. The best modern example of this is the trains easier to hear and identify as trains. The first Amtrak horn (Nathan/Air Chime K5LA) which is and most well know change was on the PA-1s 2 when the original WABCO E-2 horns were replaced These were never changed by the NKP. with Nathan/Air Chime M-5s. The AS16s came with WABCO E-2s mounted The accompanying material is provided as a guide atop the hoods with one pointed each direction. for the modeler to the horns used by the Nickel This arrangement did not change when they Plate and the locomotives on which they were were repowered. used. Most of the named horns are available as detail parts from Details West, Detail Associates, All of the GP-7s, RSD-12s and RS-11s were Utah Pacific or as spare parts Overland Models, delivered with single air horns (GPs Leslie A-200, Atlas, Proto, Athearn or other model locomotive RSs WABCO E-2 unless otherwise specified by the manufacturers. They are available as brass Railroad.) mounted on the side of the hoods. Horns castings, plastic castings or as kits. were mounted on , engineer’s side and long hood on the fireman’s side. The Alcos’ horns I hope this information helps to create more were on little platforms. accurate models of Nickel Plate locomotives. None of the 800 series RS-11s had their horns NKP HORN DATA repositioned or replaced by the NKP.

This information provided regarding the application GP-9s, GP-18s and SD-9s were delivered with of horns on NKP diesels is a combination of Leslie S-2Ms on the short hood pointed forward information from the “Five Chime Consultants” web and a Leslie A200 on the long hood pointed site, Howard Ameling’s photograph collection and rearward. This arrangement was never modified by photographs from several books about the NKP. the NKP. Dual service GP-9s 480 to 485 were For modeling a specific unit, it is suggested that the delivered with the above horn arrangement. modeler find enough photographs of that unit to The RS-36s 865 to 873 were delivered with two verify the horn application. WABCO E-2s mounted behind the with one pointed in each direction. Photographs indicate that Although I have never seen or heard of the NKP changed this arrangement by turning both documentation of this, it appears from photographs horns to point forward, but not all of the units that the NKP began a program of replacing single received this modification before the merger. horns with those of two or three bells. This seems RS-36s 874 & 875 were delivered with Nathan M-5 to have started in earnest after the delivery of the horns mounted on the short hood, probably from GP-30s which were delivered with Leslie S-3SLR the PA-1s. horns and evidently began with the RS-11s. The GP-30s, the GP-35 and the C-420 were all The PA-1s were delivered with a WABCO E-2s delivered with Leslie S-3SLRs. The NKP did not mounted atop the cab pointed forward. These were change these horns. (The NW replaced the Leslie replaced with Nathan M-5s mounted at the same horns on the GP-30s with Nathan P-5 horns in the location. All five bells of these horns pointed late 60s.) forward. This was done in the early '50s for grade crossing protection and is well documented in All of the NKP’s diesel switchers had single bell publications about the Nickel Plate. horns with one pointed in each direction. These were generally mounted on the front and back The RS-3s were delivered with WABCO E-2s of the cab. These horns were most likely mounted next to the cab on top of each hood. WABCO A-2s. 3

QUICK GUIDE TO NKP HORNS

Leslie Models: A-200 Single Bell “Blat” S-2M Two Bells “Tyfon” S-3LR Three Bells (One reversed) “Super Tyfon”

Air Chime/Nathan: M-5 Five Bells (all forward)

Westinghouse/ WABCO: A-2 Two Bells “Blat” E-2 Single Bell “Blat”, “Honker”

NKP APPLICATIONS:

Locomotive Horns Mounted Modifications

Switchers WABCO On front and back of cab None A-2

PA-1 WABCO Single atop cab Replaced with Nathan M-5 E-2 Early 1950s

RS-3 WABCO Top of hoods None E-2

GP-7 Leslie Sides of hoods Moved to top of hoods A-200 Eng. side short hood mid 1950s Fmn. side long hood

AS16 WABCO Top of hoods None E-2

GP-9 Leslie Top of hoods None * S-2M S-2M Short hood A-200 A-200 Long hood

RS-11 WABCO Sides of hoods Moved to top of hoods E-2 Eng. Short hood mid 50s * Fmn. Long hood Leslie S-3LR Some units post 1962 short hood 4 Locomotive Horns Mounted Modifications

GP-18 Leslie Top of hoods None S-2M S-2M Short hood A-200 A-200 Long hood

RS-36 Leslie Top of long hood Rear horn turned to front A-200 Behind cab - placed on dual mount one each direction

GP-30 Leslie Top of cab None S-3LR

GP-35 S-3LR Top of cab None

C-420 S-3LR Top of long hood just None behind cab * Dual Service units GP-9s 480 to 485 received Nathan M-5s in the early 60s. RS-36s 874 & 875 were delivered with Nathan M-5s.

After 1962 some RS-11s received Leslie S-3LR horns. #569 received the same treatment as the RS-36s having both horns turned to the front on a single bracket.

General note: This information is based on dated photographs of various locomotives and locomotive manufacturer’s trends regarding which horns were used. For earlier units modelers should attempt to find detailed photographs or shop records (If they exist) for specific locomotives. GP-9s and GP-18s appear to have been ordered with their horn configurations by the NKP. The GP-30s, the GP-35 and the C-420 were probably ordered with the Leslie S-3LR horns.

Leslie S3L

5 Leslie S-2M

Wabco A-2

Images: Five Chimes Consultants Website Sound samples also available on their website.

The Nickel Plate Is Alive And Well On The "Lake Shore Steamers" By Paul Emch #0289

The Lake Shore Live Steamers has been operating locomotives. Most rolling stock is privately owned. at Lake Metroparks Penitentiary Glen Park for 25 years. The club offers rides to the public The club owns a group of passenger hauling cars approximately fourteen times over the year that members and guests can use, plus two road including Halloween runs and stargazer trips in switchers, a GP38 and an SD39. addition to the “normal” Sunday afternoon runs. The following photos were taken by club The club features gasoline powered engines in photographer, William Deptowicz, who we thank for addition to live steam and electrically powered allowing us to use his photos in this article. 6 Top and Bottom Photos: NKP switch engine owned by Tom Pappas. Tom has the engine and an engineer car which he uses at public runs to haul club cars.

7 This the caboose which I brought to a couple of conventions. This shot shows it displayed at the Lakeland Community College Div 5 train show on a club display table. The caboose started life as a UP prototype. The windows were rearranged and blanked out by Rick Pausch who also painted the caboose. T h e c a r f e a t u r e s working air brakes and lighted marker lamps.

Nickel Plate Caboose built from scratch by Lake Shore member Bill Deptowicz.

8 NKP Hudson with a load of smiling passengers. The yellow gondola is the only non-NKP car in the train. It features built up wooden sides so small children can ride safely.

The Nickel Plate Hudson being operated by Don Speidel (cousin of Howard) who retired from the NYC/PC/ as a locomotive engineer. Don ran Hudsons on the NYC as well as the Union Terminal electrics. His favorite was the GP40/GP40-2, which he says, “could really run”. He enjoys running the Hudson but turns up on the switch engine from time to time. He owns an SW7 which is being lettered NYC. It’s all black in the left side of the next photo below.

9 My SW7 operated on this this day by George Woodling. George was a treasured friend and longtime club member who passed away in 2010.

Don Speidel running the SW7. How did that B&O and PRR car sneak in there?

10 Top: Don Speidel on the SW7 at the station. Bottom: Hudson approaching the station with a light load.

11 Top: SW7 with an all-NKP train; 3 gons, a flat car for the Conductor, and caboose #786. Bottom: The Hudson on a different day pulling into the station with a load of passengers. These pictures were taken at public runs where the club usually gives 10,000+ train rides a year.

12 Hudson on delivery day - hasn't gotten dirty yet.

In addition to these photos, Karl Losley, club Please visit the club website for more photos and president, owns a string of six NKP gondolas which information on coming events. have been in service at the club for several years. http://www.lakeshorelivesteamers.com/

COMING SOON ......

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