Train Horns¶
Why do trains honk?¶
- When departing a platform, it communicates to the Guard that we have received our two ‘Right Away’ bells telling us it is safe to close the doors, and depart the station. It also tells people in the area that the train is about to depart, both those on the platform and those who’re trespassing in the corridor tagging trains 🙄
- It signals to anyone around that a stopped train is about to move. For example, taking off from sitting stopped mid-section at a signal at danger (red aspect) that has stepped up to a proceed aspect. We even need to sound the horn before moving when in the yard(s).
- On approach to level crossings. People are silly, and will try and ‘beat’ the train at level crossings, and race through as the booms and pedestrian gates are closing. The Doomben line is particularly bad for this, since there are no gates on the pedestrian maze, people will keep walking through and ignore the don’t walk red signal as I’m coming up to a crossing.
- To get the attention from any workers in the rail corridor, who will then give us the ‘all clear’ advising that everyone is safely clear of the danger zone (and therefore we are clear to keep going).
- In an emergency situation where there is a trespasser in the corridor to hopefully make them move.
What are the honk noises?¶
Aside from the older Electric Multiple Units (EMU) who only have one horn, all the other trains have a ‘Town’ horn and a ‘Country’ horn. The country horn being the far louder horn, and is typically used on approach to level crossings at the approach Whistle Board (the sign that tells us when to sound our horn on approach to a level crossing - there are also Express Whistle Boards that you only need to sound your horn when you’re an express or “empty” non-revenue train).
Honk¶
EMU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXDt_LLeAl8
SMU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP6yP5VD2JM
New IMU/SMU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ4muPPsHhU
ICE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Pyrt31Iuyl8#t=61