Although air horns are used in emergency vehicles and trucks, it’s the train whistle that stirs the imagination. Like trains in general, these tones stir a strong nostalgic response in those who grew up near a railway. It was Hank Williams that so aptly described in song that “lonesome whistle blow.” Many youngsters have grown to adulthood with their fondness for diesel train horns intact. Today, there are many hobbyists who avidly collect these horns and refurbish them. The internet has allowed these collectors to band together to promote and share their hobby. Common collectible train horn manufacturers include Nathan, Leslie, Wabco and Prime. Only Nathan Manufacturing, Inc. and Leslie Controls, Inc. are still in existence.

All air horns operate in similar manner. Imagine for a moment a megaphone type loudspeaker. It has a magnet, a voice coil and a diaphragm. After an applied electrical input, the diaphragm vibrates causing sound waves. The air horn is a type of speaker too but is actuated by air rather than an electrical/magnetic current. Air pressure causes the diaphragm to rapidly open and close the airway many times a second. This is heard by the ear as a steady tone.

Many hobbyists can determine a train horn model simply by listening to its tone. The pitch of a train horn is affected by many variables. The diameter of the air inlet orifice determines the loudness. The internal components and the bell horn material also affect whether the tone will be mellow sharp or in-between. The size and shape of the bell horn also changes the tone.

Air horns are supplied by an air tank. The tank holds a finite quantity of air so it needs to be re-filled by an air compressor. True diesel air horns need plenty of compressed air so hobbyists recommend a minimum 20 gallon tank. Compressors can run the gamut from small 12 volt electric compressors to moderate size gasoline compressors to large 10HP gas behemoths.

Truck and SUV owners represent a growing market for air horns. These vehicle owners are drawn to the flashy chrome appearance of these horns. Some hide the horns so as not to attract attention. These scaled down versions are typically bought new in a kit for easy installation. A consumer can choose a truck air horn, typically in a single or two horn model, or a train horn that usually contain three or four horns that produces that distinctive ominous chord blend.

The kit typically involves a 12 volt compressor running off the battery which fills a one to five gallon air tank. The tank supplies air to the horn when a valve is activated. Air hoses connect the components. These kits are installed on trucks, SUVs, vans, motor homes, and just about anything on wheels with a 12 volt power supply.

A collector usually mounts an air horn on a truck or truck bed for demonstration purposes and to test different configurations. If you are considering purchasing a train horn kit for your personal vehicle, check with your local ordinance. Train horns are very loud. The best sound amazingly like a train so you don’t what to blow the horn indiscriminately.

Gene Brenner is a webmaster of a company that offers train horns and train horn kits to car and truck drivers who want a true train horn sound.

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The train horn chimes that are produced by these trumpets will end up coming in through different sound levels. In many cases the chimes will sound differently because each trumpet will be of a different length in a typical setup or the weight of each trumpet will be somewhat different.

When all of the chimes that are created are combined together the kit will create a unique flat sound that is typical of what is produced by the horn. This is vital because if any of the chimes that come out of these horns sound exactly like each other the flat sound that is produced will not sound as authentic or it will be slightly off.

A vital part of these sounds is that the train horn kits trumpets that are going to be used can be placed anywhere on the inside front of the vehicle that they will be installed in. The only thing that really matters after this is that all of the trumpets create chimes that are different from each other so that the proper train horn sound can be produced.

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Here are basic parts of the train horn package.

Air Tank

Air tank cylinders come in different sizes. The most common sizes for personal truck installations are between 1 -5 gallons. These are simple structures that accept and hold the pressure that the compressor gives. It contains any numb3er of air hose ports. An air gauge is often attached to the tank.

Compressor

A compressor is an air pump that when activated fills the tank with compressed air. Compressor capacities are generally matched to the size tank. First fills may take several minutes, depending on the size of the tank. Re-fills are much quicker. It is governed by a pressure switch which tells it when to re-fill and to what pressure. A train horn kit may have one compressor or two working in tandem. Air compressors are used to fill other devices, such as tires or an air suspension.

New buyers sometimes get hung up on pressure readings. If one compressor is said to fill a tank up to 150 psi, and another 120psi, one would think the 150 psi would be the natural pick. This is misleading for three reasons. First, the sound difference between the two may hardly be noticeable. Second, a chronically high pressure may tax the compressor if the user is overly “horn happy.” Over-use equals overheating which may cause a premature failure. Third, a train horn tone should be of high undistorted quality. We frequently find a practical sweet spot in the 110-125 PSI range.

Decibel readings are sometimes given as well. Again, to adequately compare across brands, the reading must be taken with the same instrument, properly calibrated and at the same distance from the horn. This is rarely the case so keep these specifications in perspective.

The Air Horn

Train horns run the gamut of sizes and shapes. Separate trumpets are slim and can be up to two feet long. In an attached array, there are two trumpet horns, three trumpet horns and even four trumpet horns. It’s generally believed that you need three or more trumpets (”chimes”) in the array to product as authentic train horn tone. Each trumpet sounds a different note. It’s the combination of these notes that produce the distinction “blat” that immediately says “train horn.”

The better train horns are made of metal. Plastic horns are OK in low priced value kits but they are not considered the “real deal” by most train horn enthusiasts. Steel, zinc, brass and copper are common metals. Horns are either chrome or gold plated or painted black.

Horns are activated by a solenoid air valve. Horns (and compressors) are energized by a 12 volt source. The horn can be activated by your regular horn button or you can install a separate horn switch. It’s all in the installation.

These are the basic components of any kit. You should receive enough air hose, fittings and hook-up wire to do the job. Don’t be shy about having a pro do the job. Shops that specialize in aftermarket installations of sound systems and alarms would be an appropriate choice. Whichever you choose, get ready for train horn nirvana!

Gene Brenner is a webmaster of a company that offers train horns and train horn kits to car and truck drivers who want a true train horn sound. He also buys and sells websites which makes him knowledgeable in several disciplines.

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