Train Horns 101

By Yves B. Geller

Did you ever wonder where train horns came from when you hear that lonesome sound in the middle of the night? There have been songs written about them, from the mournful sounds they make to the locomotive version of boogie. Although they were preceded by train whistles, the horns caught on and remain the harbinger of the approaching giants made of steel.

Quite a few different companies have manufactured train horns in the past, the most well known of these include:

Gustin Bacon Manufacturing Company - Prior to World War II this company had air horns for use on trains.

The American Strombos Company - Their horns were used on the locomotives of the early age. Their version was a modified truck horn.

Westinghouse Air Brake Company - Also known as WABCO, Westinghouse was the first to make air horns designed specifically for use on trains, back in 1910.

Besides these companies, there are many others who made train horns at one time. The leader in the industry do this day has its origins in the AMCO company.

The developer of the five and six chime train horn was Robert Swanson, who began building these air horns as a hobby while still working at Victoria Lumber Manufacturing. Along with George Challenger, Bill Piercy and Ernie Canon, Swanson started the Airchime Manufacturing Company (AMCO) in 1949. Swanson's H5 horn was the first multiple chime horn in use on trains. The horn caught on quickly both with railroads and with the public, who liked the new sound of Swanson's horns.

The horns were licensed to two companies for production: Nathan of New York and Hyson, a New England company. It was the Nathan horns which really took off, the Nathan Airchime being the brand name most associated with train horns. Swanson's last and greatest horn, the model K is still the train horn of choice to this day. The model K replaced the Prime and Leslie horns previously in heavy use by railroads.

The founder of the Leslie Corporation, John Leslie, which was formed in the 19th century, was a manufacturer of many steam parts, not only for trains but ships as well. In the 1930s, John Leslie started making air horns for the railroad. Buying the rights of the Tyfon series, from Sweden, the production of the Tyfon A-200 became one of the best sellers This was the horn used by most trains of every type until the Airchime became a hot item about 1950.

Train horns have also found popularity with hobbyists, some of whom even install them on their vehicles! Naturally, these horns are too loud to use in traffic, but are great pieces for show and can be shown off at auto shows and the like.

The next time you hear the train making its way through the night, will you stop and think about the men who devoted their lives to make the horns for the sounds they loved? The lonesome music of the far-off horn heralding the arrival of the train to the next spot on it?s journey will never be compared to any other sound in the world.

About the Author:

Yves B. Geller wrote this article. He is primarily a car hobbyist but he shows his passion for cars through vehicle customization. He offers train horns to car, truck and boat owners but he is a firm believer that an air horn should be used responsibly.