My 34777 N&W SD40 has it as I've mentioned before, and it's pitiful. Eric has said in his videos that it has shown up on many other diesels since. Do you know the sound I mean? A real disappointment if it becomes the norm. RICH
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Is this the shrill "Violin" horn?
i thought it was neat the first time, but it's getting old. With the new F40s having correct horns, maybe it's the start of a trend...(I hope)
Here is Lionel demo on the new f40ph. You can hear the horn at 4:50 in the clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy1UPibp3-0
It sounds like it has a chance of being correct horn when he first starts it, but then it goes directly into garbage distortion. Perhaps a light touch on the quilling horn control will get a good horn sound.
NOOOO!!! If this horn is on my newly ordered Union Pacific SD-40's then they are going right back!
I'm pretty sure the second batch of SD40's (including the Union Pacific) will have the same horn as the 2015 run, which I think is better overall, even if it did come off of the DD35's.
Thr Conrail versions' horn sound pretty close to the prototype.
I hate that harmonica horn! I've never heard an engine with that horn. It's on my legacy gp-9 and I hate it. I put the beep in a lash up every time I run it so I don't have to hear it. 
Is harmonica horn on the Legacy Santa Fe GP9's #726 and #741? I bought them and haven't ran them yet.
SuperChiefer84 posted:Is harmonica horn on the Legacy Santa Fe GP9's #726 and #741? I bought them and haven't ran them yet.
Not sure, mine is pennsy
For what it's worth, the old style diesel unit Engineer's horn operating valves could be modulated in order to "play" the air horn. In my opinion, Lionel has done a VERY GOOD job of duplicating that "playing" effect on older units. Now, on modern diesels, the Engineer's horn operating valve is non-modulating (by FRA regulation) and can NOT be "played", i.e. the horn is either "ON" or "OFF". Personally, I like that "harmonica horn" as you all call it, on my Lionel Legacy Rock Island GP7 model, as it really does sound just like a REAL GP7.
Come on guys! Lets not forget where Lionels amazing sound and control system came from. Oh the irony.
Hot Water posted:For what it's worth, the old style diesel unit Engineer's horn operating valves could be modulated in order to "play" the air horn. In my opinion, Lionel has done a VERY GOOD job of duplicating that "playing" effect on older units. Now, on modern diesels, the Engineer's horn operating valve is non-modulating (by FRA regulation) and can NOT be "played", i.e. the horn is either "ON" or "OFF". Personally, I like that "harmonica horn" as you all call it, on my Lionel Legacy Rock Island GP7 model, as it really does sound just like a REAL GP7.
If it's prototypical on some engines then great job Lionel! But they deffinitly beat this horn to death and put it on engines that should not have that sound. It's a horrible tone to the ears, and I wish they would save it just for engines that actually made use of it.
Just my opinion. 
OK, help me out. Is the Lionel horn correct or not? Is the horn on the CR diesel video the "harmonica" horn? (Must have different harmonicas here and there.) If so, why does it sound "bad"? It's a diesel horn.
If the mode's horn is correct per the prototype, there is nothing to complain about. Maybe a new favorite RR with less harmonic-al horns is in order.
D500 posted:OK, help me out. Is the Lionel horn correct or not?
It all depends on the unit being modeled, i.e. non-modulating (NOT playable) on modern units.
Is the horn on the CR diesel video the "harmonica" horn? (Must have different harmonicas here and there.) If so, why does it sound "bad"? It's a diesel horn.
Must admit that I've never liked "diesel horns".
If the mode's horn is correct per the prototype, there is nothing to complain about.
And there you have it!
Maybe a new favorite RR with less harmonic-al horns is in order.
This is it....
The horn Lionel used on the phase 2 F40PH sounds like the one on the SDP40F which some were rebuilt into F40PH units so it maybe close to correct. Check out this youtube video of Amtraks various horns demonstrated on the exhibit train.
VistaDomeScott posted:The horn Lionel used on the phase 2 F40PH sounds like the one on the SDP40F which some were rebuilt into F40PH units
SDP40F units were NOT "rebuilt into F40PH units". Only the major components were completely overhauled from the SDP40F units, and reused to build NEW F40PH units. The SDP40F units were scrapped.
so it maybe close to correct. Check out this youtube video of Amtraks various horns demonstrated on the exhibit train.
Locomotive horns and whistles are designed to wake you up, get your attention; not lull you to sleep or make you feel romantic.
Hot Water posted:VistaDomeScott posted:The horn Lionel used on the phase 2 F40PH sounds like the one on the SDP40F which some were rebuilt into F40PH units
SDP40F units were NOT "rebuilt into F40PH units". Only the major components were completely overhauled from the SDP40F units, and reused to build NEW F40PH units. The SDP40F units were scrapped.
so it maybe close to correct. Check out this youtube video of Amtraks various horns demonstrated on the exhibit train.
You can nitpick with semantics but my point is that SDP40F units were used to build the first F40PH units and perhaps why Lionels choice of horn could be correct if horns were reused.
I thought you guys were were fussing about something actually "HORRIBLE", like, the steam whistles that sounded like horns! And to think, you guys ate up the 18" passenger cars!
Check out Eric's comments in the review of his NPR Alco PA's at the 21:45 mark. He doesn't sound too pleased with it either. Thanks everyone for chiming in. Glad it's not just me. RICH
rich64 posted:Check out Eric's comments in the review of his NPR Alco PA's at the 21:45 mark. He doesn't sound too pleased with it either. Thanks everyone for chiming in. Glad it's not just me. RICH
As he said, only because they are "putting the same horn in everything".
I hate to say this, but my MTH Protosound P40CH has a better horn than the pricey Lionel Legacy F40PH.
I've noticed this too - not only does it sound like a harmonica - it sounds like John Popper!
I first heard this in one of Erics videos - and thought it sounded like it was sampled off a Blues Traveler album!
Greenline posted:Here is Lionel demo on the new f40ph. You can hear the horn at 4:50 in the clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy1UPibp3-0
It sounds like it has a chance of being correct horn when he first starts it, but then it goes directly into garbage distortion. Perhaps a light touch on the quilling horn control will get a good horn sound.
Ha! That's the same horn from the Conrail SD60 released in 1994, the first locomotive with modern Railsounds.
Frankly, I think it sounds pretty good.
Sounds like the real thing -
Pretty sure Lionel used the same horn for the NS Heritage SD70ACe's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIGnKN7_kz8
Might be time to update the sound sets.
I can say for sure UP SD90's 82761 & 82764 have excellent sounding horns, similar to Conrail 82283 SD40. RICH
I have the latest Chessie SD40 with the fixed pilot and that horn is a little better and easier to listen to than the horn that was on the Legacy GP35's, SD40-2 and one version of the GP9. I have the C&O Legacy GP9 that has a great sounding horn. When Lionel re ran the GP9, they had the harmonica horn and that was disappointing. I sold the chess SD40-2's because I couldn't take it anymore.
After growing up with a buzzer and a battery, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I LOVE all the Lionel horns!
VistaDomeScott posted:The horn Lionel used on the phase 2 F40PH sounds like the one on the SDP40F which some were rebuilt into F40PH units so it maybe close to correct. Check out this youtube video of Amtraks various horns demonstrated on the exhibit train.
SDP40Fs used a Leslie SL4T. The early F40s used a Nathan P5A. Not the same horn at all.
I like it myself. But I only have several GP-35s to go by as well. The horn is multi-tonal. I get that as you pull back on the actuator (the quill) more tones are blended to produce the effect more loudly with more resonance and deeper tones. To me they are similar to the real thing taking into account size. I expect there are real horn samples in there somewhere ... but don't know it.
