Big Jim posted:Nick Chillianis posted:One point to mention is that the New York Central used the Viloco Whistle Actuator which was sometimes called a "push-button whistle". A small thumb lever in the cab controlled an air operated device that opened the whistle valve. This rendered the steam whistle an on-off device and did not allow for any whistle "artistry" by the engineer.
Thank you Nick.
The use of the Viloco actuator is very apparent on the "Living with Steam" recordings
Went back and listened to the recording of "NYC Train 78 - Summer 1953" from "Living With Steam".
I hear only one steam whistle briefly at approximately the 2:36 mark. That is not the 6018's whistle. It sounds like a rather flat Hancock 3-chime. Additionally, it's not loud enough to be coming from the Niagara.
Looking at the area where he paced the train, in addition to the Central, there were the nearly parallel DL&W, Erie and Lehigh Valley main lines. Of those three, the Lehigh Valley used Hancock 3-chime whistles, so I am going to say that's where that sound came from.
You hear 6018's Wabco E2 air horn, loud and clear, at the Dick Road crossing, where Prophet ran out of road alongside the railroad.
Anyway, the Niagara had the same whistles as the Hudsons on that album. From what I've read, they were seldom used for crossings or to warn trespassers off of the ROW. The same thing applied to the use of the steam whistles on SP's Daylights and Cab Forwards. I have read that they were mainly used for signalling to the train crew and helper engines.
