I apologize if there is already a Mystery Horn thread/sticky but today I heard one and recorded it: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-xsqRHcrxhg Can anyone identify the weird noise coming from one of the horns? Is it even one of the horns? Is it a whistle? Not sure.
I'd say it might be a combination of circumstances. The horn adjustment, those surroundings which those sounds are bouncing from, echoing. And some Doppler.
I'd say it's closest to an Amtrak horn as I remember from riding the Crescent many times. Also, I agree with Ken, there appear to be other factors modifying the fundamental tone based on the horn's assumed distance from the microphone.
Sounds like a sick LA4 ... about 30 plus BNSF trains run by my house everyday and you would not believe the many differences in the sound of the horns and the way the engineers sound them . BNSF normal call is two longs, a short, a long. but sometime you would swear that the horn has the croup or the crud and the engrs range from quickly sounding the call to draging it out and sometimes when UP is on their track , It must be how the engr is feeling as the call can be a seriers of shorts to one long call ...
