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Train Horn Range?

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 12:34 am
by KGK1234
I was wondering, what is the furthest a train horn can be heard from? I'm guessing at least a few miles, but I'm not sure.

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:03 am
by freebrickproductions
That's about right. When the weather's right, I can hear the trains blowing their horns on the NS Memphis District here in Huntsville, AL, which is about 5.5 miles away from my house.

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 2:24 am
by KGK1234
Thanks for the info!

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 4:31 pm
by Allenorgan42099
Sorry to bump. I live about 8 miles from the Norfolk Southern B-Line in Northern VA and we hear the horns clearly all the time!

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 7:09 pm
by Purring Cat
I live about 7 or 8 miles from CSX Tracks and 10 miles from NS Tracks and I hear CSX horns and in extreme rare cases, a NS horn from my house in Mount Washington.

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:52 pm
by TBoyer1999
I live in Silver Lake, Indiana, which is right near the Norfolk Southern Marion Branch. There is an NS "diamond" (intersection) in Claypool, a town five miles north of me, and I can hear the horns clearly on most days. Sometimes I can hear the horns of trains from almost 10 miles away on the best days. Pretty crazy how loud train horns are.

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:14 pm
by Allenorgan42099
TBoyer1999 wrote:
Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:52 pm
I live in Silver Lake, Indiana, which is right near the Norfolk Southern Marion Branch. There is an NS "diamond" (intersection) in Claypool, a town five miles north of me, and I can hear the horns clearly on most days. Sometimes I can hear the horns of trains from almost 10 miles away on the best days. Pretty crazy how loud train horns are.
How loud would you say a typical train horn is compared to a typical siren? I used to live about 1/2 mile from the B-line before moving to the current house that I mentioned. Sometimes if conditions are just right you can even hear the cars rumbling at my place too.

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:40 am
by TBoyer1999
Compared to warning sirens, train horns are somewhat quieter. Most put out 100 or more dBA at 100 feet, making them not as loud as many of the most powerful sirens made today (2001, T-135 AC/DC, etc).

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 1:25 am
by Synther
There's a track just up the road from my house (~.5 Mile), and I can sometimes hear a train horn from inside my house.

Re: Train Horn Range?

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 12:21 am
by Purring Cat
Most train horns have the same amount of decibils as a Federal Signal Thunderbolt as you may know, so it doesn't
Shock me to hear a Horn as distant as 10 or 11 miles.