Whistle on train track?

Question

you know when your travelling by train and you see the signs beside the track that say Whistle. does anyone know what that means

Answer 1

It means that the train driver must sound the locomotive's whistle. These signs are usually placed before ungated level crossings or where there is a concealed hazard ahead.
On many lines these days the sign is abbreviated to SW (sound warning).

Answer 2

It is called a "whistle board." It is there to let the engineer know, more of a reminder actually, that he is to blow the signal "approaching crossing at grade," which is two longs, a short and a long, as pointed out above.

They are not used for grade crossings alone. The whistle boards are sometimes used when approaching tunnels or bridges as well.

They are usually located 1/4 mile in advance of the crossing or structure it is used in conjunction with. When the train is approaching an area where there are multiple grade crossings less than 1/4 mile apart, the "X" will have a number directly below it indicating the number of crossings coming up. The signal must be prolonged or repeated until the last crossing has been occupied by the lead locomotive.

Though more accurate in describing the device as a "horn," there are no "horn" signals. They are called whistle signals, and an engineer doesn't "honk the horn," he blows the whistle.

Addendum: I tip my hat to Brian A. The letter "S", on a diamond shaped board, indicated 1 mile from a switch, which can be a "station." A "station" in this instance is not where passengers congregate for boarding. The term "station" is a point named in the timetable, nothing more.

But the "S" was still there when I started running an engine on the Southern Pacific in '73, which was a long time after the steam days drew to a close. Which means I was born 30 years too late.

Answer 3

The sign is there, as it at a point on the line where there is or was a pedestrian crossing especially out in the country where public right of ways crossed the railway line. These days the crossing are slowly being converted into subways & footbridges, but there are still loads.
The other reason that there are these signs is that there will be points on the line where there is limited clearance between the line and the enbankment/bridges & tunnels at the side, and the train has to warn track workers that it is approaching with enough time for the track workers to go and stand in the alcoves that are built into the embankment/bridges to protect them from the train.

Answer 4

This is called a Whistle Born. It is usually place a about 1/4 of a mile depending on track speed before a crossing. Every crossing has a whistle board unless it is a silent crossing.


This sign can either be a W or the Union Pacific likes to make the sign an X.

Answer 5

The sign is their to notify the engineer to sound his whistle as he is approching a grade crossing (place where the road crosses the train tracks).

Most Railroads use a "W" and I have seen some use an "X" to indicate the use of a whistle.

Also, railroads will provide extra signage showing the proper whistle for the crossing.

ex.

-
-
.
-

This Means: 2 Longs, a short, and a Long

or

-
.
.
-

This means: A long, 2 shorts, and a long

I think you get the picture now.


For one of the previous answers is incorrect.
The whistle sign is placed at all railroad crossing where a whistle must be sounded whether the railroad crossing has gates or not.

This also brings into the subject of towns with "NO Whislte" restrictions.

The train engineer may not blow his whistle in town at any grade crossing through that town, but may sound his bell to notify he is coming. Once out of town he can lay on the horn all he wants.

Answer 6

It means that the train driver must sound the horn as the train is approaching a crossing. The signs are from the steam train era when they did have whistles to warn of a train approaching.

Answer 7

Quite often, a company official testing a train crew will hide in the weeds near a crossing to see if the crossing is whistled before the front wheel crosses the plane of the post. In the USA, the whistle signal is two long, one short, two long whistles. Even though steam is long gone, I have heard the term whistle used more often than horn. This could just be my area, though.

Answer 8

It is an instruction to the driver to sound the whistle (or the modern equivelant, the horn) to warn those on or about the line of the presence of the train.

In Britain, is has become fashionable for some residents living adjacent the the railway to complain about the noise from the horn. What these people sometimes forget, is that it is there for the safety of those using the crossings etc on the line. They'd soon complain if a relative of theirs got run over and killed by a train because the driver did not sound the horn.

Answer 9

The whistle on a locomotive isn't completely a secure practices a gadget, whether it incredibly is its popular use. yet, it is likewise a communications gadget, with distinctive prescribed alerts. subsequently, besides to what has already been observed, it may desire to be loud sufficient to hold a sufficient distance as a sign gadget. Trains are over one and one a million/2 miles long oftentimes. So, the whistle could desire to have the potential to hold a minimum of that some distance, besides as against any triumphing winds. And, confident, gates and lights furniture could desire to be sufficient. yet, you realize what? Pedestrian and grade crossing injuries, injuries and dying toll rises each and every 3 hundred and sixty 5 days, gates and lights furniture no longer withstanding. there grow to be some Gov't dis-innovations relative to secure practices information. They contemporary figures demonstrating the numbers are trending downward. What they do no longer permit you realize is that a pair years in the past they replaced the factors of what constitutes a "reportable" twist of destiny. those that have been as quickly as stated decrease than the previous paradigm have vanished. Presto! on the spot secure practices progression. So, to as quickly as back sound like a broken checklist, whistles do no longer consistently artwork. Grade crossing secure practices does not consistently artwork. in the adventure that your ears and eyes do artwork, use them. they're going to save your life and limbs. And, a splash uncomplicated experience is going an prolonged way. so some distance as sleep deprivation, properly, if it will make you experience any extra effective, the crews on those trains could incredibly be sound asleep besides... i'm instructed imbibing a liberal quantity of Tequila in the previous bedtime works properly for sleep. you in simple terms could desire to no longer awaken on your guy or woman mattress...

Answer 10

Yes it means the train must blow its horn as it is entering a section of track that may have hidden crossings, engineering points or be in an Absolute Block signalling area that is long and uncontrolled.
trains should sound a horn when they see someone on the track ahead, approaching a half barrier or no barrier crossing, tunnel entrance and exit or shunting from yard to running line.

Answer 11

It indicates that there is a grade crossing (a place where a road crosses the railroad track) ahead. They are placed there to alert the engineer/driver to sound the whistle to warn cars that a train is approaching.