Train Horn
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 49
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From: Alexandria Virginia
Train Horn
Alright fellas here a question. Has anyone out there hooked up a train horn to their truck. Yes that's right I said train horn. I'm sure we can all look back on a situation where some Admin note: see our guidelines about language of off or just deserved to have their ear drums ruptured from the blast of a train horn.
So does anyone know how I'd go about getting one, installing it, and if I'd be able to fit it under the hood or mount it on the roof.
Thanks -Eddie
So does anyone know how I'd go about getting one, installing it, and if I'd be able to fit it under the hood or mount it on the roof.
Thanks -Eddie
Last edited by IB Tim; Jan 13, 2007 at 05:11 AM.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 167
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From: ABQ NM
Now that you're a member you can do a search on air honrs.
In some area there are laws that may prohibit such a permanent modification; but a number of members have posted ways of toggling between factory and air horn.
I'd do that for you now, but I've got fidgiting four-year-old helping me type.
I agreee that there are times that I'd really like the clueless driver that just cut me off to need to immediately pull to the side of the road to change their underwear.
In some area there are laws that may prohibit such a permanent modification; but a number of members have posted ways of toggling between factory and air horn.
I'd do that for you now, but I've got fidgiting four-year-old helping me type.
I agreee that there are times that I'd really like the clueless driver that just cut me off to need to immediately pull to the side of the road to change their underwear.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
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From: Stephensville WI
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Lincoln, NE
They are pricy, but they're the real deal too. You want an authentic Nathan set, thats the place, and they have all the switches / wiring setups you'd want.
That said, as much as people on the road can get to you, I'd be real cautious in checking your local noise ordanance regs before you go dropping dollars on something that may only get you tickets. The side of me that still has a sense of humor loves them; the practical side of me thinks I'd quit loving it if I had competition.
There is no way in the world you're going to get it under the hood. You'll have to weld a couple of judicious mounting brackets (I'm talking about the hornblasters 3 horn here) under the bed and mount it to the frame. It will just fit between the frame and body, and probably stick down enough that you'll be able to see the bell bottoms from outside. They're not small, and not light.
Now, I didnt go get one. I thought real hard about it, but I found out a lot about them and finally decided to spend my dollars elsewhere. Plus checking locally I think our local mores here would just have me ticketed every time I hit it.
That said, as much as people on the road can get to you, I'd be real cautious in checking your local noise ordanance regs before you go dropping dollars on something that may only get you tickets. The side of me that still has a sense of humor loves them; the practical side of me thinks I'd quit loving it if I had competition.
There is no way in the world you're going to get it under the hood. You'll have to weld a couple of judicious mounting brackets (I'm talking about the hornblasters 3 horn here) under the bed and mount it to the frame. It will just fit between the frame and body, and probably stick down enough that you'll be able to see the bell bottoms from outside. They're not small, and not light.
Now, I didnt go get one. I thought real hard about it, but I found out a lot about them and finally decided to spend my dollars elsewhere. Plus checking locally I think our local mores here would just have me ticketed every time I hit it.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
Likes: 1,678
From: Stephensville WI
As for switching between factory and "whatever" horn, a simple SPDT ON-ON switch, common from horn switch, A pole to stock horn relay, B pole to horn relay of new horn system would work perfectly.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Indianapolis
Just to echo 12alpha, if you did get the no kidding REAL train horns, like Nathan, Leslie, or Wabco, you will spend between $500 and up to $1000 for a set of Nathan K5LA's, which is the sound Amtrack had Nathan make expressly for them, but a few years ago a lot of other railroads bought them for that sound. You will need at least a 5 gal air tank, min. 3/8" air line, 1/2" air solenoid, and a few relays wired into your horn system. I can email you a diagram I use for my "plain old" Grover truck horn I use. A real train horn will scare the hell out of anyone within a 300 foot radius- one time I saw a Peterbuilt tow truck trying to manuver thru traffic to reach an accident, but jackasses kept cutting him off. So he left loose with a three second blast from what sounded like a Nathan M3 horn. Even though I knew exactly who did it, I still almost wrecked, and I sowre a locomotive was falling out of the sky on top of me LOL!! That had the same effect of Moses parting the red sea!!
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,497
Likes: 7
From: Central, Al
Try Siege Engineering on EBay. Fire Rooster in the 99-03 forum has 2 now.
http://stores.ebay.com/Siege-Enginee...Q3amesstQQtZkm
The Avil's and Kongs both sound very good
http://stores.ebay.com/Siege-Enginee...Q3amesstQQtZkm
The Avil's and Kongs both sound very good
That's what we need!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,829
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Here is a excellent Super Duty Train Horn How-To, it includes pics, contact information, the works.
http://www.nhtoc.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=26287
I have been really tempted to do it myself. But like what has already been said, to do it right its not cheap.
http://www.nhtoc.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=26287
I have been really tempted to do it myself. But like what has already been said, to do it right its not cheap.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,191
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From: New York
I installed the Stuttertone Firetruck airhorn along with a 2.5 gallon air tank and a Viair 450C 100% duty cycle air compressor all mounted along the frame on the passenger side. The air compressor is triggered by a pressure switch which is connect via a relay and the activation of the air horn is through a momentary push button switch on the dashboard. I did some upgrading since my initial install and will get some pictures up on my gallery when the weather clears up. Oh, a tip for anyone wanting to install airhorns: You don't have to buy the "complete kit" because they actually use inferior connectors and such. If you buy the items separately along with the correct fittings you will have a much better system (I learned this the hard way) The firetruck airhorn is extremely loud and I have used it to toot people cutting into my lane and such with great success. I even avoided an accident recently by using the airhorn to warn the other car trying to turn onto my lane that I was there (can't figure how they could miss seeing my truck in the first place) but the system is definitely worth it.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Stephensville WI
Originally Posted by PHWLEE
can't figure how they could miss seeing my truck in the first place.
I-57 in Illinois, bright red truck, bright sunny day, towing a bright orange and white U-Crawl trailer, have every light on that truck on, alone on the highway except for one other car...............the idiot goes to cut me off. Never looked in a mirror until I activated the decloaking device (horn).
He was so startled that a bright red truck towing a trailer could materialize out of thin air he about drove off of the road on the opposite side!
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Round Rock, TX
i'm slowly working on mine .. taking the time to assemble the right components .. i'm going to put on a set of Anvil's, along with 2 Grover Firetruck horns .. 2 separate buttons for that ..