Wait just a minute, here folks.

First of all, there is no mistaking "Earl's" Powell. That has a deeper melodeous kinda off-key chime. I have video with sound of that on 489 inthe mid-90's.

The whistle referred to by the original post'er and on the video link with 487 is definately NOT the Powell.

It sounds to me like the READING 6-CHIME which was on 484 and very out-of-tune by the mid 90's.

Here's a clip of it before it became out of tune...




It is also the whistle on the 2-tape set from Greg Scholl "Chased By A Steam Train". Too bad it was getting to be out of tune for that production.

I had an email conversation about this whistle with Carlos a few years ago, as I was hoping someone at the Chama shop would work on tuning it and get it back on one of the engines. I had some pointers for them.

I own one of these Reading 6'ers. It is from Pacific No. 179. It has been used on several engines here in the east in recent years, most recently on 425 on Saturday October 18, 2008, if anyone wants to look up YouTube vids, you can hear it.

Here's a clip from when it was on 142 briefly.




There was a similar sounding 5-chime ( I don't know what RR) on 497, when I was there in 1998. Similarly shaped bell, but very different base and valve.

K-27 Afficianado, I hope this helps. Can you give the name of the video you mentioned in your original post ?

Steve G.