Re: Mechanical or hand rung bells?

Most all the NG engines in the later years had some sort of air powered ringer on the bell. There are 2 distinctly different types. All the engines used an air cylinder mounted on the side of the bell frame to swing the bell yoke. The sound of this type of ringer is similar to a hand rung bell. Later on the big engines (28-37's) had a piston air ringer that are part of the clapper itself. The bell itself doesn't move. The sound is a rather mechanical ding, ding, ding. The earlier ones have a better sound and more character, but require more maintainance to keep running right.