The 120's whistle when carried on 489 had a 1 1/2" valve under it. there was a 2" to 1 1/2" bell screwed into the whistle that looked like it had been there for a long long time and we didn't try to take it off. If Rayonier had used it with a 2" valve under it, that would have made a difference it's sound. Also having the shortest chime facing directly forward makes a difference too. I always made sure the shortest chime (and the highest note) faced straight forward. I think that is how a 3 chime sounds the best. Rayonier probably wasn't that anal retentive about that. 487 had a Powell on it in the 1960's. It played the same notes as 120, but they ran it with the high note facing back and 2 lower notes facing forward, which made it sound very different at close range. Comparing recordings of 487 in the 60's with 489 in the 90's make you think they are quite different until you get far way - say with the engines up on Windy Point, and you hear the similarity.
120's whistle when we had it on SLRG 18 sounded a bit off because the whistle is hidden behind the safety valves. My Crosby sounded OK but not great and I always thought it would be better. I put my Crosby on T&P 316 on the Texas State RR, where is was out on the side of the steam dome and - WOW - what a difference! I wish I had made some good recordings of it, but never got a chance. Someone - either Everett or Jason got some video the last couple weeks we ran it with the Crosby on it. The "stock whistle" on 316 was a 3-chime Star Brass. I ran with the middle note facing forward which gave the whistle an odd (to me anyway) mid-rangey pitch.
I guess I'll hav eto put my Crosby on one Cass' engines this spring.
trainrider47 Wrote:
=======================================================
> Earl,
>
> What's the BP on the 489? I noticed that when you
> had the 120's whistle on SLRG 18 that it didn't
> sound quite the same as on the Kistler recording.
> I think the 120 had a BP of 220 psi, while the 18
> had 200 psi. I've blown my Powell on 150 psi and
> it sounds different as well. I think the higher
> pressure results in a slightly higher overall
> frequency and it may bring the whistle more in
> tune.
>
> I also wondered if the higher altitude and dryer
> air made a difference, as opposed to the
> recordings of 120 in the rain at sea level.
>
> Michael Allen
