Re: 478's low hooter

Hi John,
I guess a lot of whistle swapping has gone on over the years. My favorite at the D&SNG was always the 3-chime brass unit that was on 478 when Bradshaw took over, and remained on that engine for several years. Not only did it sound great, but it was easy to play. Perhaps the 5-chime you're talking about got put on after I left.
That 3-chime whistle had a 7", 9", 11" (approximate) configuration. I made one with similar chime lengths and installed it in the engine room of the last ship I was on. Even with the main engine thrashing, the turbochargers whining, and the auxiliary generator engines roaring, it still put me right back at Shalona crossing on a bright 1981 summer morning. Of course none of the marine types knew how to blow it properly, but they sure enjoyed playing train engineer.
Mark