Re: 484

trainrider47 Wrote:
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> Hi Tom,
>
> The 30" gauge VFCO out of Sao Jao del Rei in
> Brazil used tall single chime whistles which the
> engineers could overblow at will. They could hoot
> and screech at will. I've got super 8 sound
> movies that I took back in 1982, but nothing that
> I can post. We were lucky, the line closed a
> month after we were there and was then cut back to
> a 12km long tourist line. At least it's still
> there and all the locos survived. Neat line, used
> 4-4-0's, 4-6-0's and 2-8-0's.
>
> Richard Carter had a huge collection of whistles
> when he worked at Cass. He took a bunch of his
> whistles up the mountain one day for a whistle
> blow for Semaphore Records. I don't think the
> session was ever released, but he had a Southern
> top lever "boot leg" single chime hooter that he
> could make hoot or screech as well. It was a
> cloudy day and very humid and the echo's were
> fantastic. I timed the last echo from the bootleg
> and it took 19 seconds for the last echo to come
> back.
>
> Michael Allen

Good point Michael, about the tones of these whistles
and I have to agree. I had the good fortune to ride with
Emidid Girola on 2-8-0 68 in 1977 on a trip with John West
and George Werner.

That was a formidable sound producer to be sure.

I was offered to run, but I think for the only time in my life,
declined as as knew nothing about the brake valve that they
were using. Nothing like I'd ever used before. Nonetheless,
a wonderful adventure.