Re: Chinese whistles *LINK*

John,
On the Chinese standard gauge engines, both the air horn and steam whistle are operated by foot pedals which activate air cylinders. There is no way to quill the valve, it's either on or off. On the narrow gauge engines, there is a standard whistle cord and the whistles sound much nicer. The same whistle as on the QJ, but lower pressure and quilling makes a much sweeter sound.
The following is quoted from Hans Schaefer's web site in which he gives complete instructions on how to operate a QJ!
"You should only start the engine after being given a signal to do so. Answer this (and any other) signal with a short blow in the horn. (Any signal you get is answered by a short blow in the horn)."
"Signaling if you are driver of the first of two engines on a train: Blow the horn one long tone. Listen until the second engine answers with one long tone. Then blow one short tone. Then start.
If you drive the second engine: wait for the long tone from the first engine, answer it with a long one, wait until the first engine blows another short tone."
"By the way: They use the horn at stations and depots, and the whistle only under way on the line. It seems the whistle is only used if the engine men really want to make sure it is heard from a distance that a train is coming."