Re: OMG the whistles! make them stop!

You have to remember that most European railroads had enclosed right of way...especially Germany and France, therefore the need to use whistles was far less than in the US with our miles of open country. In Germany on the mainlines you rarely heard whistles. Also in Europe and South Africa they don't toot for start-ups at stations, the conductor blows a whistle, or just waves, and they start up. European whistles aren't to nice compared to ours, but as I said they were not as much a factor to start with. There were a few nice whistles in South Africa, especially the 24 class on the George-Knysna line along the Indian Ocean. Personnally I think there is too much whistle blowing in the US, on steam trips. One 3751 trip I chased the engineer practically blew the whistle non-stop, which got real annoying. I heard he was a former Santa Fe guy, so I guess he was having his moment in the sun so to speak.
Greg