4449's New Whistle!!!

[BNSF9250]

this new whiste is utter shit. its old whistle was way better.

[Strasburg1991]

they need the whistle from 4458

[lolz976]

what number daylight was it on before now, the 4457?

[Dinosorable]

Better than the old whistle.

[lolz976]

i liked the old whistle, i gave the engine character. it was a SP whistle as old as the engine almost, it went with her from the american freedom train, it had a rightful place with the 4449 because whats an engine without a whistle.....

[LNERMallard]

I really like this whistle over the old ones. This one sounds more mournful and just fits the engine more.

[Dinosorable]

@LNERMallard I like this one better too. It fits the engine better.

[Mikelandscaper]

I like the new whistle. I'm glad it hasn't changed drastically from old to new Like I thought it might.. In 1989 and 1992 4449 wore a much higher picthed whistle that I was like screeching. This whistle sounds very much like the one that resided on Cotton Belt 819 as well. Good Pick Doyle and crew.

[Dinosorable]

@Mikelandscaper I like this whistle too.

[97trainman]

what happened to the old whistle?



[deloreanman14]

@97trainman - It was returned to its original owner who I believe has plans to sell it. Don't quote me on it though.

[atsf3415dbr]

@deloreanman14 That whilatle is probably gonna sell pretty easily! I also know where SP 4455's whistle is.

[jakarate11]

@atsf3415dbr Where is it?

[atsf3415dbr]

@jakarate11 I meant whistle, but 4455's whistle is in McPherson, KS in the building where the local model train club is.

[jakarate11]

@atsf3415dbr Is it an original 4400 class SP 6 Chime like the 4449 originally had? Hopefully they'll blow it one day on steam.

[atsf3415dbr]

@jakarate11 Yup, it's an original.  They must have taken it off when 4455 was scrapped.

[jakarate11]

@atsf3415dbr Awesome. One of these days, they need to put it on 4449 for at least one run. Then we could get an idea of what the daylight sounded like back in the day!!!!

[ThomasRivette]

Don't like the new whistle, its sounds too much like 844's and 3985's. It would sound better if they added an SP 6 chime on the other side of the stack, like they did with her during the Freedom Train.

[MarkConductor775]

Sounds just like the one it's had for years...just sounds cleaner.

I say it needs a Lima 5 chime or an SP 6 chime!

[AmtrakSurfliner768]

LOVE THAT NEW SOUND!

[Dinosorable]

@AmtrakSurfliner768 Me too. It fits the engine better.

[imagreatbigman]

what was wrong with the old one?

[trainmaster844]

@imagreatbigman - He mentioned in the video to a by-stander that water was getting in it and that caused it to sound sour.

Take a look at videos of 4449 on her way to TrainFestival and the old whistle sounds better... but, if you look at videos of her @ National Train Day 2010 and the 2009 Holiday Express, you'll hear a BIG difference in how it sounds...

[deloreanman14]

@trainmaster844 - The guy who said that was standing a considerable distance away but the camera still picked up on it. He is correct, though. That whistle had actually been on the 4449 since it's days as the American Freedom Train in the mid-1970s. It was originally from an SP&S Challenger.

[CoasterFan2105]

@deloreanman14 Which whistle was that one? I heard the one before this was off a GN steamer and was put on 4449 in 1991

[CoasterFan2105]

I'm impressed! It sounds really good!

[pdxsteam]

It sounds great! I can't wait to hear how it sounds when she's doing 60mph up the columbia gorge.

[4449steam]

@pdxsteam You might get to hear that next year ;)

[pdxsteam]

@4449steam really!? they have new excursion in the works?

[4449steam]

@pdxsteam Indeed they do

[deloreanman14]

@4449steam NRHS to Tacoma in June and the Wishram trip is still on shaky ground. I wouldn't bet money on it just yet...

[Railfan77]

I'll be down there on the 11th & I can't wait to hear that new whistle!!

[4449steam]

It sounded so great blowing through the crossings on it's way to the OPR this morning!

[deloreanman14]

@4449steam Yes it did! I was in the first car directly behind the tender so I could enjoy every second of it! Doyle is such a master with the whistle cord it's amazing. I'll be getting more whistle action tomorrow.

[4449steam]

@deloreanman14 Wait, you were in the car when it left the roundhouse?