Whenever I activate the horn on the ACS64 on the tutorial, the bell also always activates.. So I need to turn it off each time, after using the horn. Annoying for sure. Is this a bug, something I'm doing wrong, or is it actually supposed to be like this.
It's a bit annoying but sadly true to real life. Never really got the American obsession with the bell, ruins all sorts of video clips when you are watching runbys and the clatter of the bell drowns out the thrash. If Run 8 is anything to go by I don't think older locos have it by default, the simultaneous activation seems to be a fairly recent thing. The only known use of an external bell I can think of in the UK was for street running, for example the much lamented Weymouth Quay tramway line.
I suppose it's useful for busy stations and yard areas, where several locomotives might be iddling with engines on, to bring attention to actually moving trains (as engine sound by itself might not be enough). And because most horn actions (grade crossings, passing at stations) will require the driver to activate the bell as well, it makes sense that the bell nowdays activates automatically to horn usage. On some modern locos I believe it even turns off automatically after a while?
It's an antique safety regulation dating back over a century: whenever you sound the whistle, you must ring the bell too. By the 1960s locomotive builders were linking the activation controls to save engineers a step.
It's an important safety measure,especially on commuter lines in the US, where trains often run through downtown areas with multiple vehicular/pedestrian crossings. Also in busy yards or construction areas where hostlers and other track workers may be present. I'm surprised that warning bells are not used more on UK and German railways, given the anemic sound of loco horns there.
Yes, because without a ringing bell pedestrians would never notice an approaching quarter-million pounds of locomotive, diesels roaring, ground shaking........ US absurdly loud air horns make sense, because you can hear them a very long way away, well before you can hear the train itself. But the bell? Not audible until it's already on top of you.
Not really. There's a busy commuter line about a quarter mile from me and, at least on days when I can open windows, I can hear the horn and bell quite clearly as the big F40PH/MP36PH approaches the station.
In TSW, yes. But in real life, the bell is much louder, I would suppose. Just look at US train spotting videos, you will be able to hear the bell from quite far away as well.
For me as an austrian the excessive use of horns in the U.S feels quite strange. I mean, what's the point of using the horn on a level crossing with gates? Is this something that's required by any ancient law? The bell is funny too. I really like watching videos of U.S locos with their incredible loud horns and the nice bells. Since horns are rarely used here it doesn't really matter how the sound. Horns don't get used here on level crossings with gates. Even a red light is enough. We still have some level crossings with only a warning sign. That's one of the rare occasions where the horn still gets sounded. In Germany it's almost the same. Behind my workplace is a yard. But also no usage of horns there.
It can be surprising how quiet a locomotive can be when it’s approaching fast until it’s right on top of you…the bell at least provides some additional sound at a higher pitch to provide a bit of extra notice that the train is moving.
It always made sense that the bell is used for slow approaches and the horn at higher speeds. The Amtrak runs its bell when approaching a station. It's definitely not as alarming as a horn, and it is quieter. It's more of a constant reminder like a reversing signal. While it can it makes sense to activate both at slow approaches since you first sound horn then run bell, the bell doesn't seem very useful at high speeds. Because it's a cyclical sound, and you'd hear just a couple dings before the train blasts by. At 100 mph the bell seems useless to me. Combine that with speed of sound and you won't hear it, until the train is already passing you. So you just have to turn it off after every horn blast I guess. Odd that they wouldn't trust the engineer to use appropriate signals. But yes in America they like to go with the principle of more sound is better, and safety trumps all. Interestingly in NYC now, the police cars use a very different and almost quiet signal, which is a low frequency buzz which calls attention not by the loudness but by the vibration and tone variance, and they use sirens minimally. You definitely hear it but it doesn't injure your ear drums. Sadly the ambulances still rely on making people deaf with a high pitched awful sound. Possibly the most annoying sound in the world. Even the fire truck air horns aren't as bad because the sound is distributed over wider frequency, though an air horn will get you out of bed quickly.
One of the reasons for the bell is that, in many US locations, local sound control regulations limit use of Loco horns ( imagine the horn inside Penn Central!) - so for example at stations the bell is an additional safety element. Since it is continuous, you are aware of it's approach or recession. As for hearing a train horn - in an air-conditioned car, with the radio going, the noise and vibration is not apparent until the first loco passes - it is surprising how quickly that train blasts past after you become aware of the horn. Which is why we still get the occasional tragic mistake.
I found this in the NORAC rules from 2011. So ya, the bell is in most cases used whenever horn is. They don't specify use when arriving at passenger station, but I suppose they also don't prohibit it. 20. Engine Bell If a train is equipped with an engine bell, it must be sounded: 1. When the engine is about to move. 2. When running through tunnels. 3. While approaching and passing public highway crossings at grade. 4. When approaching locations where Roadway Workers may be at work on tracks, bridges, and other points. 5. When passing a train standing on an adjacent track. 6. In an emergency. In cases where a momentary stop and start, forward and backward movement is part of a switching operation that does not involve movement over a public highway crossing at grade, the engine bell need not be sounded, unless Roadway Workers are known to be in the area. Also, they direct dimming head lights in certain conditions, including passing a train going the other direction. Like turning off high beams on the road. https://www.hubdiv.org/docs/signaling/NORAC.pdf
To add, I've never heard the loco bell on Amtrak at speed while in a passenger car. Even through the Hudson tunnels into Penn. I'm guessing it's just not audible, but cannot be certain.
