Today, I was given this whistle by a friend who said the gentleman that gave it to him claimed it was a Frisco caboose whistle. I have seen the Sherburne caboose whistles (http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/caboose-whistle-brake-valve.3779/#post-25413) and air valves, but this is a new one on me. It has Salem Line stamped into the top next to the whistle pipe. Does anyone have any knowledge of use of this type caboose whistle by the Frisco?
Keith, that looks like a later model of whistle. I am reasonably sure I have seen that type on BN waycars. Could be the Salem line, looks BN though maybe after 1980. BN had lots of money for gadgets, and did upgrades on almost everything. Bill Jackson
SLSF caboose 1288 and 1291 have this exact same whistle. Those cars were built in 1969. If you still have the whistle and if you would sell it I would be interested because one of 1291s whistles is crushed.
I bet those Salem Line whistles are original equipment on the Frisco cabooses built in 69. When 1288 was retired it was orange and white and had never been repainted green, and there is no evidence that 1288 ever had the whistle upgraded. I scraped paint from one of 1288s whistles and there is some Frisco orange paint under the ugly red that the city of Ash Grove painted on her. I have also seen these whistles on other roads cabooses too.
B end of Frisco 1288. The Salem Line whistle is mounted in the horizontal position on 1288, its upright like most all others on 1291. Looking at old pics of 1285-92 I can only see one whistle clearly and its on 1292 and its a Sherburne whistle. So the Salem whistles were not likely original equipment like I thought but 1288 got its Salem whistle in the Frisco years based on the Frisco orange paint under the layers. Fun stuff.
Mainly what I recall, was that the whistle's were not very loud. Seemed like a waste of time to blow it, although the conductor always did. We backed over crossings a lot on work trains, dumping rock, dropping ties and all other work. Good to know, information Paul.
I never knew cabooses had whistles. I learn something new everyday. When did cabooses start getting whistles and what powered them?
The whistles served two purposes, i.e., as a signaling device and as a brake valve. They were powered from the train line. The first post in this thread shows the valve in its closed position, and in its open emergency position. http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/caboose-whistle-brake-valve.3779/#post-25413 My Sherburne whistle has a1910 patent date.
The Salem Line whistle is only a whistle and does not have a dump valve. Both 1288 and 1291 have emergency dump valves plumbed in the line below the Salem whistle. Those Sherburne whistles are really cool with the cast brass parts. The Sherburne whistles must have been the industry standard and used by many as there are always a large supply of them on ebay. The Salem Line whistles seem to be scarce and are rare to find on ebay.
Ok, the one like Karl posted is the one seen, after merger the other type started showing up. Probably just something that stuck in my small mind.
The Salem whistle in not anywhere near as loud as the Sherburne whistle. I believe the Sherburne whistle would be able to be heard a mile away, while the Salem whistle would be heard a few blocks away based on my testing.
