On the 3-window, wood cabooses, the Frisco used a combination whistle and airbrake valve, which was mounted on the end railings of each platform. The whistle was used during back-up moves, and the air brake valve was used to dump the air during an emergency. The first image depicts the air line valve closed which is the normal position. The small button, which is near the bottom is the whistle valve. Pushing it will blow the whistle. The second view is a side view, and it shows the port through which the train line air exhausted when the brake valve was opened. The third view, shows the brake valve completely open or in emergency. I will have to hook up the whistle to my air compressor, and see if I can make a decent recording.
I think that's the same valve that was used on passenger trains on the end of the last car. When trains backed into Union Station, the conductor did the brake set from the hind end. I've ridden with Dad and seen that work. Those guys were pretty good at spotting at the post. You could watch him make the reductions on the gauge in the engine.
Here are two examples of the Sherburne Caboose Whistle pictured in Karl's post. The first is hooked to an air supply indoors and the second is sound captured at a crossing from a real live caboose.
Keith, There are a number of new and innovative diesel decoders with sound and light packages. Are there DCC decoder options to control caboose marker lights and reproduce caboose whistle sounds? If so, what are the brands and options? Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
At present, there are no decoders with a caboose whistle in their arsenal. I presented the suggestion via email to all the sound decoder people through their website email contacts.
Update: I loaned my Sherburne Caboose Whistle to Jarrett Ireland and George Bogatuik at SoundTraxx so they could record it and put it in their library of train sounds to possibly load into a decoder.
Two updates: My Sherburne Caboose whistle has has a patent date of 1890212; February 12, 1890. The new SoundTraxx Soundcar Decoder has the Sherburne Caboose Whistle pre-loaded and selectable.
