FA-1 - Leslie Supertyfon S5T - Replacement For Wabco E-2 and Nathan Airchime M5 Air Horns

Howdy,

I recall seeing photos of several FA-1s with Leslie three or five chime horns on the cab roof on one side.

Does anyone know what year they began replacing the horns with Leslies?

The photograph I saw was dated in the 1950s. I could not tell if the horns were three or five chime sets.

Any clarification would be most helpful.

Best Regards,

Mike

 

Howdy Ron,

Thanks, that is exactly what I need to know.

Best,

Mike

 

Is there anything better out there in HO-scale than the long available Cal-Scale #190-316 5-chime horn detail part to represent the Leslie S5T that the Frisco used on their F's, E's and FA's?

I think over time the Cal-Scale mold has degraded, such that this 5-chime horn no longer looks as good as it once did.

The horns on my Athearn F7 and Train-Miniature FA-1 that I did in the early 1980s look better than the new Cal-Scale #316 pieces I have purchased recently.

Or maybe I am just getting old and cranky!

Anybody have any ideas?

Ken

 

Karl -

Thanks.

Indeed, the Details West 191 5-chime and 190 3-chime Leslie's are nice castings. I have used them both a lot on 2nd generation Diesel units. But, both of these have one or two of the horn bells facing to the rear.

The horn I am talking about, Cal Scale 316, has all five bells facing forward, as the Frisco used on their F, FA and E-units.

I am not aware Details West has a similar 5-bell forward casting.

Wish they did, it would look better than today's Cal Scale 316.

Ken

 

Bob,

I have just stared at my file pictures of the Frisco GP15-1s until I was Mandarin orange in the face!

It seems to depend on the specific unit, but you are correct, several of them appear to have all five horn trumpets facing forward! I never noticed that. Several others appear to be like the DW 191 horn with three forward and two to the rear. One, a poor shot, looked like it had a three chime on it with two forward and one to the rear, like the DW 190.

They might have changed horns through the years, my pictures are not dated. The Frisco took delight in doing that to us!

I am wondering about the five forward horns. The GP15-1 made use of trade-in parts from F-units, such as the trucks.

I wonder if they also grabbed the horns off of some of the old F-wagons, painted them orange, and set them atop the new GP15-1s?

Anybody have any ideas?

I spruced up the Walthers GP15-1 SLSF 105 model a few years ago and used the DW 191 horn. My pics of SLSF 105 show it with this horn. Though the Walthers color on the model is too red, the thing turned out looking really well when adorned with the appropriate detail parts and some accent painting.

Adding the nose Pyle National Gyralite gives it a nice touch. It also runs pretty well for an inexpensive locomotive.

They can be had for not many $$ at swap meets.

Ken

 

Thanks Ron.

Interesting.

Is there any chance you could post a scan of the standards sheet to the forum?

It would be a good reference.

There is, however, considerable photograph evidence that many of the Frisco GP15-1s had a five-chime Leslie mounted with three bells forward and two to the rear as with the DW 191 in HO.

At least that is the way they were at the time of the photograph.

No evidence that they came new that way.

Ken

 

Thanks Ron!

Ken

 

You might try asking on the following forums.

http://www.hornwhistleboard.com/viewtopic.php?p=20299

http://www.hornwhistleboard.com/viewtopic.php?p=21533

There is a guy that has been working on some.