Railroad Trains for the Soul: Hancock Air Whistles
As an added bonus, let’s learn about one of a few types of train whistles that can be powered by air pressure, just like the horns covered in the last blog post. The most notable example is the Hancock model 4700 air whistle. In fact, Hancock used to manufacture steam whistles but later introduced what appears to be its only type of whistle that just needs air while imitating an old steam locomotive sound. For that reason, the 4700 is most suitable for diesels.
Appearance-wise, it is also probably the most unusual design because the whistle itself looks a little bit like a “wiener.” (Please pardon my language!) The deep dish mounted behind the whistle is the reflector, which forces the sound in the forward direction; however, the 4700 (technically designated as model 4710) can be installed without the reflector. Despite its weird sausage shape, the Hancock air whistle produces three notes, which make up a pretty nice, tuneful sound.
The real Hancock air whistle
Hancock air whistle on a synthesizer