On whistle usage?

[Broomwagon]

I'm kinda hoping a certain curried bird might notice this question....

So for correct running, when did they use the whistle in steam days?

Obviously when there's a W or SW sign.
When entering and exiting tunnels?
When setting off from stationary perhaps?

[OldAlaskaGuy]

Infrmation here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_whistle There may be more depending on the railroad.

[Broomwagon]

rwaday - 'steam trumpet' I like that

And as a true Yorkshireman I will have to practice on Ilkley Moor Baht tat an'all.

[jimoates014]

There was a 17C Rowsley driver who played the opening bars of Ilkley Moor on Class 24 horns when they were introduced on stopping passenger to let his wife know he'd be home in about an hour.

[hartleymartin]

When approaching whistle signs, just before moving off. Often when approaching stations to let the station master or porter know a train was approaching. It largely depended on the railway company and the particular route.

[Rogue]

The whistle rules in TS are set for Europe. In the USA you can blow the whistle any time you wish except in Silent Areas. For the most part whistles are blown approaching and leaving Stations and road crossings.

Railroad companies here in the USA realized years ago that the train whistle played a big part in getting young men to join the railroad.

[Overland]

When/how do you get that improper horn use penalty? Ive had it alot when driving a 101 DMU

Admittedly blowing both horns at once to sound more chimed..pulling into platforms to scare people..when taking off and. And blowing it just for joy..

Which ones bad? :)
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/853845830997293688/C01C7587B7BE0929A79C138DAA185E116E221637/

[Turbofintan]

Originally posted by Overland:

When/how do you get that improper horn use penalty? Ive had it alot when driving a 101 DMU

Admittedly blowing both horns at once to sound more chimed..pulling into platforms to scare people..when taking off and. And blowing it just for joy..

Which ones bad? :)
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/853845830997293688/C01C7587B7BE0929A79C138DAA185E116E221637/

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=482460512

Not wishing to boast my awful horn abuse but I had to compare it with yours...

[76561198219211377]

My dad told me when Diesels came in a driver on the Harwich line started playing the overture to Tannhäuser*. I said I wouldn't have thought that possible but he swears to it.

My understanding (for GB) was that there would be occasions where a driver would whistle to communicate with the guard on an unfitted freight or a banking loco' but in general use you whistled when starting and when approaching stations, crossings, tunnels and anywhere someone working on the lineside might be unsighted at the driver's discretion. When I try to follow that I get told off in the summary. In fact that happens even when you've only whistled on passing whistle boards which is a bit annoying. You don't seem to lose any points for improper horn use (titter...) in career scenarios though.

* If anyone's struggling that's the bit when Bugs Bunny gets into drag and rides down the hill on the incredibly fat horse in What's Opera Doc'?**

** If anyone hasn't seen What's Opera Doc'? drop everything, seek it out and watch it. Yes now- it's on Vimeo. Go on- you'll thank me.

[OldAlaskaGuy]

As a side note, often in the caboose there would be a small whistle on the brake pipe for the conductor to signal the engineer in a coded fashion. Some railroads also installed an air horn. This was used when doing reversed running.

[Chicken Balti]

Mostly as Friends of DRCM states below for the UK, other countries will have their own regulations drivers follow;

'My understanding (for GB) was that there would be occasions where a driver would whistle to communicate with the guard on an unfitted freight or a banking loco' but in general use you whistled when starting and when approaching stations, crossings, tunnels and anywhere someone working on the lineside might be unsighted at the driver's discretion. When I try to follow that I get told off in the summary. In fact that happens even when you've only whistled on passing whistle boards which is a bit annoying. You don't seem to lose any points for improper horn use (titter...) in career scenarios though.'

However, use of the whistle or horn at night between 11pm and 7am is not permitted now in the UK, unless not doing so, would cause danger to the train and/or those persons or person (including animals) on the line.
This was not the case in steam days and up to 2007, where the use of the whistle or horn was not restricted.
Best.

[Broomwagon]

Ah there we go...
I don't get told off too much because I freeroam most of the time, but I wanted to use whistles correctly.

Thanks for the answers all.