The electronic bell, or “E-Bell”, has become extremely common on American railroads over the past decade or so. Being a solid-state part, they require almost no maintenance and don’t get clogged up by snow. From an operational standpoint (the only one that matters) they are an improvement on all counts.
Now for the (completely extraneous and inconsequential) railfan perspective. To me, the E-Bell takes away the “character,” if you will, of a locomotive. It sounds tinny and oddly nothing like a real bell, and it makes everything sound exactly the same as all railroads and loco manufacturers seem to have picked ONE model (Graham White 373).
From the (slightly less inconsequential) rider perspective, while waiting for a train at Newark Penn there is almost a constant cacophony of them all around you and it gets pretty annoying. With the mechanical bells, there were enough different types and even subtle differences among the same type to make the experience far less irritating. There’s something about hearing the same bell ring audio sample over and over again that causes a headache.
All of us have our own particular reasons for why we like trains, but I’m sure many of you would agree that the sounds of the railroad are a big part of it all. It would become a lot less impressive if you take were to take away the earth-shaking roar of the locomotives, or the whoosh of each set of trucks flying by on a fast passenger train. The bell may not be the most exciting of these sounds, but it is certainly capable of detracting from it all.
Does anyone else share my opinion? It can’t be that hard to throw a different audio sample in there.
Now for the (completely extraneous and inconsequential) railfan perspective. To me, the E-Bell takes away the “character,” if you will, of a locomotive. It sounds tinny and oddly nothing like a real bell, and it makes everything sound exactly the same as all railroads and loco manufacturers seem to have picked ONE model (Graham White 373).
From the (slightly less inconsequential) rider perspective, while waiting for a train at Newark Penn there is almost a constant cacophony of them all around you and it gets pretty annoying. With the mechanical bells, there were enough different types and even subtle differences among the same type to make the experience far less irritating. There’s something about hearing the same bell ring audio sample over and over again that causes a headache.
All of us have our own particular reasons for why we like trains, but I’m sure many of you would agree that the sounds of the railroad are a big part of it all. It would become a lot less impressive if you take were to take away the earth-shaking roar of the locomotives, or the whoosh of each set of trucks flying by on a fast passenger train. The bell may not be the most exciting of these sounds, but it is certainly capable of detracting from it all.
Does anyone else share my opinion? It can’t be that hard to throw a different audio sample in there.