I recently was able to spend a couple of days lodging on Pend O'Reille Lake at Sandpoint, Idaho

Of course that is near the BNSF/MRL/UP "Funnel"....so there were dozens of trains

As train after train crossed the lake echoing their unremarkable diesel horns, I wondered??

With all the modern digital sound & sampling reproduction tools available.....

Why couldn't that technology be used I create a variety of steam whistle sounds
It's already being used on Model Railroads...why not the prototype?

The sound palette could be quite diverse - from dozens of vintage US steam whistles to high-pitched European type whistles

The argument for safety could also be used...let's face it - to the average citizen, a train horn is just a train horn...many times probably ignored or viewed as a nuisance to tolerate without really paying attention to it

If each train sound was unique - perhaps folks would really..Stop-Look & Live"

Even today, police & first responders use a variety or warning sounds at sufficient volume for different situations ...why not trains?

I'm not saying that we should dump diesel horns...but even there, there are dozens of historical examples that could be used

For safety's sake...let's bring some variety back into railroading

Let's bring back them "Lonesome Railroad Blues"

Talk to ya later,
Dale Jones
[www.railroads-of-montana.com]