Trains in Melbourne, and the whole state of Victoria, blow their whistles a lot. They have to, it’s in the rules – but should the rules be changed, to be more in line with other systems around the world? I think so!
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Thanks to RMtransit for supplying the footage showing bell use in Canada! If you’re watching this video you probably already know about Reece, but if not, please check out his channel here: www.youtube.com/@RMTransit/
My voiceover in this video was recorded with the assistance of my brother Cian, who happens to be a sound recordist and musician. Check out his music here: https://hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic
Just before publishing this video, I stumbled across the website of an organised group that are arguing for, essentially, exactly what I talk about in this video. Check it out here: http://halt-horns.info/
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro/Railways are different everywhere
01:22 – When do Victorian trains whistle?
02:34 – A Hurstbridge line hypothetical
04:03 – How does it work elsewhere?
05:55 – The safety issue
07:13 – My suggestions
08:11 – Living Lineside/Changing Horns
10:03 – Summing up
10:29 – A pointless whistle post
11:32 – The end bit
#trains #railways #melbourne #transport #transit
27 Comments
This was great. Not really sure why but I got a huge amount of enjoyment out of watching this… probably something to do with the fact I like trains!
If i'm not mistaken, with VIA and GO trains in Canada, they have two horns. For ordinary use, there would seem to be your bog standard 3 or 5-chine air horn as is common in the Americas, but then they also have a second set of airhorns mounted, which I see referred to as an 'emergency horn'. From the videos I've seen, this emergency horn is has something done to it to make it much louder, and produce a harsher note.
Now From what I've read, there are no specific instructions for GO and VIA train drivers (uuhhh I mean engineers) stating when to use this emergency horn (although the name would imply when to use it). But, if one of the larger issues is an overabundance of whistle use to the point of people not reacting to them like they should, then MTM and VLine should consider having a second set of horns mounted to all trains.
What I'm thinking is that MTM and Vline adopt rules stating when drivers can use this second horn, or 'emergency horn'. Unlike the original whistle, which can remain being used for its intended purpose (precautionary warnings for level crossings and stations, and most importantly for saying hello to train enthusiasts!), drivers would only be allowed to use this emergency horn in the case of an… emergency. This horn would be even louder than usual, and because of the restricted use, would hopefully do a better job of alerting pedestrians should the standard-use horn fail.
If my idea above sounds silly, perhaps we just have a close-in weapon system mounted on the front of all trains; as soon as it detects a trespasser, they are blown into next month! Problem solved if you ask me!
I am one of those people who shit themselves every time a train honks/whistles/toots. Gah!
You do stop noticing it – nans was between lalor and thomastown and you'd not hear it after a while. The xtrap would startle ya. But its nothing on the airbuses and their whistles!
Vlocity trains and their polite honk / and their loud honks always make me stop and have a look – because the polite honk sounds like the old diesel locos!
So the horn sounds as the doors close, rather than a "hustle alarm"? That seems very odd to me.
I'm on the Hursty, I hear train horns a lot, and wish they would be a bit nicer like the Comeng horns because I have gotten jump-scared many times by an XTrapolis honking.
UK user here, I live opposite a railway line which usually sees 2 to 3 freight trains in each direction most days of the week. (Though the frequency has severely dropped since the Covid pandemic)
Very rarely hear them blasting their whistles as they go past. Only times they ever seem to is if there's someone/something near the line or if someone calls out to them.
Like you, the enthusiast part of me likes hearing the whistling but I totally agree that in the examples shown it might be a little excessive.
Neat video.
We actually whistle a lot over here in the US as well. Each railroad here has their own specific signals for certain scenarios, but there are at least four common and universal signals used throughout the country. They are as follows:
One blast is blown after stopping to signal that you have indeed stopped.
Two blasts signal that you are about to start moving forward from a stopped position.
Three blasts is the same as the last one except that you will be moving backwards.
And finally four blasts are to be sounded when approaching a railroad crossing, but they must be played in a specific order: Two long blasts, a short blast, then a long blast. This sequence must also be started at a whistle post similar to the ones mentioned in this video and can end when the locomotive is occupying the crossing.
Update: so i'll admit that i didn't watch the full video when writing this comment. As i now have, i see this information is a bit redundant. I'm gonna keep the comment up however as it serves as a slightly more in-depth look into US signals.
One of my mates lives near to a crossing near Huntingdale. His house backs on the line. He was dead against sky rail but loves it now.
I know some Japanese trains use musical horns
So about the U.S. trains blowing the horn/whistle at every crossing, that is required by the FRA since most of the trains here are freight trains with the pattern being two long, one short, and one long sounding horn through the crossing typically as shown here https://youtu.be/zXNlups2F_Q?t=227. Although this rule has some movement since quiet zones exist and some will just not blow their horn at all when in an area that doesn't have a quiet zone in place shown here https://youtu.be/ncXi5DWrIzY?t=362 and here with no grade crossing bells, horns, or onboard bells https://youtu.be/GWHCeS8EtWo. Hope this clears some stuff up!
Great video, I was at Seymour on the weekend at the Railway Heritage Centre open day and I had to wonder if I was walking past you and not knowing it. Lots of people with cameras.
As a Brit, it feels like these whistle rules assume that people are on on near the line without any form of protection, and assume that people need to be told that trains are a thing on railways.
If you have a level crossing without lights and barriers, fine, whistle. But the warning “trains move on grade/fence separates tracks”, which is what it seems like the whistle when starting to move is communicating, is given by the fence and the track.
With tunnels, is the idea that track workers are being warned to run to shelters in the tunnel? Is that their only protection? Because if so, that seems unsafe.
Interesting informative and very well presented. I used to live in Meadow Heights and back in 90s early 2000s the government was trying to get our street to agree on a fast train for the airport. The train was going to really close to our back fences travelling at high speed. Thankfully we blocked it.
2:37 I can see my house from here!
I don't know how common this is in the Melbourne area, but one reason I can think of to sound a whistle on departure is when a train is not stopped all the way at the end of the platform (i.e., the train is short enough that it doesn't occupy the whole space), particularly if there are people standing on a crowded platform at the time. That said, I think doing it when entering stations can actually be more important than whistling on departure; our local rapid transit system (BART, in the San Francisco, CA area) has a policy of always whistling when a train is entering a station. This is changing some with the arrival of new equipment, but the original trains have a very polite electronic "boop boop" that is still sufficiently attention-getting. They're also equipped with very loud air horns (dubbed by at least one YouTuber "the BART death honk", though, which are primarily used in potential emergencies. I've also seen them used at extremely crowded platforms after sporting events.
the VLocity whistle is adorable, I will not tolerate this slander 😛
What I think it should be:
No departing horns (special signs if LOW horn needed)
1 short express horn in rural areas
1 horn when crossing (at whistle post)
Tunnel
Workers
at discretion
I also think the low and high horns are not distinct enough, they sound too similar on the VLocity imo
why do we need the horns to warn people? maybe cars need to toot their horns as well, for the hundreds and thousands of people living near train lines being angered and effected for twots who don't watch out for trains!
Couldn't imagine life in Melbourne without the train whistles and tram bells, love it and never want it changed, especially the short doot at departure. I do agree that Xtrap and Vlo's dont sound great though and that should be addressed but in general the practice should be continued in my opinion.
Legit heard 5 whistles while watching this vid
"….or looks as if they're about to do something stupid". You are talking about Melbourians, they are always about to do something stupid.
Because they don't know the words?
6:25 — Can confirm the whistles are essentially background ambient noise to me and, consequently, I often fall asleep to it.
It must be a liability issue?
Aren't the 'bells' on trams called a gong?
I actually think whistle blowing should come back in I don't agree with killing it compleatly I wish wa would use the horn more but I can see people wanting to keep some rules cause all the old rules will disappear when automation kicks in😊
So informative! Excellent stuff!
I’ve got to say, the vic government definitely needs to watch this video and so do PTV because they have so much wrong right now with the network