Which Horn With Which Locomotive?

If you are a browser of model railroader forums you have almost certainly come across questions related to particular railroads, their locomotives and which horn a specific engine was equipped with. Questions such as “I have a Delaware & Hudson GP38-2. Does anyone know what horn this engine had?” While each railroad did require that the factories equip each of their different locomotive models with a specific horn (more often the factory dictated the type), over time a specific engine’s horn may be changed. Let’s face it, at the least, things break (trees, diaphragms, etc.), are stolen or just wear out.

Railroads replace these with whatever they have in spare parts. Idle locomotives cost money! Also, locomotive rebuilds can and often do result in different horns being fitted. Over time you will have multiple different horns on the same locomotive type. Model railroad manufacturers are not much help here either. They’re like the railroads. They put what they have on hand in parts on their locomotives when they have them built to get them out the door. Idle locomotives cost money! (sound familiar?)

Here’s a mismatch example:

Figure 1 Prototype of a WM FA2 with 5 chime horns while it's model came with single chime horns

Trying to figure out which horn goes on which of your model engines can be a daunting task. Hopefully the information the author has in this post will help you at least get close to what actually existed.

Below is a list of the horns used by railroads and although this list is not comprehensive it a good cross reference to make sure you are in the ballpark below with your choice. In addition, a link has been included to in-depth information on individual horns with pictures and how they were named.

Last but not least, and where you should start your search, is a link to fallen flag railroads and pictures to many, many of their locomotives.

The one thing to remember is all this is your absolute best bet for determining proper airhorns is pictures of the prototype loco that you're actually modeling. Once you have the locomotive’s picture with the horn you can use the other link and compare the horn in the picture to the horn in the link to find a match.

List of Railroads and their Horns (List from Soundtraxx, thanks for the research)
Amtrak - Nathan K5LA, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L
Atlantic Coast Line - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Wabco E2
Baltimore and Ohio - Nathan M5, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L, Leslie S5T
Bangor and Aroostook - Nathan M3, Leslie A200, Leslie A125
Boston and Maine - Nathan M3, Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S3L
Burlington Northern - Nathan M3, Nathan P3, Leslie A200, Leslie S2M, Leslie S3L, Leslie S5T, Leslie RS5T
Burlington Northern Santa Fe - Holden M3H, Nathan P3, Leslie A200, Leslie S2M, Leslie S3L
Canadian National - Holden M3H, Holden K3L
Canadian Pacific - Holden M3H, Holden K3L
Central of Georgia - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Leslie A200, Leslie A125
Chesapeake and Ohio - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Nathan K5LA, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy - Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S2M
Chicago and North Western - Nathan M3, Nathan P3, Nathan P5, Nathan K5H, Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S3L, Leslie S5T
Conrail - Nathan P3, Nathan K5LA, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L
Cotton Belt - Nathan M3, Nathan P3
CSX - Nathan P3, Nathan K5H, Nathan K5LA, Leslie S3L, Leslie RS5T
Delaware and Hudson - Nathan M3, Wabco E2, Leslie S3L
Erie Lackawanna - Nathan M3, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L
Frisco - Nathan M5, Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S3L, Leslie S5T, Wabco E2
Grand Trunk Western - Holden M3H, Leslie A200, Leslie A125
Great Northern - Leslie A200, Leslie A125
Illinois Central - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Nathan P3, Nathan P5, Nathan K5LA, Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie RS5T, Wabco E2
Kansas City Southern - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Nathan P5, Nathan K5LA, Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Wabco E2, Leslie RS5T
Lehigh Valley - Nathan M3, Leslie A200
Long Island - Nathan M3
Maine Central - Nathan M3, Nathan K5LA, Leslie A200
Milwaukee Road - Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S2M, Leslie S3L
Missouri Pacific - Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
New Haven - Wabco E2
New York Central - Leslie A200, Leslie S2M, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
Nickel Plate - Nathan M5, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L
Norfolk and Western - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Nathan P5, Leslie A200, Leslie S5T
Norfolk Southern Railway - Nathan M5, Nathan P3, Nathan P5, Nathan K5H, Nathan K5LA, Leslie RS5T
Northern Pacific - Nathan P3, Leslie A200
Pennsylvania - Nathan M3, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L
Reading - Nathan M3, Nathan M5
Rio Grande - Nathan M3, Nathan P3, Leslie A200, Nathan K5LA, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
Rock Island - Nathan P3, Nathan P5, Leslie A200, Leslie A125
Santa Fe - Nathan M5, Nathan P3, Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S2M, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
Seaboard System - Nathan M5, Nathan K5LA
Soo Line - Nathan P3, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
Southern - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Nathan P3, Wabco E2
Southern Pacific - Nathan M3, Nathan M5, Nathan P3, Nathan P5, Nathan K5H, Leslie A200, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
Spokane, Portland and Seattle - Nathan M3, Nathan P3
Susquehanna - Nathan K5H, Leslie S3L
Tennessee Central - Nathan M5
Union Pacific - Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Leslie S3L, Wabco E2
Virginian - Nathan M3
Wabash - Leslie A200, Leslie A125, Wabco E2
Western Maryland - Nathan M5, Leslie A200, Leslie S5T
Western Pacific - Nathan M5, Leslie A200
Wisconsin Central - Nathan P3, Leslie S3L

Individual horn pictures, naming, sound samples and more than you could possibly want to know about a particular horn are here.

For fallen flag prototype pictures look here.

I hope this helps you find what you need. Happy hunting!!

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