# Air Chime Whistle Help



## dooper (Nov 9, 2015)

I am redoing my layout and decided to hook up an air chime whistle in one of the loops. I have doubled checked and it is installed according to the 'book'. But I do not get any power to the track. There is continuity between the green and red posts. Any suggestions?


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

I also have questions concerning this unit. :smilie_auslachen: Is it a stand alone whistle or does it just "control" some other device on an engine or tender. I have a whistling bill board but I am less than satisfied with the whistle. :dunno: Sorry if I am hijacking Doopers thread but I thought that someone would incorporate both answers in a response. My apologies Dooper!


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

dooper said:


> I am redoing my layout and decided to hook up an air chime whistle in one of the loops. I have doubled checked and it is installed according to the 'book'. But I do not get any power to the track. There is continuity between the green and red posts. Any suggestions?


Green wire from control box to right clip on 690 track terminal, yellow wire from control box to fixed voltage on transformer, red wire from control box to 7-15 volt post on transformer, black wire from control box to base post on transformer. Then one more black wire from base post on transformer to base clip on 690 terminal. No others wires from transformer to track are used. Any feeder wires to the track have to come off of the one 690 clip. You should have continuity between the red and green wires from the control box with the canister plugged in. I have not come across an air chime that didn't at least power up the track, even though the unit wouldn't work the whistle or horn. That's usually repairable by cutting the canister case around the bottom and cleaning the points inside. Hopefully it's something simple that you'll figure out.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> I also have questions concerning this unit. :smilie_auslachen: Is it a stand alone whistle or does it just "control" some other device on an engine or tender. I have a whistling bill board but I am less than satisfied with the whistle. :dunno: Sorry if I am hijacking Doopers thread but I thought that someone would incorporate both answers in a response. My apologies Dooper!


The air chime whistle or diesel horn is a control box that sends a series of oscillations thru the track by means of vibrator( the canister) that's plugged into the control box. The tender or the diesel unit contains a speaker, resistor, and a capacitor that picks up the signal. The billboard whistle or horn is a stand alone unit with only a control button to activate either one. Hope this answered your question B.C.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

cramden said:


> The air chime whistle or diesel horn is a control box that sends a series of oscillations thru the track by means of vibrator( the canister) that's plugged into the control box. The tender or the diesel unit contains a speaker, resistor, and a capacitor that picks up the signal. The billboard whistle or horn is a stand alone unit with only a control button to activate either one. Hope this answered your question B.C.


Thanks! As I looked at photos of the unit, the canister looked like a vibrator to me. Reminded me of the old radio power supply's. It said controller so I didn't think that it was a stand alone unit. As a boy, my Dad couldn't afford much and I was very lucky to have a entry level Atlantic set. Hard to remember back to 1946!:hah: That helps a lot.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> Thanks! As I looked at photos of the unit, the canister looked like a vibrator to me. Reminded me of the old radio power supply's. It said controller so I didn't think that it was a stand alone unit. As a boy, my Dad couldn't afford much and I was very lucky to have a entry level Atlantic set. Hard to remember back to 1946!:hah: That helps a lot.


 That's basically what it is according to what I've read. There's a set of points inside the tube that get stuck from sitting a long time, but if you cut open the tube around the bottom you can lift the outside cover off and get to the points inside. I did that to one years ago to get it to work. Then you can tape or glue the cover back over around the base.


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## Texas Pete (Sep 28, 2011)

dooper said:


> I am redoing my layout and decided to hook up an air chime whistle in one of the loops. I have doubled checked and it is installed according to the 'book'. But I do not get any power to the track. There is continuity between the green and red posts. Any suggestions?


Yes. I suggest that if you can get it working, when you hear the way it sounds you'll wish you hadn't wasted your time.

Pete


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I am going to agree with Pete. I have not heard a whistle in person but I have heard
many on youtube videos. I am not a fan. When I got my northern last year I installed
a new wire harness. The whistle speaker was kinda in my way and I removed the
speaker and everything that went with it. I kept the parts but I doubt I will ever reinstall.
Its more like a sick cow than a steam whistle.

I would like to get a billboard someday but not for the whistle.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

mopac said:


> I am going to agree with Pete. I have not heard a whistle in person but I have heard
> many on youtube videos. I am not a fan. When I got my northern last year I installed
> a new wire harness. The whistle speaker was kinda in my way and I removed the
> speaker and everything that went with it. I kept the parts but I doubt I will ever reinstall.
> ...


I have a Billboard and basically I am happy with it with one exception. When the motor is turning to generate the whistle the armature slightly hits the field windings and produces a slight clicking sound. I have not been able to find out just where so I live with it.:laugh:


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## dooper (Nov 9, 2015)

Well, I had a Homer Simpson moment (DOH!) The black wire had come loose from the base post.
Yes, I know it sounds bad - more like a diesel horn - But I had it and just wanted to use it. I have two whistling billboards (two young grandsons), so they both have a button to push. It can get loud(LOL).
Thanks everyone for the help.:appl::appl:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Glad you got it working. I have an item brand new in box. Never had it out of the box.
I need to try it for sound. It is a MRC Sound and Power 7000 transformer (DC). I found a youtube video. I would think the speaker you use makes a difference. I have several speakers I can try. Steam whistle is a little wimpy but again speaker could make a difference. Unit does not come with a speaker.


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