If you live around an area where trains regularly pass from, you might have noticed that they sound their horns for no apparent reason. This can be often heard at nighttime and it might make you think that train drivers are doing this to annoy people. However, we’ll tell you the real reason why trains honk so much.
Trains honk so much to warn people around the tracks that a train is coming. Oftentimes, people try to cross the track without looking, so the honking alerts them and they immediately stop.
Now that we’ve established why trains honk so much, continue reading to find out why some trains have a louder honk and why do they feel the need to honk despite having the railway gates closed.
Why Are Train Honks So Loud?
If you’ve ever heard a train honk, you’ll know that it’s extremely loud and can be almost deafening. On top of that, their horns sound even louder when you are trying to sleep at night. However, contrary to popular belief, train horns are all the same. They don’t sound different or have a fluctuating volume regardless of the train.
It is mandatory that a train should have a specific volume of the horn so that it can alert people in a decent radius. This helps people realize that a train is coming without it being too late. The reason why you hear it so loud at night is that there is minimal noise and you are wanting to relax. At that point, when you hear the loud horn, it feels even louder.
If you’ve never heard a train honk, well, you’re in luck. This video will show you what a train honk sounds like when it’s crossing the grade crossing:
They Alert People in Advance
People often wonder why do trains honk randomly and from quite a distance. The answer to that is simple, really. While the train might seem far away, it will reach you extremely quickly due to its sheer velocity. Plus, there are various horn variants which is the main reason why people think they honk so much.
Trains usually have three types of honking patterns – long, very long, and short. These are all used for different situations. If a train wants to alert people at a crossing that it’s crossing, it will do a long horn to warn that there are about 20 seconds before it reaches the crossing gates. It might even do a burst of short horns to warn people. A very long horn is usually done when a train is either stopping or about to move. This alerts people that they should stay clear of the tracks and the train because it is about to break its stationary position.
Takeaway
There you have it, now you know why trains honk so much. Whenever they are about to reach a grade crossing, they are required to honk to alert everyone in the area. Plus, some crossings do not have a gate and lights so it can be difficult to know when a train is going to pass.
