EAST BRANCH TRAINS

Bangham Whistles

Words from Larry Bangham

"Sometimes I feel bad about coming up with these ideas [whistles] and not being able to produce the parts and supply them to those of you who want them. However, these devices are rather labor intensive to fabricate and since, at this point in my life, time is a very precious commodity... The activity that I enjoy in the hobby is solving problems, coming up with new ideas, and proving their concept in the shop. ...
Happy Quilling"
Larry Bangham
SITG #42 p.29

East Branch Trains Role

East Branch Trains contacted Larry in May 2004 to determine if he wanted to produce whistles, or if we could do it. He was interested....very. So EBT has undertaken the manufacturing and distribution of Larry Bangham designed whistles. Larry remains available to answer our questions, creating new implementations, and experimenting in many areas.

What is a Resonator Whistle?

This term is now being applied to miniature steam whistles that have been coupled in series with a closed cavity (resonator) in order to lower the pitch. In actuality the bell of any normal whistle is a resonator, which produces the pitch, so we properly should be referring to these as double resonator whistles.

The principle of lowering the pitch, or frequency, of an acoustic device using a resonator was first described by the Physiologist, Hermann Helmholtz, around 1862. In the early 1900's a number of full size, and model, locomotive whistles were built using this principle.

Although the technique is widely used in industry and science, (rocket motor harmonics and auto mufflers are but two applications that come to mind), its use in small scale whistles has been largely overlooked. This may be due in part to the marginal success of the early whistle designs. The 'open mouth' type of aperture then widely used, is not adjustable, making it difficult to match to the resonator. It is also not compatible with the drainage required for purging the condensation which collects in the resonator. This required that the resonator be mounted on top of the whistle for gravity assistance in drainage.

These problems plus the accuracy and cost required to produce the more suitable 'radial slot' type apertures, probably discouraged their wide spread acceptance. Today's automated close tolerance machining centers are ideally suited for producing the critical aperture parts required for the successful operation of these little marvels.

Description of parts and function

Products

Sub-Assemblies and Parts

Aperature and Bell

• Straight Bell Whistle Driver LB2018
• Right Angle Whistle Driver LB2019
• Aperture Parts Only
• Aperture Assembly

Whistle Valve (Bedding Valve) Parts prints in SITG #70

• Assembled Cab Mounted LB2017
• Bedding Valve Major Parts Bundle NO Holes or Thread
• Bedding Valve Machined Parts Bundle

Miscellaneous Parts

• Right angle elbow LB2015-5 as in SITG #70 Shay article
• Deflector LB2015-3 as in SITG #70 Shay article

Model Specific Kits and Bundles

Accucraft

C-16 #42

• Single Tone Running Board Tank Whistle (SITG #75)
• Single Tone Dome Whistle (SITG #75)

K-27

• Single Tone Tank Whistle
• Single Tone Dome Whistle

GS-4

• Two Tone Hidden Mount Whistle

2 Cylinder Shay

• Single Tone Cab Mount Whistle (SITG #70)

Ruby

• Ruby

Aster

C&S Mogul

• Single Tone Dome Whistle

Hudson

• Dual Tone Running Board Tank Whistle (SITG #72>

K-4

• Dual Tone Running Board Tank Whistle (SITG #72)

Mikado

• Two Tone Running Board Tank Whistle
• Two Tone Under Mount Whistle

Matthew Hemmens

• Porter

Boats

• Delta Queen Whistle

Page Last Edited November 3, 2004