Wabco AA-2


The AA-2 used the short and long A-2 bells on a common manifold to create a two-chime airhorn with a pleasing perfect 4th interval. The horn appears to use the same back cap as its predecessor, the AA-1. The horn's most common application was probably on commuter equipment. Chicago & North Western and Rock Island both used paired AA-2's on cab cars for their Chicago, IL push-pull commuter service (photo above), and Chicago South Shore & South Bend and New Jersey Transit both operate electric multiple unit railcars fitted with AA-2's. The horn has also been used on industrial locomotives.


Factory tuning was: D and G


Wabco's corporate successor Wabtec was still offering the AA-2 as of 2001, but few railroads have purchased them in recent years. Chicago commuter authority Metra still has some cab cars with paired AA-2's, and some survive on NJ Transit cars as well as scattered industrial locomotives.


AA-2 sound samples:

Sample 1...105kB...4 seconds
Sample 2...172kB...7 seconds



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