Nathan P5 | |
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P5 is shorthand for the designation P12345. The picture illustrates a common arrangement of the horn bells, with the #2 and #4 bells reversed. In this configuration, the horn is designated a P135R24. The lengths of the bells decrease as their number increases. In the photo, the #1 bell is at lower right, #2 at lower left, #3 at center, #4 at upper right, and #5 at upper left. This horn also utilizes the older style manifold. The newer manifold, introduced when the P5 was retuned to create the P5a for Amtrak, can be seen on the P5a page. Other views (click thumbnails for larger images): | |
 | Side view of the P135R24. |
 | Designed as a "low maintenance" alternative to the M5, the P5 sounded the same A major dominant 7th chord but with a much brassier tone. The horn was popular on Southern Railway, Rock Island, and Illinois Central among others. |
 | Around 1976-77, new patterns were cast for the P-horns which, unfortunately, didn't follow the original specifications very closely. Visually, about the only difference is that the new bells say "Pat. Pend." on them instead of "Pat. Pending." Aurally, most of the bells cast from the new patterns were out of tune, and as a result, very few newer P5's sound the proper chord. Horn bells cast from both the new and old patterns have found their way onto new P5's in various combinations, resulting in a wide variety of different, often dischordant, sounds. P5 horns cast before the mid-70's that sound the proper A 7th major chord are sometimes referred to as "old castings" P5's. |
 | A variation of the P5 that was available but seldom purchased was the P01345, which used the large O bell in place of the #2 bell. In the picture, the 1 bell is now at the lower left, with the big O bell occupying its usual spot on the lower right. Three horns and photos courtesy Brent Lee. |
Factory tuning was: A major dominant 7th (C#,E,G,A,C#). | |
Old casting P5's are rarely found in regular service today. Newer, dischordant
P-5's are commonly found on older Norfolk Southern locomotives and on Illinois Central.
NS began specifying the K-5LA for its new locomotives in the late
1980's, and with the purchase of IC by Canadian National, it is unlikely that IC will
acquire additional P5's. | |
Old casting P5 sound samples:Southern Railway, various locomotives:Sample 1...334kB...15 seconds Sample 2...292kB...13 seconds Springfield Terminal GP9: Sample 1...307kB...14 seconds Sample 2...377kB...17 seconds Transcisco Tours F45: Sample 1...157kB...7 seconds Brent Lee's P01345: Sample 1...679kB...31 seconds When bad things happen to good horns:Various sick old P5's:Sample 1...287kB...13 seconds P5's with more than one of a particular bell: Sample 2...356kB...16 seconds Sample 3...404kB...18 seconds Newer P5 sound samples:Norfolk Southern, various locomotives:Sample 1...446kB...20 seconds Sample 2...268kB...12 seconds Sample 3...396kB...18 seconds Sample 4...572kB...26 seconds Sample 5...262kB...12 seconds Sample 6...382kB...17 seconds Sample 7...216kB...10 seconds Sample 8...294kB...13 seconds Sample 9...59kB...2 seconds Sample 10...81kB...3 seconds Illinois Central (courtesy Brent Lee): Sample 1...289kB...13 seconds Ohio Central GP9: Sample 1...464kB...21 seconds Sample 2...175kB...8 seconds Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Ry. (ex-NS): Sample 1...71kB...3 seconds When bad things happen to good horns:Norfolk Southern, various locomotives with fouled P5's:Sample 1...217kB...10 seconds Sample 2...135kB...6 seconds Sample 3...318kB...14 seconds A P5 with several bells not sounding: Sample 1...313kB...14 seconds P5's with several bells overblowing or "squealing:" Sample 1...275kB...12 seconds Sample 2...178kB...8 seconds | |