rail transport Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a p ...

, a wayside horn is an audible signal used at

level crossing A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over or under using an overpass or tunnel. The term a ...

s. They can be used in place of, or in addition to, the locomotive's horn as the train approaches the crossing. They are often used in special railroad "quiet zones" in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, where the

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

is not required to sound the locomotive's horn at a crossing. This reduces the ambient noise at the crossing, which may be desirable in residential areas. Such railroad crossings may still require the traditional bells as part of the crossing signals in addition to the wayside horns. One form is mounted on a pole at the crossing. The product is patented.

See also

References

Further reading