Washington D.C., and another question,

[Matt Hackler]

Hey Everyone,

I was looking around the net last night and found these two pics. The first one is of a Federal Model 5 (I think) in Washington D.C. When I saw it, it reminded me of the picture of a Carters siren with St. Paul's Cathedral in the background. The Second is a picture of what looks like an early sterling, it's from a World War I website. I've never seen either of these pictures before.

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/his ... ?Counter=2

http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/gr ... dsiren.jpg

So here is question one, does anyone know the history of Washington D.C.'s siren sytem? I just wanted to know what type of sirens were protecting the capitol city.

Here is question two, is that actually a sterling in the second picture?

[jkvernon]

That siren is actually a Federal Lion. That's really all I know about it.

[SirenMadness]

The siren in the first pic looks more like a Fedelcode Model 7. I don't know that much about the second picture, but it does look much like a Sterling-model.

[sp4nk]

Washington DC currently has no siren system. I believe it was mentioned in the previous board that it once had a civil defense system consisting of Thunderbolts. This system was dismantled during the early 90's.

[Matt Hackler]

I know that they had a siren system of T-bolts, but I was wanting to know what they had before that, and when they finally got the T-bolts how many were there. I figured that the first sirens were installed around the beginning of the Second World War. I think that would be the first time that large American cities started installing sirens in a citywide system. Some other large cities didn't get them until later, Indianapolis got there first air raid sirens in the mid 50's.

[Modulator Master]

The first siren is a fedelcode model 5.

Not sure but yeah it could be a Federal Lion, but just wondering would this be a Federal Lion?

[40V2T22]

That's either a Federal Lion or a Sterling M10.

[Daniel]

As I understand it, Washington's Thunderbolt system was replaced by Allertors about ten years before it was completely removed. I cannot understand why the city most liable to enemy attack of all American cities would not have a siren system, but this is the same city which re-elected their crackhead mayor and outlawed all handguns to produce one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country. Go figure.

The siren in the second picture is a Federal siren, although I don't know whether it was called "Lion." These were the first sirens made by Federal Electric in the teens and 1920's, and are somewhat smaller than Sterling sirens. Notice that the stator and horn are one piece and the same diameter, whereas the Sterling models had a removeable horn attached with screws which was narrower at the venturi than the diameter of the rotor. The Federal sirens are single-pitch sirens which rise to the same "F" note as most of their newer sirens like the STH-10, though with a quicker rise and fall. Although they have a greater number of ports like a Sterling, these old Federals used 1,870 RPM motors, which was the standard motor speed of the time. 20+ port Denver Sirens also used this type of motor, whereas Sterlings use the more modern 3,450 RPM motor, accounting for their higher pitch.

[Matt Hackler]

I had no idea that the Thunderbolts were replaced by Allerators. I would rather seen the Thunderbolts stay. Well if they were replaced in the early to mid 80's that means the thunderbolts were somewhat old. They must have been put up sometime in the early to mid 50's.

I also do not agree with Washington not having an outdoor warning system. Even if it had to be electronic sirens, they need something. With today's world you just don't know what can happen. It's a very stupid decision.

[Bshinn]

Hello,
I can't remember any of the capital area Thunderbolts being replaced by Allertors, however it may have happened with a couple of them. I was told that when sirens were removed in the early '90s, that was it and none were to be replaced.

I can remember seeing thunderbolts as recent as the early nineties....in towns such as Rockville and Damascus, MD (both in Montgomery County outside DC).
There was also an Allertor in Damascus, Next to the school. I remember driving through other communities in Montgomery County (not sure which ones they were), and just about every one had a T-bolt on the roof of the city hall.

The Allertors were mostly in Virginia, specifically in Loudoun county.
Several of the Fire stations had allertors on poles next to them up until the year 2000 (and they're probably still there)
Arcola/pleasant valley
Lucketts
Lovettsville
Philomont
Neersville
Usually they either have the service wires cut, or the disconnect shut off.
More photos can be seen at:
http://www.loudoun.gov/fire/companies/index.htm

Prince George's county, MD:

I know of one Allertor in Maryland that was part of the system. It is/was behind Allentown Road/Silesia fire station 47 in Prince George's county.

Also, a Thunderbolt still exists at Accokeek VFD Sta. #24 (it's a 1003).
http://www.avfd24.com/index.php
There are also a FS model 5 and a Sterling M10 behind the station on a tower. Not sure if you will find pictures of the Thunderbolt on the website.

A former Thunderbolt location:
On one of my busy days on Squad 27 (www.morningsidevfd.com),
We stopped at a county fuel site behind an old school just off of Rt. 4 in the Forestville/District Heights area. There was kind of a bus circle/grass mound with a utility pole in the center that had a pole-mounted platform and 3" standpipe running up the pole.....the siren had been removed some time ago.

You can still find 3T22's on poles at the following stations in PG county:
(these are the ones I know of)
Clinton #25, West Lanham #28, Allentown Road #32, Baden #36, Brandywine #40, Bowie/Mitchelville #43, Marlboro/Croom #45

You can see Brandywine's 3T22 in a station photo at the bottom of this page:
http://www.brandywinevfd.com/AMBULANCE.html

West Lanham Hills has a video with the 3T22 sounding titled "That's the way we roll", available here:
http://www.wlhvfd.com/

Other areas near Washington, DC that have sirens (most cold war-related)

University of Maryland, College Park (Main campus in College Park/PG county), Fed Sig 2001's
Andrews Air force Base (PG county), at least (1) Fed Sig Modulator

These are all close to Fort Ritchie and Site R
Mount Aetna VFD station 16 (Washington County), 3T22 on the roof, you can almost reach up and touch it.

Emittsburg, MD....Vigilant hose Co. Fire station 6 (Frederick County) 3T22 on roof (it was still there last time I saw it....also someone said they have electronic sirens there now)

Thurmont, MD Guardian hose co. fire station 10 (Frederick County) 3T22 and either a model 2 or 3 mounted on a pole behind the station.

Harpers Ferry, West Va. 3T22 on pole behind station. I was hiking on the appalachian trail in my younger days when it sounded for about 10 cycles....I thought that was surely the end.

Hagerstown, MD (Washington County) Used to have 3 thunderbolt 1000's....One on the roof of city hall, one at the Fairgrounds, and one on the roof of the Harvest Baptist Church (formerly Woodland Way School)
As far as I know, the only siren that still exists is the one at city hall.

You can learn more about DC area cold war-era activities by doing a search on Raven Rock Mountain or Nike missile bases in Maryland.

Ben Shinn