Arnold, PA sirens

[FFEMT134]

I believe the 4th picture is some type of Federal siren; it takes that one *forever* to wind up and down when it goes off. Its sound is an exact carbon copy of the siren in this clip:

http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/siren ... aycoap.mp3

Supposedly there were 2 other 2T's scattered throughout the town as well, but I've only ever seen the one in the picture above.

[Justin]

I'd say you've either got a Federal Model 2 or 2T there, judging by how big the housing is.

[PhRed]

I thank everyone for all the responses so far. I just have a couple of observations, one of which elaborates from a previous post I made.

#1. Base on FFEMT134's latest posted info:

If in fact we were able to hear all of Arnold's old sirens in the original clip (and IMO we *did*), the siren in Pic 4 must've been following along at the same snappy pace as the others, which in turn must all be connected to a common timer (I plead ignorance on the set-ups involved).
I think the last clip was that of a typical squat-looking Model 3---I saw the original pic at the CD website cited---that had ben operating sluggishly for whatever reason (lack of appropriate power supply, old age, motor issues, who knows?). Pic 4 is a somewhat lankier siren, and the two cowlings are farther apart. Fedelcode housings are different than those true Federals, so I can't really determine.

#2 (This point can be best illustrated if someone can help me upload a soundclip of a 2T in attack)

It's not my place to argue with anyone about the make-up of his own hometown's siren system. And if someone who makes a recording of it asserts the audible presence of the rarified 2T therein, so be it. But again, I feel respectfully compelled to re-iterate a point I made in an earlier post of mine.

Referring to the original Arnold clip, aside from the 5T, I hear a distinct minor-third (think Carters WWII siren) harmonic which doesn't jibe with the major-third that the 2T produces.

This IMO gives two possibilities:

1. I'm hearing an assembly of simple Federal/Fedelcode 2's running on different RPM's (Contravening Argument: This cannot be so according to FFEMT314, as he personally vouches for the presence of at least one 2T in the system)

or

2. The 2T was manufactured with two possible dual-tone arrangements.
(Contravening Argument: As the 2T is quite rare in comparison to all the other Federal/Fedalcode single HP models, there is no absolute proof of this being the case).

Maybe I'm yammering at a brick wall about all this; but I suppose this is the price I've got to make all of you pay for my being a 2T enthusiast.

[FFEMT134]

Well, we may or may not have heard the siren in the 4th pic; there was a long time when that particular one just flat out didn't activate along the rest. This recording may have been during that period, it's hard to tell as it usually got drowned out by the others. I don't know how the siren timers were set up.

Other 2T clips to compare.....

This one was from the audio/video section of this site--airraidsirens.com

http://media.putfile.com/Dual-tone-Model-2

And another....

Paintertown VFD 2T

[PhRed]

Thanks for the clarification.

I was going to go into another of my long-winded Sherlock Holmes-type rants about the mystery of the 2T, but I've most surely pinpointed it now.

Listen *very* carefully to the part towards the end of the clip between the car passing by on the wet road and when the sirens begin the coast-down. For a *oh-so-brief* moment you might be able to hear a perfect major third that sounds just like the 2T.

Matter of fact, assuming you clip-player has a timer on it, you'll (hopefully) be able to hear it at the :48 second mark. Again, keep your ears peeled, as it lasts for maybe a half-second maximum.

In the midst of all this, I neglected to mention how nice the whole combination sounded on coast-down. Harmonic till the end, I dare say.

[CosmicCharms5T]

This is a nice recording with the exception of the begining being cut off. What I hear in this clip is a model 2, Fedelcode Mach 5 HP and a 7T siren. Only 1 of the 3 air horns are blowing in this clip as well. Over all a nice sound though..the good old days when FD's had a bunch of sirens and air horns blowing!! Today most of that excitement is now gone which is why i stopped volunteering - truth be told!

Anyway, replacing that 7T with an STH10 was dumb!!! You can't beat the sound of a 7T! Arnold FD had a good sound when this was recorded... As the usual shame, too bad it's gone!

[3t22HiLo]

I know of 2 Model 2-2t's that are up in arnold the 1 pictured and another by the 1 elementary school a few blocks from Arnold 2 there was a 3rd 1 but it was taken down atleast 10 years ago for unknown reasons. It was quite a nice sound to hear especially if another dept in that valley was also tapped out the sounds carried good

[Rheems1]

That other "siren" in the picture from Arnold Number 2 (the red Fedalcode) is not a siren... it is a kitchen vent.

[pyramid head]

You can't beat the sound of a 7T!

I know it is sad when a good sounding unit is replaced by something to a persons less liking, but it is not based on how it sounds (unless for CD). I would take my best guess and say that sirens are replaced for a number of reasons, such as for somethign with more output/distance, make up for a burned up unit, or a number of other reasons. I really would like to know why my Model 5 was replaced by a STH-10, it was a perfect working unit (the bearings are bad). They have the STH-10 at the FD, and they had my siren in a Rec. park a half mile away. My siren was the unit at the FD for a long time, but they bought a STH-10 and moved the Model 5. They used both sirens, but mine was costing them an extra $100 a month to run because they had a seperate phone line to activate the motor starter. So a few months before I found it, they cut the power cables and disconnected the phone line. The 5 or 7T is not being junked, just moved! She will continue to roar, which should make you happy some how.