Manitou Springs, Colorado Siren

[Trey]

I don't live anywhere near Colorado, so I don't have a clue as to whether or not they still use it, but if I were to put money on it, I'd bet that it's just for looks nowadays.

Manitou Springs is one of those "cute villages on the side of a mountain" type towns, so I would tend to think that it's just for looks.

Its possible it could still be in use. Those "cute villages on the side of mountains" can be hell when it comes to heavy rain. Thats why most of those towns have signs "Caution Falling Rocks" on the side of the road.

[AllSafe]

That siren was certainly a Federal product, but it wasn't in any of their catalogues. I believe it was a custom order. It's a 2T22 with horns on either end on a 500T rotator. It projects its tone like the clearance light on an airport. Very strange that they would make a siren like that; it certainly isn't a normal Federal product.

[FirstSiren2T22]

That would be interesting to hear go off. One side turns in your direction and it's a high tone, then the other comes around and it's a lower tone. I don't guess you'd get as much of that 2T22 harmony in that case.

[Pete]

I sent an email to the city of Manitou Springs this morning to see if we can uncover some of the facts about this thing. Will post any replies I receive...

[djscrizzle]

I sent an email to the city of Manitou Springs this morning to see if we can uncover some of the facts about this thing. Will post any replies I receive...

We have one of these EXACT model sirens here in Calhan. It resides behind the town hall. We still use ours for tornadoes, etc. The last time it went off was Jun 21st about 2:30pm warning of a storm that dropped three tornadoes in the Elbert/Kiowa area. I watched the wall cloud move in, it started rotating rapidly, and that siren went off while I was outside... I live about 1000' from the siren, so there's no escaping its sound! its ground-shaking if you're within that 1000 ft area...

If it it werent a blizzard out, I would walk down there and take some photos of it!

[Pete]

That's cool...so there's more than one of them!! I never heard back from the city of Manitou as to what it is. Do you think you'd have any better luck finding out info from Calhan? That's *very* cool that yours still runs. Do they ever test it?

[Daniel]

Does your siren in Calhan have two tones on each end, a different single tone on each end, or the same tone on each end?

[djscrizzle]

That's cool... So there's more than one of them!! I never heard back from the city of Manitou as to what it is. Do you think you'd have any better luck finding out info from Calhan? That's *very* cool that yours still runs. Do they ever test it?

It is tested the first Thursday every May (I think). As well as obviously, during tornado events!
I'm thinking it might be dual-tone, however, im not sure... The city publishes the test date about a week before in the Ranchland News. A quick drive to Falcon and a half-dollar will get you a copy. It runs weekly on Thursday.

[Robert Gift]

Welcome, Scriz.

Where is Calhan, CO?

Yes, it sure looks like a 2t22 on it's side.
I presume the larger reflector is for the lower tone of larger wavelength
and smaller for the higher tone a minor third higher.

Must be fascinating to hear as one tone becomes more prominent and then subsides to the other.

Federal Signal's instructions direct that the 2t22 not be more than 10 degrees out of plumb, otherwise bearing lubrication (wear?) may be a problem.
So, I doubt it is a typical 2t22.

[SirenMadness]

Deflector variety is not something to pay close attention to, as a difference in sounds like that barely makes a difference within the siren.

Though one tone will be more prominent than the other through the cours of direct deflection of sound to you, both tones will be heard, as concentration efficiency is not always maximum.