The Siren Board

I've lived in East Texas my entire life, and I would really like to know if there are any other towns besides Tyler and Whitehouse that have sirens. I know Frankston and Berryville have a system of two Sentry's and Model 5, but I have a feeling there's others . Thanks in advance.

I don't know if Longview still has a system, but Kilgore does to my knowledge. I believe they have a system of 28XX units. Gladewater has an M-10, Big Sandy has a 7HP Darley, there is a 2V8 between Gladewater and Longview on US 80, but I don't remember exactly where. That's all I can think of off the top of my head out your direction.

This might be considered more NE Texas, but I passed at least two Sentry Siren 16V1T-Bs, one along I30 in Mount Vernon and an ASC T-121 in Hooks.

I saw a FS 2001 in Longview last year.

siren fan wrote:I saw a FS 2001 in Longview last year.

Hum. I'll have to go searching.

All of Longview's old sirens (mostly Thunderbolts along with two P-50s) were replaced with 2001-130s within the last few years. I remember seeing some of their old Thunderbolts and possibly one P-50 in a lot up for auction maybe a year or two ago, including one Thunderbolt that I distinctly remember being a 480V unit with the huge chopper transformer in the RCM1. I don't think the page for that auction lot is up any longer though, but I honestly haven't looked for it again.

The old Thunderbolts were all on a steel pole with a concrete pad at the base that the blower sat on, and I believe the wiring for the head was run inside the pole. The city had new two-way FC assemblies with the battery box and all installed on all of the old sirens quite a few years ago to not only make them compatible with the newer two-way Federal activation setup, but to make future replacement easier down the road. Now all of the prior Thunderbolt sites have a 2001-130 installed in place of the old T-bolt head, along with the RCM and blower removed. For a while there were even some sites that still had the RCM and blower in place with the 2001 up top, and they even appeared to still be hooked up to the new controls, but they're long gone now.

Here's an older map I made on Google Maps for those interested in seeing their sirens. I'm sure if you go back to prior street view imagery, you'll see at least some of the Thunderbolts and the P-50s. I'm pretty sure you should also be able to see at least one of those sites with the 2001 on the pole and a blower/RCM still hanging out.

Carthage has an M-10 on a tower at their fire department. Joaquin has a Model 5 on their water tower. Chireno has a Model J above their fire department. Jasper has an STL-10 behind their fire department. Newton also has an M-10.

From what I remember, Lindale has an old M-10 on their water tower. Jacksonville has a Fedelcode on its own tower along with random equipment. Rusk has what I believe to be an old horizontal Sentry.

I'm sorry this isn't East Texas, but Bell County has a lot of sirens. Fort Hood has 27 Modulators, Killeen has a mix of Mods and 2001s, and Temple and Belton have 2001s and Whelens.

I can go find sirens on a siren map for East Texas, though.