The Siren Board

I posted this not too long ago on other topics, but I didn't get many replies for them.

As I was looking around on the CADL photo archive for civil defense photos, I found this picture of what I think is Big Bertha at the capital being tested and worked on. I do know that Lansing originally had a Chrysler siren on the old Ottawa power plant (now the AF Group) before it was replaced by the Thunderbolts around 1963. The photo was taken in 1943, and Big Bertha was made in 1942, so it could be possible it is another picture of it!


Known photo of Big Bertha:


Photo from the archive: You can tell it's probably it by the horns. They're both in a hexagonal shape, but one is from the other angle. the back even looks the same! Is it actually possible that Lansing actually had Big Bertha instead of a Victory bell?

EDIT: If you want to know where it's from, here's the link: https://cadl.catalogaccess.com/archives/5875

Has been known about. I thought it was new when I found it myself, but was quickly informed that it wasn't.

traintraveler wrote: ↑

Thu May 09, 2024 10:41 pm

Has been known about. I thought it was new when I found it myself, but was quickly informed that it wasn't.

It has? I've seen nothing about it on the forums or ever seen it show up when I google it. If it's known, why don't people talk about that it was in Lansing, MI when it wasn't even made there? What was it doing in Lansing for testing, if they might as well test it where it was made?

Greenrid wrote: ↑

Fri May 10, 2024 7:47 pm

traintraveler wrote: ↑

Thu May 09, 2024 10:41 pm

Has been known about. I thought it was new when I found it myself, but was quickly informed that it wasn't.

It has? I've seen nothing about it on the forums or ever seen it show up when I google it. If it's known, why don't people talk about that it was in Lansing, MI when it wasn't even made there? What was it doing in Lansing for testing, if they might as well test it where it was made?

Simply put, the forums aren't used as much as they used to be. Almost the entire community now lingers around on Facebook and Discord, with most information being spread on there. Sure, ARS is still a good source of information... it's just that not ALL of the information is put on here.

I haven't any answers for any of your other questions.