Federal Signal Thunderbeam

[acoustics101]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeBOLA3ezZo
I found this video of a Federal Signal Thunderbeam. I can't recall ever seeing one of these outside of a trip through Georgetown, KY years ago. If my memory serves me right, it was on a pole at the far end of a large parking lot across from the courthouse.

Just how rare are these?

[djscrizzle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeBOLA3ezZo
I found this video of a Federal Signal Thunderbeam. I can't recall ever seeing one of these outside of a trip through Georgetown, KY years ago. If my memory serves me right, it was on a pole at the far end of a large parking lot across from the courthouse.

Just how rare are these?

Quite rare from what I gather, based on my observations on this forum. The federal 550-at is also quite rare, with a handful known to exist. 2 of them are located in El Paso county Colorado.

[Adam Pollak]

This is a photo I took back in 2005 of the Thunderbeam in Georgetown, KY.


I've also seen a Thunderbeam in Henderson, KY.

[acoustics101]

Thanks for posting the picture Adam. That's the very unit I saw!

[kswx29]

Theres quiet a bit Thunderbeams in Shawnee County, Kansas...and i know of some in Johnson County, KS and Kingfisher, OK. I don't think they are that rare. I think 500AT and 550AT(double horn right?) are pretty rare, as i have only seen 500ATs (personally) in Shawnee County.

[EL1998P71]

Detroit has/had 18 thunderbeams thru out the city and one in Highland Park.
all are building mounted. I also found 2 Thunderbeams while up in Lansing near the Mich State Police test track.

[JasonC]

The Thunderbeam RSH10 is basically an STH10 with small downward pointing horns onto the reflector plate. The plate is driven by gear reduction.

The Thunderbeam was produced in the mid to late 80's, and was replaced with the 2001.

[djscrizzle]

Theres quiet a bit Thunderbeams in Shawnee County, Kansas...and i know of some in Johnson County, KS and Kingfisher, OK. I don't think they are that rare. I think 500AT and 550AT(double horn right?) are pretty rare, as i have only seen 500ATs (personally) in Shawnee County.

You're correct: 500AT is a uni-directional siren, while the 550AT is bi-directional (both rotate of course) either model of siren is rare, with the 550s being even rarer than hen's teeth these days. El Paso county used to have many 550ATs in their system that was scrapped in the 80s.

[kx250rider]

There are also a half dozen 'Beams in West Texas, on a highway leading west from Comanche. Sorry I don't remember which highway, but I'll look if I dig up a Texas map. Meanwhile, I bet Texas Chad knows

Charles

[red04stanggt]

Theres quiet a bit Thunderbeams in Shawnee County, Kansas...and i know of some in Johnson County, KS and Kingfisher, OK. I don't think they are that rare. I think 500AT and 550AT(double horn right?) are pretty rare, as i have only seen 500ATs (personally) in Shawnee County.

Do you know where the beam(s) are in johnson county?