Sounding the horn.....foot pedal or console button?

I was watching a video on YouTube which described in detail how an engineer would operate an Amtrak P42 locomotive. One of the things that was mentioned is that there is a horn button and a bell button on the console, and there is also a horn foot pedal.

I assume this would also apply to freight trains, so my question is: When is it appropriate to use the foot pedal vs. the console button? Are there specific rules that Amtrak has regarding this, or is it left up to the individual engineer? Are the protocols different for the freight railroad companies?

Thanks!

Foot petal? The only one of those I can think of is for the so called dead mans petal, which stops the train in the event of an incapacitated engineer, though this has mostly been replaced by the alerter system which has a button that resets a counter, where after 30 seconds or so the counter triggers an alarm that sounds until the button is pressed, or 30 seconds, which ever comes first, and if the engineer does not respond in that time then the locomotive initiates an emergency stop of the train assuming that the engineer has been incapacitated and that the train may no longer be operating in a safe manner.

originally the Genesis came with a foot pedal for automatic horn sequencer, I believe all were removed.

Dutchrailnut said:

originally the Genesis came with a foot pedal for automatic horn sequencer, I believe all were removed.

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Ohhh ok, that makes sense

I think the horn is only activated from the console.

Freight units don't have the auto sequencer.

The foot pedal/auto sequencer still exists on some units although they have been modified. They also exist on other engines (ACS-64 as an example) and I **think** the SC-44s have them.

To answer the original question, it is only appropriate to use the foot pedal when the automatic timing of the two longs, a short and a long horn sequence is needed or required. Since that is the only sequence the foot pedal is capable of blowing, the use is limited. You would use the manual horn for all other indications or if the timing needs adjustments.

Acela150 said:

Freight units don't have the auto sequencer.

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Both BNSF and UP freight locomotives have had auto sequencers on some models.

There are actually a couple of you tube videos showing the sequencer in operation on UP.