PRR H10 at the Sandusky, Ohio Yard

        The Sandusky Yard was the northern terminal of the Pennsy's Sandusky Branch.  In the 1950's Coal was delivered to Sandusky from Columbus by big J1's.  The Pennsy kept eight to twelve 2-8-0, H10 consolidations busy at Sandusky moving those coal hoppers between the yard and the dock on Lake Erie.

        Al Shade, Jr., made this recording of an H10 switching cars in the Sandusky yard in 1957.  The little but mighty H10 was equipped with a "banshee" whistle.  The  listener should be able to imagine just how haunting that whistle sounded going through the mountains of Pennsylvania, when the H10 was the main line freight engine.  In the 1950's H10's were used in Columbus for  switching and on the locals that served businesses along the lines out of Columbus. One would come through Worthington usually once a day. 

        The very last banshee sequence is an M1 2-8-4 on a freight in central Pennsylvania.  Banshee whistles were once common on all H, I1, L1, N, A, B, C, and CC2 class locomotives.  Post war many engines had these replaced with the 3-chime "k4" type whistle.

        Recording from the Ryan Hoover Collection.

Click here for Sounds of an H10

PRR 2-8-0