Airchime K3 Series Train Horns

The AirChime K3H and K3L train horns became an alternative candidate to the M3H's because of the latter's costly maintenance feature. These were produced in the year 1954 and the train horns became a predecessor model of the K5H. The K3 used #1, #2 and #3 bells to bring out a D# minor chord to comply with the tune sound as mandated by the Canadian government. The train horns were very popular among the railroads such as Canadian Pacific, VIA Rail Canada and Canadian National. These horns were rarely found on US railroads at that time.

The train horns' architecture has included some adjustable back caps that were custom cast by Holden between years 1957 and 1969. Most K horns were not adjustable, but the H manifold was a common base used. K horns had a distinct short "neck" just below the middle of the base. Early K3H's sported the same pyramid-shaped base as of the J3 train horn. Some K3L train horns that were manufactured by Holden Ltd in 1974, were die cast, thus producing a more attractive and nice finish.

The manufacturer used the bells #1, #2 and #3 which are also seen on K5H horns. The K3H and K3L horns were solely designed in Canada, but some of them can be seen in American soil. In fact, the K3LA was American-tuned for the new BNSF locomotives. The K3LA train horns have the same die cast finish and they can also be seen on Dash 9-44CW locomotives.

The AirChime K3LA and K3HA were first produced train horns in the year 1977, which call the need for an American K3 version. The train horns are a staple for the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads. Recently, they have been modified to K5 LLA and K5HL because they need to fit the GE locomotives which were purchased from EMD. Later on, these train horns were also adapted for Soo Line locomotives.

The American K3 train horns had the same "H" manifold and "L' manifold as their Canadian counterparts while Union Pacific's K3HAR2 had a short "neck" which is just three inches tall below the portion holding the horn bells. The "L" manifold does not sport this neck. High profile manifold was not high enough in this case, as the horn was sitting on a raised position. And so both train horns had the "shower cap" installed to keep foreign objects from distorting sound or simply coming in.

Some other designs of these were the K3LAR2 and the K3LAR4a train horns. K3LAR2 train horns had #4a, #1, #2 with #2 bell reversed, giving it the said designation. Other arrangements of these also had all the bells pointing forward, with the #4a bell reversed, also known as the K3LAR4a.

The original tune for both K3LA and K3HA train horns was set in a B major (B) tone. The train horns did not differ much on performance compared to the Canadian train horn models and the K3's were just a popular alternative for the Leslie S-3L, nothing else.