Train Whistle

[Caps]

I have a couple songs I play that I would like to end with a train whistle sound. (Glendale Train and Wreck of the Old 97)
I just can't seem to find a chord that works. Closest I have come is C#, E,G,A which I was told was the notes American Train Whistles used.
It just doesn't sound right to me. This is probably an odd request but has anyone found a chord that sounds more realistic. It might just be me as I have a pretty severe high frequency hearing loss.

Thanks.

 

[Dingo40]

Some to model on:

Some more:

You'd be amazed how hard it is to find examples of steam train effects mimicked by accordion on the internet!
But here's one!

Another:

 

[Dingo40]

This guy pretty much nails it, but not on accordion!

(Hit the YouTube option!)

 

[losthobos]

You may try this....though not a whistle is a neat train sound


The chords you had tried was a half diminshed...perhaps try rolling that up down keyboard
Best wishes wooh wpph

 

[Ventura]

these train whistles stat at a few dollars and are readily available

they sound good for exactly this occasional purpose.. i usually pick someone
in the audience and hand it to them and cue them to blow it at the right moments
during "Chattanoogah Choo Choo"

 

[Caps]

these train whistles stat at a few dollars and are readily available

they sound good for exactly this occasional purpose.. i usually pick someone
in the audience and hand it to them and cue them to blow it at the right moments
during "Chattanoogah Choo Choo"

Hey , That is a neat idea! I actually have one of those in a box somewhere. We bought it when we went for a steam train ride in Western Maryland about 20 years ago. Think I have one for the boat too but it doesn't sound like a train.
I did a bit more research on train whistles and found that there was a great variety in their sounds. In Europe many had/have a single tone whistle. In the US and Canada there are three tone, four tone and five tone whistles (or horns now). Apparently each train line company had their own. These are some of the chords I found:
E flat, B flat, G flat
C,E,G,A
D,E,G,B
G,B,D,E,G
A#,C#,D#,G
D#,F#,A,C#
D#,F#,G#,B,D#
Probably lots of others as well. I think the trick may be in the bellows expression as much or more than the chord used.

 

[Ventura]

hehe

they are F, C and G# as the train approaches
then
E flat, B flat, G flat after it passes you by

 

[Caps]

hehe

they are F, C and G# as the train approaches
then
E flat, B flat, G flat after it passes you by

Oh, A bit of doppler effect.

 

[Keymn]

these train whistles stat at a few dollars and are readily available

they sound good for exactly this occasional purpose.. i usually pick someone
in the audience and hand it to them and cue them to blow it at the right moments
during "Chattanoogah Choo Choo"

I think on the Grand Ole Opry, Roy Acuff used this on the “Wabash Cannon Ball”?