train whistle
Railroad warning sound
A train whistle is the loud, distinctive sound signal produced by a locomotive, used to warn of approach at crossings and communicate with rail workers.
The sound—typically a pattern of long and short blasts—has become iconic of railroads and evokes nostalgia for train travel: We could hear the train whistle from miles away.
Figuratively, a whistle-stop tour recalls politicians campaigning from trains at small-town stations.
- steamHeated water's gaseous form
- steam engineThermal vapor motor
- locomotiveRailway pulling machine
- railroadPermanent track for trains
- tracksMarks showing passage
railroad crossing · crossing · horn · shriek · piercing · distant · far away · lonesome · lonesome sound · departure · station · conductor · coal · engine · signal · warning · mournful · echoing
- whistles
- soundssound, beeps, listen, sounds, hear
- nighttime disturbancesnoring, barking dog, car alarm, loud music, thunder
- noisemakersnoisemaker, air horn, bell, buzzer, kazoo
- sound effectssound effects, sound effect, ringtone, boing, crash
- transportation noisehonking, horn, car horn, engine noise, engine roar
train whistlebell
Hollow resonating instrument
church bell · ship's bell · gong · chime · car horn
train, whistle, trains, trained, training, trainer, trainee, trainable, retraining