I was going to ask the question, "why are new locomotives equipped with fake bells?", then found this thread.
I myself feel the fake bells are too quiet, both on locomotives AND at crossings. They just don't have the "punch" of the real thing. Too wimpy. These days, with all the distractions in cars and iPods, you need to make some noise to catch people's attention. Real bells seem to pack that needed "punch".
What I'd like to know is WHY were these things even invented? I'm not being snide, I just want to know. Was it to make anything easier for the crew?
JD
