Spotlight > Whistle Categories > Variety > 121
Whistory
SPOTLIGHT number 101 highlighted drummers traps for sound effects during the historic era preceding and surrounding sound in movies and radio.
Since this time a unique and possibly custom-made ( mono-typical ) addition to those drummers traps whistles has surfaced and is given its own SPOTLIGHT and description.
It has the sound of a railway whistle. Different whistles were used for such a description, including true railway sounding whistles with three tube construction and even four tubes, as well as conductors whistles.
Typically, these were large, bulky and heavy because they needed a deep, hollow sound to re create the genuine train sound.
Then there were and still are also railway sounding whistles, more inclined toward conductor calls for warning and boarding.
Where does this whistle fit in ? Perhaps it leans more towards the genuine sound side of sound effects and at the same time can be used for both situations. The exceptional thing to this whistle is the quality of workmanship and the case made to house it, somewhat like a trumpet or trombone musical instrument case.
It then appears to have been made by a musical instrument company.
It lay in a family’s collection of whistles for many years. The other whistles proved uneventful, but this striking and perhaps unique whistle has come to the fore and worthy of especial consideration.
The unique characteristics are:
Trumpet mouthpiece, opposing and perpendicular dual tubes, size differentials, tubular shape, window placements.
Whistology
| Category | Drummer’s Trap |
| Class | Unknown (musical instrument maker) |
| Type | Railway |
| Sub Class | Double Duplex (quad) |
| Circa | 1900-20 (?) |
Starting is the straight picture of the whistle in its musical instrument type case.
Singularly, it can be seen that the larger dual tube whistle is set perpendicular to the smaller dual tube. This has caused the windows to be set to the outside.
The dual whistles are professionally set, soldered and finished perfectly balanced like a musical instrument.
Size can be appreciated more by the ruler measurement and comparison.
It is also rare in dual tubes to see a straight edge mouthpiece in which this one has on the smaller dual tube and extended one.
Then the opposing is side has the trumpet style mouthpiece. It is not removable as in a trumpet for cleaning.
The construction is nickel plated brass. All the soldering points are very carefully done and finished off.
Each of the end caps is also finely finished off, no ring for chain or cord is provided, such as is a hand instrument.
The case appears to be custom fitted with the section for the whistle carved inset wood with cloth covering the entirety and no makers marks anywhere. It is hinged with a pin and hole at the front for alignment and a small metal knob handle.
A closeup of the trumpet type mouthpiece.
A closeup of the large sweeping curvature of the dual tube.
Lastly a closeup of the end caps and the straight mouthpiece on the lesser dual tube.
Conclusions:
This appears to be a custom-made sound effects whistle understood to be a drummer’s trap railway whistle. The larger dual tube sounds like a train with that deep hollow sound produced by the larger tubes, even though only two of three tubes are utilized.
The lesser sounds like a conductor’s whistle.
TWG
Posted May 5, 2021
Bibliography:
See SPOTLIGHT 101
