Is there a way to identify the manufacturer of a steam whistle through makers marks or serial numbers? If so, where are they found on whistles? A friend of mine recently acquired a whistle that is reportedly from a railroad shop but it has been painted in thick black paint. If truely off of a steam locomotive, it is probably a Baldwin (1910 vintage) or Alco (1920's).

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Nick

First, whistles were very seldom made by the loco manufacturers, if indeed ever. Much as Delco, Lucas, and Mopar makes/made electrical parts for cars, so did outside contactors like Crosby. Lunkenheimer, Nathan, etc. make whistles for loco and thresher makers. Thew only railroad-built whistles I can think of were the PRR's whistles and several shop-built fabrications of the SR, SP, etc. Indeed, some of the SR whistles were fabricated from old boiler flues!

Second, whistle identification is indeed its own art form. The only definitive book out there is "The Engine's Moan" by Edward A. Fagen, an excellent book detailing all the maker's marks, nuances, etc. of whistles.

Third, believe almost nothing that anyone tells you about where the whistle came from without documentation (such as a photo of said whistle being removed). We routinely joke that of 25 standard Hancock long-bell three-chime whistles that were on UP Big Boys, about 150 are in collectors' hands; similarly, of 278 Westinghouse A200-156 air horns that were on PRR GG1s, about 500 are in collectors' hands. A cursory look on eBay will show you dozens of whistles purported to come from mighty steam locomotives when they could barely blow with a teakettle.

"First, whistles were very seldom made by the loco manufacturers, if indeed ever."

Actually, Baldwin made whistles for their smaller locomotives. These were single chime whistles with the vertical drop valve, and 5" diameter three chimes that closely resemble a Crosby chime whistle. If you compare a Crosby chime to a Baldwin chime, you will find the bell of a Baldwin whistle is 1 1/2" longer than that of the Crosby.

When Baldwin furnished a chime whistle with a locomotive, the specification sheet identified it as "Standard Baldwin Chime."

All the Baldwin whistles that I've seen are not marked.

ALCO also made some whistles at one point, as did H.K. Porter. These were single chimes.