Do train conductors wear hearing protection (ear muffs) ear plugs when blowing the train horn? Do many lose?
First off it’s the engineer that’s blowing the horn not the conductor.The newer engines have the horn mounted towards the center of the engine and the cabs are insulated much better than the old ones were.So as long as the windows are closed it’s not too loud at all.But some of the older engines mounted the horn right above the cab and they will make your head ring.They are so loud that even with ear plugs in they are uncomfortable to listen too.Most of us old head rails have hearing loss from too many years of exposure to that noise.Most of the older engines didn’t have air conditioning so we had the windows open making it even worse.I know my right ear has significant hearing loss from sitting in the engineers seat with the window open and being blasted by the horn.Now hearing protection is mandatory if you have the windows open on the engine. Lol Rango My wife claims my hearing loss is selective too.In my case she thinks i’ve had it all my life and not as a result of the railroad th
