Downtown Amarillo TX Federal Signal Thunderbolt
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- We were going to video a different siren but found out that this old T-bolt may be coming down as the building it is on is due for some renovation. So we thought it deserved to be seen by everyone. It's been there a long time looking over downtown. It turns very slowly (2 RPM) and has a little "burp" as it winds down. Needs a paint job too. Hope if they take it down, it gets refurbished and put back up in this location or somewhere else here in town. You can also hear a 2001 and STL-10 in the video.
Update: On October 14, 2008 this siren was removed as the building is getting renovated. Don't know where it went or if it will get put back when construction is done. Hope to see it back up and running soon.
Update 2: This siren is on the ground to be gone through and put back up, but not on the building it was on. See video of KDK checking it out.
Last Update: Found out that the EOC will not be putting this siren back in service as it will cost to much for refurbishing. There has already been a 2001-130 put up on the Amarillo Police Dept Buiding which is about 3 blocks from where this siren was located. Sad.
I miss these Thunderbolts, growing up in Wichita, KS they were all over the place! The town I moved to now only has one Tornado siren but it does talk lol.
The reason for the "burp" on wind down is because this is a single phase siren. Single phase motors have a starting capacitor clutch that keeps the capacitor engaged until the motor speeds up. When it slows back down, the clutch kicks back in and the electrical draw of the capacitor slows the motor down slightly.
My youth during the 80's in Massachusetts, used to here these all over my town every other Friday during lunch hour in school.
poor thunderbolt. she sounds so healthy and runs perfect... the 2001 you showed us wasn't bad but i would like to have the pretty mellow sound of this blasting away...
I hope this old T-bolt goes back up, too. My city does not have any T-bolts, but other vintage sirens used in the cold war era.
Yes! But really showing her age. Hope if it does come down, someone will do an overhaul and paint job and put it back into service here. Thanks for the comment! KDK
This thing really echos off of the tall buildings. I think that makes it seem louder. In any case, I hope they put it back up there or somewhere else in the area.
This sirne may have that "burp" on the end but i think its got a really healthy tone.
Almost all the sirens here overlap each other so you can almost always hear more that 1 at a time. When it is dark and stormy, it really gives me the chills!
Ok
Nope, the chopper motor is a single-phase series wound motor on every thunderbolt. I would say the reason for the burp lay somewhere in the bearings.
This is in Amarillo, TX. It is located at 6th and Fillmore on the west side of the street.
Wichita seemed to have a bunch of these. Comforting to know they're there, but scary to hear em go off when it's not a test.
I faintly hear the cyclones
@Railfanable No, the rotator is working perfect. It has the ability to turn at 3 different speeds. This one is set for 2 RPM's. The other available settings are 4 and 8 RPM's. To do this (and you may know this) is to change a belt from the motor to the gear box to a different setting on the pulleys. Each of the 2 pulleys have 3 settings thus changing the speed. There are several videos on YT that show this. Thanks for the question.
@thunderboltlover From what I understand, it was sent off to some other city or town for them to use. Wish it was still here though.
@boeing63 It is actually a 1000. It is single toned and hasn't got the solenoids on the sides. This bad boy was up there long before the 1003 was even considered.
Io non lo fanno. So che vi state quelle dalla metà degli anni 70. Vogliamo andare in centro a fare shopping quando ero giovane e mi ricordo che cosa andare fuori di me e spaventare. Abbiamo vissuto in Hereford ed è stato colpito da un tornado nel 1971. E 'appena andato in tutta la strada da noi. Brutti ricordi!
It is a shame! The next video will be of the 2001. It should be on the 29th. Hope it sounds good bouncing off of the tall buildings. The T-bolt actually is not to rusty. I guess you are right that the parts are to expensive to get though. Thanks for the comment! KDK (dad)
I don't know what the first type siren made was, but the Thunderbolt has been around along time, I think dating back to the 50's. There were others though before this type.
Yea, it's gone. They had a big crane and off it went. Haven't been able to find any info. on where it went or what's to happen to it. Hope they don't scrap it or sell it at auction and stick a 2001 up there. Some things just don't need to change! Thanks for the comment. KDK (dad)
This one was on the Potter County Courts Buiding and the 2001 is on the Police Station on 3rd St. Pretty close to each other though. Hope to get a video of the 2001 on the 29th.
I really don't. I know this ones been there since the mid 70's. We would go downtown to go shopping when I was young and I remember that thing going off and scaring me. We lived in Hereford and it was hit by a tornado in 1971. It went just across the street from us. Bad memories!
This too was for a monthly test. This siren sounded so awesome echoing off of the tall building, but it has been replace with a 2001.
it sounds like an an underpowered T128, wonder if this siren found another city to call home cuz it sounds good
Really do miss this siren. It sounded good with the echos off of the buildings downtown. Wish it was still there. Now there is a 2001 a few blocks away.
They would replace it with a 2001-130 as the operation system is Federal Signal. I don't think they have plans to scrap it and it is still up where it belongs. Hopefully for a long long time!
I really like the way this sounds.
@kdksiren all to do with air flow when the blower shuts off air flow is briefly interupted so the chopper does that
Wow, love the Wind-up. I imagine that is what it sounds like in Downtown Topeka when the Downtown Topeka Thunderbolt fires up. It is surrounded by buildings. I hope to get a video of that Thunderbolt sometime this spring.
No, and according to the EMS, it won't be. It is sitting on the ground at the city warehouse. They are wanting to have it refurbished and I would guess put back up in the city somewhere. I would imagine that there will be a FS 2001-130 put in the downtown area somewhere. Stay tuned and when that happens, I will post something on it. Thanks
I absolutely love this vid. When I first discovered CD sirens, I believe this was the first thunderbolt video I came across and Bookmarked. Great recording. You guys are lucky to have any sirens at all. My city never put any back up after they removed them all.
@Coasterintheyard It's really not a defect. After alot of research we have found that these single tone T-Bolts built a long time ago did this. It is caused by the blower de-activation after running and causes the burp on slow down. Don't really know why though. Some are worse that others. This one really stands out. Wish that siren was still there, but a 2001-130 took its place.
You are probably right. I know that it has been up there a really long time. Probably the oldest in town.
As far as we know, it is still at the city's warehouse grounds. You can see it on the video response above or check out our site. We took a peek at it a few months back.
KDK, my son, is taking spanish in school. He thought that it was spanish. I told him it was Italian and I had no idea what it said. Thought we would ask as we saw "Hereford" in it. Thanks KDK (dad)
@AcaAllertor127 It does look bad up there, but on the ground, it isn't so bad. Really just needed a coat of paint.
Your right! I was thinking the blower motor.
I heard the same sound a couple days ago in my city at night, it sounded like a war outside when this woke me up.
Sounds just like a T-128. Another reason why I like that siren.
love the sound of siren echoing off buildings.
It was a beautiful day. Kind of rare for January. It's hard to believe that it was 13 degrees that morning and had already warmed to 45 by siren testing time at 11:30. That siren has been there a long time. Still sounds good though. Testimonial to how well those T-bolts were built. Thanks for the comments! KDK (dad)
We agree. But they took it down and put up a 2001-130 about 4 blocks away. We have video on our site. Thanks!!
Yea, the new one is. We hope to get a video of it on the next test day, 5-29-09.
This is the first one we had been next too and it surprised us on how large it was. Thanks!
That's Funny! With all the different sirens in this city, it makes someone who doesn't know wonder. Thanks for the laugh! KDK (dad)
There is a STL-10 that can barely be heard and also a 2001.
When I was doing the video, I really didn't hear the echo, but the mike on the camera sure did. After listening again, it does sound good. Thanks for the comment. KDK (dad)
Thanks! We seem to learn something new everyday about these things. KDK (dad)
Yes, it's gone. The screen went black and the whole thing just died. I guess the sounds from the sirens killed it. So it has been replaced. Haven't had time to go siren hunting in a while but hope to get back out the end of this month. (September) KDK is back in school so that means I'm on my own, but he will let me know what and where he wants the next one. Probably a SD-10 thats not to far away from home. KDK (dad)
Thanks Brandon! KDK (dad)
Yeah, me too! I didn't want to be able to identify types of sirens, but now I can. Dang it!
that siren sounds healthy
Yes, we have seen them. It doesn't sound too bad. Picture is a bit distorted in your "Thursday morning siren test". Have you got a tri-pod? Maybe you could set up near a siren and see if keeping it still would help. Just a thought.
So far it is still there. Maybe they decided not to take it down. Hope they leave it alone.
There is a video of that siren on CZcams.
It may be. Did FS make single-phase T-bolts? I really have no idea. The one on my other T-bolt video turns the other direction but kind of does the same thing on wind down. I figured that since it turned the other way, it was 3 phase just wired different. Could be wrong though. KDK (dad)
Thats what I thought too. They took this siren down and KDK and I took Picts/ video of it. Click on the video response above. There is a pict of the tag and it says 3 phase. Blew my theory away. I guess maybe its because the blower shut off. Thanks!!
@ZFMN Me too. We have found a couple, but they were to expensive. Good luck.
That siren sounds kind of scary while winding down.
GREAT observation!
we used to have one of those on top of our old fire house lmao
thats some good zooming
Sweet siren!
@amtrak3501 We were told it went to another town, but don't know where.
I have no idea. It's been up there (or one like it) that I can rememeber since the 70's. KDK (dad)
the wind down is kind of off,wounder if it is a combination of the blower and chopper
you know i've noticed a lot of tbolt1000's do the burp, the one on my highschool does on wind down too.
What dark clouds? I don't see any dark clouds, all I just see is clear blue sky!
It has been possessed by a Whelen 4004
Aww, that's a shame it's not going back up. It is getting harder to find and more expensive for parts for discontinued sirens. The only parts still being made for Thunderbolts are the rotator(used on some older 2001s) and the chopper (used in Model 2.)
BTW, do you think you'll film the 2001-130 that replaced it?
Imagine this: what if they didn't refurbish it, and put a rusty old siren on a brand new building? I think it would look ugly.
Thanks! They have a great sound!
Amagine a birds nest in there with birds in it!
Sounds like the good old GERMAN E57 Siren
@cheetawolf this is an ancient tbolt.
oh how sad i really liked this thunderbolt
Great! Thanks.
Can you even roof mount 2001s? I have never seen a 2001 on a roof.
KDK, mi hijo, esta teniendo espanol en la escuela. el penso que era el espanol. Le dije que era italiano y no tenia ni idea de lo que dice. Pense que le pediria como vimos "Hereford" en el mismo. Gracias KDK (papa) LOL < now thats Spanish lol yup.
Thanks. That camera has since gone to the grave yard.
One last thing, KDK. What city was this siren in? I'm going to see if it still appears on Google Earth.
Hey you need to film the tornado sirens in Tallassee Alabama they have a great siren system they have 2 Thunderbolts and like four or five 2001 and 2 model fives that is inactive and one all of the Thunderbolts is a jail bar grid and it's inactive with a 2001 across the street so yeah
That's along ways from Amarillo!
what do you think caused that defect in the wind down?
If this T-bolt was replaced by a POS 2001, where did it go?
@twotailedavenger what do you mean by ear- repleaced
What day and time are the tests on
i totally agree man.
NO. It was in Amarillo.
This is also why you don't put sirens on buildings.
this is an ancient tbolt!!! y they remove it???!!!
i doubt it. how do you know?
The one near my house goes uppppp then slowly back down and repeats
This 1000 sounds like a Whelen?
Why is it turning so slowly? Bad rotator?
Now this one had to be real
Does it still operate? New Jersey?
The Downtown are i live in has a Thunderbolt but the dam thing doesn't even work anymore and the city is to cheap to take it down. That or they never test it.
It'swhat you saidinur last comment cept it's in Italian Yup.
Goodvideo I love it.
Good! Hopefully it will find a good home somewhere else! (like here in Kansas City; our town is being ear-raped by
2001s.
I have been to the city in Texas last year but I heard there was a new sound installed there I don't know but I think it is a 2001-130
They are replacing the old sirens with 508's.
Okkkk i saw a caclon sorry i cant spell good
I am not playing i saw it on texes siren map
@@lanierburton251 Probably a Cyclone.
@@kdksiren I hear all the thunderbolts got removed last year in 2020.
And yes i spelled "hear" incorrectly ;). (Damn vodka!)