My Newcast P5 (also my introduction)

[FazThatCoyote]

Don't know if this thread is really the place to make an introduction, but here we go.

I stumbled across this forum while trying to answer a horn question for a friend, and over the past few days of being on here, I have decided that now is better than never for 'strutting my stuff'.

Now, I've always loved train horns, being that I grew up with a musical background, but for the longest time I thought that that was all that was to it...until about late 2018 when I most likely stumbled across the concept of owning your own train horn. I didn't have the money for this sort of thing, yet the dream always sat there in the back of my head.

Well, that dream came true around November of 2020 when a friend and I had a discussion. Won't go into too much detail, but basically there was a bet and I jokingly said I wanted a horn if I won the bet....which I did....and then became the owner of a New Cast P3 on a gullwing manifold. Don't know the date of it's manufacture (Airchime was very tight lips when I asked them), but the serial number is 34712 for those who know more about dating serials.

I originally didn't have the air to supply this horn, but when I finally got my hands a little pancake compressor and some lines (1/4in, shun me I know. I do plan on upgrading in the future), I found that the 4 bell was fouled and would only squeak...so upon fixing the bell, I named the horn Squeaks. (childish, I know).

Now, living in the Hub City of the SE US, I've grown up around the former SOU mainline from D.C. to New Orleans, and as such, became a sucker to p5s. So, with my birthday money, I purchased myself a newcast 3 and 5 bell around March of 2021. Currently, the original p3 parts are in a bare aluminum while the 3 and 5 are in HB black (that was the only place I knew to purchase individual chimes at...so much money wasted :/ ). My goal is to one day paint the entire horn into a medium blue with cream ascents (basically any text that is on the blue is picked out in white and vise versa).

[Mafarnz]

Love the blue & white color scheme! Reminds me of Rock Island bankruptcy blue.

The P horns follow the same serial numberings as the K horns. 34712 would put it sometime early 2000's. There is a 27,XXX confirmed number from 2001, and 55,XXX confirmed number from 2007.

[FazThatCoyote]

Thanks for the information on the serial number Maddie!