Extremely Loud Train Horns

An Enthusiast’s Guide to Loud Train Horns

In all my years on the road, I have seen nothing that brightens children’s faces and surprises the average driver than an extremely loud car train horn. Even the loudest choo-choos can entertain and invoke nostalgia in the young and old alike. If you are ready to make this your reality, then I have a few tips on what to consider before you ‘pull the chord.’

The Horns

Several companies manufacture some of the best car train horns on the market. Hornblasters, Grand General, Wolo and 3-Trumpet Train lead the market in affordability, accessibility and downright loudness. The absolute loudest train horns you can buy are genuine train horns used on locomotives made by Nathan AirChime, Leslie, and formerly Wabco, Hancock and Prime.

Most horns can be bought easily online through the manufacturer or common online market places. Installation is relatively easy, and it can add so much more to your average commute. Anyone who knows a little about maintaining vehicles and following instructions on assembly can add the sweet sound of a locomotive to his or her repertoire.

Train horn kits are a fun option for modifying your vehicle. It’s a sound that commands attention. You can install train horns almost anywhere on your vehicle where you have the space. These kits can be installed pretty easily with some basic tools and a little knowledge of vehicle wiring. You only need to drill holes for the mounting brackets to support the air tank and compressor, put the horn where you want it, and make some noise. Here are our four current picks for drivers who want the strongest train-horn setup, including complete systems, authentic locomotive hardware and a horn-only upgrade for vehicles that already have onboard air.

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1. Kleinn HK9 — Best Overall Extreme System

The Kleinn HK9 is our best overall pick for an extreme train-horn system. It combines the Demon 730 triple stainless-steel horns with a sealed 6450RC compressor, a five-gallon air tank and a complete onboard-air package. This is the strongest all-around choice for a buyer who wants serious air capacity, durable hardware and a complete system rather than a horn-only upgrade.

The three trumpets can remain on their rack or be mounted individually, giving installers more flexibility than a fixed one-piece horn assembly. Kleinn’s current package also includes the pressure switch, heavy airline, solenoid, tire-inflation equipment and installation hardware. It is a large system, so buyers should confirm component space before ordering, but that capacity and construction are exactly why the HK9 earns the top position here.

Best for: buyers who want the most complete extreme-duty system in this lineup.

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2. HornBlasters Nathan AirChime K3 544K — Best Authentic Locomotive Setup

Choose the Nathan AirChime K3 544K when authentic locomotive sound matters more than compact packaging. Its K3 horn is real locomotive hardware that HornBlasters reconditions for vehicle use, then pairs with a five-gallon tank and its 1NM onboard-air system.

HornBlasters states that the five-gallon package provides roughly seven seconds of honk time, while the onboard-air system can also support tire inflation and small air tools. This is the heaviest and most specialized complete system in the lineup, but it is also the clear recommendation for someone who wants an actual locomotive horn rather than a road horn designed to imitate one.

Best for: enthusiasts who want genuine locomotive hardware and have room for a five-gallon system.

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3. HornBlasters Conductor’s Special 540 — Best Practical Complete Kit

The HornBlasters Conductor’s Special 540 is the practical complete-kit choice. The current exact Amazon listing identifies it as an all-inclusive HK-S4-540 system built around durable fiberglass-reinforced ABS horns. It gives buyers a complete path into a serious train-horn setup without stepping up to the size and specialization of an authentic locomotive package.

This is the pick for someone who wants a proven complete-kit format and strong train-horn sound while keeping the buying decision straightforward. The horn construction avoids the weight of a large cast locomotive horn, and the packaged system is a better fit for a conventional vehicle build than the Nathan setup.

Best for: buyers who want a straightforward complete train-horn kit rather than the largest or most specialized system.

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4. Viking Horns V310B — Best Horn-Only Upgrade

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The Viking Horns V310B is the pick for a buyer who already has onboard air and wants to add a large, low-pitch four-trumpet horn without buying another compressor and tank. Its black powder-coated metal trumpets arrive with the electric solenoid, hose and mounting hardware needed to connect the horn to an existing air system.

This is not a complete kit, which is exactly why it earns a separate place in the lineup. It lets an experienced installer put the budget and mounting space into the horn assembly rather than duplicate air components already on the vehicle. Amazon lists the V310B at 152 dB, putting it among the loudest current Viking options we found with a normal active Amazon offer.

Best for: buyers who already have a compatible onboard-air system and want a loud four-trumpet Viking upgrade.

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How Loud

However, before purchasing a loud train horn, understand that some restrictions exist as to how loud is legally too loud. The code states in California, “Every motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of no less than 200 feet, but no horn shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound.”

The above-mentioned law leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The average car horn emits about 110 decibels (unit used to measure sound), so if you are in the market, be sure to check your state restrictions on dB level and codes before spending the cash. Although most horns sound similar in nature, each have variations in distance level from the vehicle. In the end, it could cost you more in tickets and fines then you were expecting, and the costs will soon outweigh the benefits.

Turn It Up

There are several ways to up the stakes of your current train horn in the comfort of your own parking space on a relatively low budget.

Your first and best bet is to buy a train horn that includes everything you need to install a louder horn in your car, truck, SUV or just about anything that has a 12-volt power source. They can cost anywhere from $100 to $500, depending on the quality and reliability of the horn’s components.

If you are ahead of the pack and own a train horn already but are not quite satisfied with its head-turn ability, the PSI (pounds per square inch) on your air compressor and the capacity of your air tank are what make the horn loud.

Creating more air pressure will make a horn louder, and this can best be achieved by purchasing and installing a larger, stronger air compressor. Most horn kits include the air compressor but stand-alone compressors are also easily available for purchase.

In the end, for a relatively small price and effort, the sweet sound of a train is accessible to everyone.