Leslie RS3L Supertyfon Sound
Once the dominant locomotive horn in North America. The Leslie RS3L Supertyfon's 3-chime stacked package has a sharper, more "metallic" voice than the Nathan K5LA.
Leslie RS3L Supertyfon — royalty-free CC0 sample (BigSoundBank)
Download MP3 ↓
What it sounds like
The Leslie RS3L Supertyfon plays a 3-chime chord with a higher, sharper voice than the Nathan K5LA. Common voicing:
- Lower bell: ~370 Hz (F♯3 / G3 area)
- Middle bell: ~494 Hz (B3)
- Top bell: ~622 Hz (D♯4 / E4)
The chord is roughly a major triad rather than the K5LA's major 6th. The RS3L sounds higher-pitched, sharper, and more "cutting" than the K5LA's deeper, fuller chord. Many railfans associate the RS3L sound with mid-20th-century freight Americana — the era of Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe, the Southern, the New York Central.
Where to listen and download
- Train Horn Hub soundboard — synthesized chord (K5LA-tuned; RS3L sounds higher)
- YouTube — Leslie RS3L recordings
- Freesound.org — RS3L samples (CC-licensed)
- /sounds/mp3-downloads/ — royalty-free samples (forthcoming)
Leslie RS3L history
The Leslie Controls company developed the RS3L Supertyfon in the 1950s as the standard locomotive horn for North American freight. Through the 1960s–80s, the RS3L was the most-installed horn on EMD GP-series and SD-series power. Common installations included:
- Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (Santa Fe) — RS3L on F-units and early GPs
- Southern Railway — RS3L standard before NS merger
- Penn Central / Conrail — RS3L on legacy fleet
- Chesapeake & Ohio / Baltimore & Ohio — RS3L standard before CSX merger
Starting in the 1990s, Class I freight standardized on Nathan AirChime K5LA (5-chime, deeper voice, FRA-compliant by spec). By 2025, the RS3L is mostly retired from Class I freight but persists on:
- Heritage / preserved units at railroad museums
- Short-line and regional railroads running ex-Class I power
- Excursion / tourist trains using period-correct horns
Leslie RS3L vs. Nathan K5LA
- Bell count: RS3L = 3; K5LA = 5
- Chord character: RS3L = major triad (brighter, sharper); K5LA = major 6th (fuller, deeper)
- Voice: RS3L sounds more "old steam-era diesel"; K5LA sounds more "modern freight"
- Output: Both meet FRA 96–110 dB at 100 ft when properly maintained
- Market share: Today K5LA is ~90%+; RS3L is fading
Cultural reference
The Leslie RS3L is the horn most often associated with mid-century American freight in films, TV, and music videos set in the 1960s-80s. Its sharper, brighter voice feels "period-correct" for that era's railroad imagery — more so than the modern K5LA, which signals "today's freight."
Aftermarket Leslie RS3L replicas
Few aftermarket kits target the RS3L specifically — most consumer products are K5LA-style. For a Leslie-voiced kit, recommissioned units occasionally appear on railroad-surplus markets ($300–$700). For DIY: