NYPD mechanical siren controls

[MtnMan]

CHIEFOPS or anyone else,


I've always wondered what kind of switchgear NYPD used to control their mechanical sirens in the 1960s-70s. A recent article (Furious Justice | Hemmings Motor News) shows a sweet 71 Plymouth RMP replica using a dash rocker switch to enable horn ring operation of the siren. Was that the usual setup? I would have thought that since two-officer patrols were standard, there might have been a provision for the passenger to operate the siren as well.

 

[Skip Goulet]

CHIEFOPS or anyone else,

I've always wondered what kind of switchgear NYPD used to control their mechanical sirens in the 1960s-70s. A recent article (Furious Justice | Hemmings Motor News) shows a sweet 71 Plymouth RMP replica using a dash rocker switch to enable horn ring operation of the siren. Was that the usual setup? I would have thought that since two-officer patrols were standard, there might have been a provision for the passenger to operate the siren as well.

CHIEFOPS is the expert on NYPD info like that. But since they used the P660 Pulsator sirens on those cars, it is reasonable to assume that they had a horn/siren control. They could've used almost any kind of three-way switch, and since I've never seen one of their switch panels, it would be hard to speculate. Either would've required an underhood solenoid to power that large siren regardless. But I would suspect that some of the very early models could've used the large spring-loaded foot switches that Federal supplied with their sirens from the factory. Good question!

 

[CHIEFOPS]

I know at minimum they were operated manually thru the horn ring but I think they also might have had an auto switch that cycled it automatically, I'll verify with one of my buddies of that vintage.

 

[Skip Goulet]

I know at minimum they were operated manually thru the horn ring but I think they also might have had an auto switch that cycled it automatically, I'll verify with one of my buddies of that vintage.

When I was younger I always used to wonder why someone hadn't come out with a device to automatically cycle a motordriven siren. But I'd think that with the "juice" that those Pulsators and other similar sirens drew would be a problem.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

OK, I consulted with 2 sources who independently provided the same answer- the NYPD RMPs w/Pulsators had a 3-way siren rocker switch labeled 'HORN', 'SIREN', 'SIREN CONSTANT'.


Thus the 'SIREN' setting manually activated the siren via the horn ring and the 'SIREN CONSTANT' setting automatically cycled the siren.


I'm guessing pressing/holding the horn ring in the 'SIREN CONSTANT' setting peaked and held the siren.

 

[MtnMan]

OK, I consulted with 2 sources who independently provided the same answer- the NYPD RMPs w/Pulsators had a 3-way siren rocker switch labeled 'HORN', 'SIREN', 'SIREN CONSTANT'.
Thus the 'SIREN' setting manually activated the siren via the horn ring and the 'SIREN CONSTANT' setting automatically cycled the siren.


I'm guessing pressing/holding the horn ring in the 'SIREN CONSTANT' setting peaked and held the siren.

Thanks for the definitive answer! That solves something of a lingering mystery for me, since I recall the NYPD Pulsators having a very regular rise and fall cycle. As a kid, I assumed that's what all mechanical sirens were supposed to sound like, and it wan't until later that I discovered the sound of manually operated sirens.


Now I'm wondering about the automatic cycle device. Was it a Fed Sig product? Commonly used anywhere else?

 

[Wigwam700]

I am certainly grateful to these siren guys for sharing most vintage & cool info!

 

[tnems7]

I recall a former fire officer from Largo Florida that was a sales rep for Mine Safety Appliances who used a large thermal flasher to cycle a model 28.


But the Pulsator used a cam to oscillate the tone. This fire chief liked the mechanical tone, but also had an electronic siren. He used a CO2 cylinder to supply gas for an "air" Horn.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

I recall a former fire officer from Largo Florida that was a sales rep for Mine Safety Appliances who used a large thermal flasher to cycle a model 28.

But the Pulsator used a cam to oscillate the tone. This fire chief liked the mechanical tone, but also had an electronic siren. He used a CO2 cylinder to supply gas for an "air" Horn.

Apples and oranges, the "pulsating" tone effect was created by a flap closing and opening the air intake.


On the other hand, the cycling up and down of the siren was probably a timed solenoid or some similar device, I think a thermal flasher's cycle would be too rapid, not allowing maximum peak or long enough coast down.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Apples and oranges, the "pulsating" tone effect was created by a flap closing and opening the air intake.
On the other hand, the cycling up and down of the siren was probably a timed solenoid or some similar device, I think a thermal flasher's cycle would be too rapid, not allowing maximum peak or long enough coast down.

I would agree, aside from the current draw of the 28, which I would think would "fry" that flasher. I'm not all that sure that even a heavy duty flasher like those used on school buses and ambulances would suffice for something like that.


Speaking of that Pulsator "flap". The one Pulsator that we had gotten had a frozen flap that wouldn't move. So we ended up removing it, since w/o it moving it totally muffled the sound. With the flap gone but that front-end still in place, it gave a very deep pitch, almost like a Super Chief, except for the shorter roll!

 

[CHIEFOPS]

I would agree, aside from the current draw of the 28, which I would think would "fry" that flasher. I'm not all that sure that even a heavy duty flasher like those used on school buses and ambulances would suffice for something like that.

Speaking of that Pulsator "flap". The one Pulsator that we had gotten had a frozen flap that wouldn't move. So we ended up removing it, since w/o it moving it totally muffled the sound. With the flap gone but that front-end still in place, it gave a very deep pitch, almost like a Super Chief, except for the shorter roll!

I would think if any thermal device was cycling the siren it could just as easily be on the switching circuit not the battery circuit.


As for the flap in the Pulsator, I've said before I'm one of the few or only mechanical siren buff and NYPD veteran I know of that doesn't care for it, I think it sounds better with out it, I even built my own P280H without the flap.

 

[FCV96]

I can second that notion; I like the sound of the 660 without the flapper much more than I do with it.

 

[Skip Goulet]

I would think if any thermal device was cycling the siren it could just as easily be on the switching circuit not the battery circuit.

As for the flap in the Pulsator, I've said before I'm one of the few or only mechanical siren buff and NYPD veteran I know of that doesn't care for it, I think it sounds better with out it, I even built my own P280H without the flap.

Oh....I'd like to hear that P280H. I have a 28H that'll hurt your ears with its high pitched scream. That old P660 had a deep pitch almost like a Super Chief once that flapper was removed. But I had come across a PropelloRay light section that had originally been on a 78 doubletone siren, so I took the pulsator front off my siren and turned it into a Federal 67 with that Propello Ray. And it looked neat on my '69 Pontiac Consort ambulance. I had a pair of 175 "hill light" beacons corner mounted with red and blue DoRay lollipops between the siren and the beacons. That spinning PropelloRay just added the finishing touches on that old rig.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

Short of creating a youtube video (which I've never done before), I haven't figured out how to upload the video to here

 

[Skip Goulet]

Short of creating a youtube video (which I've never done before), I haven't figured out how to upload the video to here

I would think that would be the way to go. I think that most of the uploads we see here are on YouTube. And since I don't have my own computer, I'm at a loss when it comes to doing that sort of thing anyway.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

One of my 2 sources just clarified the 'constant siren' function.


The 'constant siren' setting did not cycle the siren to peak and coast, it actually peaked and held the siren and let the Pulsator flap opening and closing do the talking.


I'm really surprised they designed the warning system(don't forget the 4 bulb beacon ray) to stress the electrical and charging system that badly.

 

[Black Hoe]

I'm sorry but a Pulsator isn't a Pulsator if it doesn't have a functional flapper.