The Siren Board

We are all familiar with the Federal Q2B that is on basically every fire truck known to man, but how many of you are familiar with the Q2A? From what I can figure out, it is an older version of the Q which is characterized by a slower wind up and lower peak pitch. Here is a video shot in Waynesboro, Pa of Waynesboro's engine, Blue Ridge Summit's engine and Leitersburg's engine all going to the same call, Leitersburg's engine has a Q2A siren on it. You can skip to :55 in the video to hear it or just bask in the glow of multiple Q's back to back with the Q2A as the final piece of the puzzle.

https://youtu.be/6coQNsvVevE

Not sure what's different on it but i sure like it.

From what I remember, the A doesn't have a brake while the B does. Maybe I'm wrong, this is just from what I heard a few years back.

That is AWESOME! I am sure I heard a difference but it may have just been me too.

No, there is definitely a difference.. the Q on Leitersburg's engine winds up slower and peaks at a lower rpm... there were a number of these just like that. As a matter of fact, there is one used in the movie Backdraft.. we also had one on our Snorkel when I ran at Columbia. You don't hear a whole bunch of them, I was hoping someone would know more and chime in.

Matt is right, Q2A=no brake, Q2B=brake. The differences in pitches and sound levels are due to different motors used over the years, age & wear of the siren, and varying electrical systems in different fire trucks.

I've seen one truck where the lights dimmed significantly, the electronic siren wail actually slowed (old analog electronic siren), and of course the Q didn't peak a very high pitch due to an insufficient electrical system (most likely an alternator that was going bad or undersized).

JasonC wrote:Matt is right, Q2A=no brake, Q2B=brake. The differences in pitches and sound levels are due to different motors used over the years, age & wear of the siren, and varying electrical systems in different fire trucks.

I've seen one truck where the lights dimmed significantly, the electronic siren wail actually slowed (old analog electronic siren), and of course the Q didn't peak a very high pitch due to an insufficient electrical system (most likely an alternator that was going bad or undersized).

I will admit that our Mack Aerialscope did the slowed down siren thing when you first hit the Q, we had an old GE Powercall in it but it definitely slowed down or at least hitched when you hit the Q siren. Here is a video that someone took of it responding for an automatic fire alarm at a nursing home, you can hear the Powercall hitch when Denny hits the Q. I have driven this thing many times (I was driving it for this call as a matter of fact) and can tell you that it takes power away from the motor when you lay on that Q as well, the last thing that truck needed was any less power LOL

https://youtu.be/thclOleq8E0