What is this sound made by an Amtrak locomotive? I got here too late. But yes, it's the air compressor. The brakes operate on compressed air, and the engine also has a compressed air holding tank. When the air pressure drops to a certain level, the compressor refills the tank so that air is available. The compressor is driven by the motor, or engine, and is engaged by a pneumatic (what you heard) clutch. |