General Signals Type 1.5 E-Bell

I will start off by saying that I prefer mechanical bells.
This is my General Signals Type 1.5 E-bell, it sounds more like a Type 2 but uses the Type 1 housing. The date on the circuit board is October 2000 while the date stamped into the base is April 2004, so I'm guessing that is when it was made.
This bell differs from most other type 1's because the ring rate cannot be altered. The blue terminal on the top right of the circuit board uses a screwdriver to adjust the volume only, not the ring rate.
The main difference (apart from the sound) between Type 1 & 1.5 bells and subsequent models is the screws in the top of the cap which secure the circuit board and speaker. Water has been known to leak through the screws and short out the electronics, and beginning with the type 2 bells these screws were removed from the design.
I have included some pictures showing how much dirt was under the cap and on the speaker and circuit board when I first received the bell. At the end of the video there is a comparison between this bell and my newer type 3 bell. The type 1.5 bell is actually taller!

[@Caltrain927]

Some Type 2's were built in Type 1 housing's before they were redesigned in the early 2000's. I've seen a couple but not very many.

[@MobileRailSpotterRxR]

Cool! I wonder why is the type 1 emitting a more type 2 sound. By sound I would call it a type 2. I didnt notice that also its bigger than the type 3s or is this one just bigger than all the other GS Electronic Bells since its different than other type 1s.

[@McKHAust]

It certainly sounds more like a type 2, but the circuit board looks slightly different, it's also different from the type 1 circuit board. Looking at General Signals price list on their website there are about 8 different variations of the bell available, although it doesn't really say how they are different. I'm thinking this is either a loud tone version of the type 1, or possibly an early version or prototype for the type 2. Maybe it's a 1.5!

[@MobileRailSpotterRxR]

McK&H Aust Thats cool! Is this type of type 1s made slighy bigger than the rest of the GS E-bells?

[@McKHAust]

It is about 3/4 of an inch (18mm) taller than my type 3. Not sure if the type 3 has been made smaller or the type 1 is bigger than normal. Being made from PVC pipe I guess it depends on how long they cut the pieces.

[@freebrickproductions]

It looks like the difference in height is from the space between the holes and the cap. They likely shortened the bell (which would cut costs of producing them, most likely) when they re-designed the bell to remove the screws from the top.

[@Magicmanny2266]

Cool video

[@RealRedWolf]

legit 1.5 there, its very good

[@McKHAust]

Thanks :)

[@NariNW]

There is a part somewhere on the Type-1 were you can rise the bell pitch, You need a little screwdriver or something to do it with.

[@McKHAust]

Nathan Rigby this bell has that part but it only adjusts the volume.

[@NariNW]

Well thats a shame then

[@TrickyMario7654]

You know what, you have an adjusted Type 1.

[@McKHAust]

It is a Type 2 because it doesn't have the adjustment for the tone, just the volume. Must be a very early model Type 2, I also think it sounds a bit different to the later Type 2's, sounds a little nicer in my opinion.

[@AmtrakProductions]

McK&H Aust then change the title to say type 2

[@victoriarailwayvideos4876]

Adjusted type 1 sounds similar to type 2 but type 2 is more smoother

[@mb_rock0342]

I have a question. Who manufactured the first E-bell and in what year? I've always wondered.

[@McKHAust]

I'm not sure when it was manufactured, probably around 2000.

[@redhen334]

There appears to be evidence of wch e bells in Chicago from a 1997 video.

[@Chris-xk3bp]

@@redhen334 I believe General Signals released the first E-Bells for the US market around 1996-97 (as Redhen Railcar mentioned). However, Barker Technics E-Bells have been used since at least 1991 in Australia.

[@upking9080]

The first GS E-Bell was made in 1989. The earliest known surviving one is from 1991.

[@FLCollection620]

Barker Technics (early 90s)

[@mutanay77]

Would it say GS1 inside the base if it was type one?

[@TheRailfan360]

General Signals doesn't refer to their bells as types. It's a term us signalfans made up.

[@nottelling8129]

You have a -2 with -1 casing

[@McKHAust]

Yes, thanks!

[@dsnfsdnj1431]

The type 1 E-Bell can be heard in victorville, its what i hear when i go there.

[@McKHAust]

Nice!

[@EthantheRailfanner]

I have a general signals type 1 e-bell in my hometown though.

[@AmtrakProductions]

lucky

[@FrTNRR]

how did you find a gs type 3 and the safetran type 3 at? great video

[@McKHAust]

got the GS type 3 new from the US and the Safetran type 3 from ebay

[@MrBnsftrain]

You type 3 bell sounds fuzzy!

[@McKHAust]

My bad, didn't have the power turned up far enough when I did the video lol.

[@hmokduel5116]

It kinda sounded like a GS type 2

[@McKHAust]

It actually is, I just confused it with a type 1 because of the crews in the cap.

[@giuseppebalistreri84]

Are your personal GSI electronic bells? Fantastic

[@McKHAust]

Yes they are my bells. Thanks!

[@giuseppebalistreri84]

I would like to find a gsi type2, but in italy the operating chests are different from yours, in italy for now there are the td96 / 2 before these were mounted the fs64

[@Comeng401M]

great video! did someone steal your video or was that false info?

[@McKHAust]

Thanks! Not this video but my GS type 3, yes it's true

[@Comeng401M]

@@McKHAust can u give teh link to the original video (not the stolen one)

[@McKHAust]

@@Comeng401M kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2rLaaeYiN-VjJI

[@GamerXe1]

Can you make one?

[@victoriarailwayvideos4876]

Where did you buy this

[@McKHAust]

Ebay

[@victoriarailwayvideos4876]

@@McKHAust so what do I type up bell or what

[@TrickyMario7654]

Sort of sounds like a WCH Mechanical bell.

[@McKHAust]

Didn't notice but it's an interesting thought. If we are going to have e-bells then they should make a recording of an actual bell and have it playing back on a loop.

[@RealRedWolf]

Ive had both a GS 2 and wch mech going at the same time, and it does sound so alike

[@CA-Rails-Aviation]

The first bell is a GS type 2 not 1

[@CA-Rails-Aviation]

And type 3

[@northwesternohiorailfan5622]

DonkeyKong0777 gs type 2 is the first one I despise gs type 3 ebells I do not like the sound of them

[@F59PHI]

it's an aus 1.5 because it has the screws on top 😎

[@shreddermanp2]

That's 1 Of My Favorite GS Type 1 E-Bell Especially If It Has A Type 2 Sounding

[@trainco1643]

They sound like bells what you’d hear in Melbourne

[@bnsfrailfan0957]

Trainco16 they sound like bells that you hear in America.

[@trainco1643]

Dwight Jones yes they do as well

[@aircraftsandtrains2309]

Sounds like type 2

[@victoriarailwayvideos4876]

It is a type 2

[@samel7535]

I popped the speaker

[@leslietucker7118]

Thats a gs type 2