Is the a Prime 920? It works fine, what is it worth?
Thanks
Mark
Welcome to the forum. I don’t know very much about horns but a lot of these guys should be able to help you.
It appears to be a Prime 920. I dont know much about Prime series due never see many of these.
And how much they are worth. I cant really help other than what I have previously seen them go for before. And being not refurbished I would have to see inside the back caps and more pics of this horn.
Primes were a form of a knock off of Leslie horns RS3L etc…
The Prime 920 and 990 were their own copies of the Leslie S-3L and S-3K, they sound the same notes, but are not the same horn. There are subtle differences in the tones of the Prime horns, and the bells, heads and manifolds are casted differently as well. However, certain parts are interchangeable between the two. The Prime heads are very much like the Leslie S round back head.
Here’s a vid a buddy made a few years back.
Also check here, Dirty Jersey was right, they are almost a copy of the leslies.
“SuperTyfon” horns were offered in single,[3] dual,[4] triple,[5] quad,[6] and five note[7] configurations.
Today, the company is known as Leslie Controls, Inc., and continues to manufacture “SuperTyfon” air horns for the railroad industry.[8]
Leslie SuperTyfon model S-3L, at one time the most common horn used on North American railroads
Prime Manufacturing, Inc.
Prime model PM920 locomotive air horn – compare this with the Leslie
Yeah they not bad sounding horns. As I have a 920 and a 990. The bells are a thicker casting, their power chambers often need to be machined. Many collectors have stated, that the tone/sound was more richer then the Leslie’s. Leslie horns were made at one time not far north of me in Lyndhurst NJ. Now the are located in Florida under the name Leslie Controls. As for the Primes heres some info.
Enjoy,
John
http://www.lesliecontrols.com/Products/airwhistles.htm