194 Proceedings of Indiana Academy of Science 



the case of the headlight reflector. But it is wrong to expect nothing. 

 Whenever one places his hand to his ear in order to hear better, he 

 makes use of a reflector many times smaller than the whistle reflector 

 would be, yet the hand gives results. So does a megaphone. 



In order to settle the question raised above the writer arranged to 

 measure the intensity of sound in various directions and at various 

 distances from a locomotive blowing a whistle. The Monon Railroad 

 Company kindly placed at my disposal one of their mogul engines, 

 with engineer, fireman, and men to operate the turn table on which the 

 locomotive stood. Instead of moving my point of observation to meas- 

 ure the sound intensity in various directions, I set up my apparatus 

 at the side of the track at the desired distance from the locomotive, and 

 measured the sound intensity as the locomotive was turned on the table. 

 This method has many advantages over one in which the observer 

 changes his points of observation, one of which is that the sound is 

 always traveling over the same surface contour in the same direction 

 with respect to wind, etc. The writer expected to make measurements 

 ■ — first without a reflector, to determine the effect of the position of the 

 whistle, then with a reflector to determine its efficiency. The experiments 

 begun late in the fall, were interrupted by a notice from a family living 

 near the railroad roundhouse that, owing to sickness, the noise would 

 not be tolerated. I hope to continue and complete the experiments in 

 the spring. I shall defer publishing data until the experiment has 

 been completed. 



I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mr. H. R. Kurrie, Presi- 

 dent of the Monon Railroad Company, Mr. J. T. Strubel, master me- 

 chanic, and Mr. J. Little, roundhouse foreman, for their courtesy and 

 co-operation. 



