The end of an era begins this month in St. Louis County, Mo.

[Ziginox]

When you look at it next, the telltale signs of a 2900 are the skinny center screen (the 2800's screen went around the horn, the 2900's goes around the driver channel) and the existance of handles on the horns for the EZ-Pull drivers.

Random, but how do you tell a 2700?

[Crazywarriorman]

While the 2800, and 2900 had black struts, the 2700 had grey struts. Also in the 2800, and 2900 series the screen was closer to the outside of the unit, the 2700's screen is right around the speaker driver.

[uncommonsense]

I always figure visuals are helpful. Once you look at them, it becomes fairly obvious what's what.

Whelen 2700 series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu56Wgz3hdE

Note, as Crazywarrior man noted, the gray struts and the slightly larger horn discs with the screen hugging the driver channel. The horns themselves are more black than gray. I personally think these look more bare than the 2800s and 2900s (to create a label of some kind). These never went above 5 cells and will use the old analog tones (unless the control box has been upgraded)

Whelen 2800 series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ug02lvwkmk

You'll see that on these, the struts are black and the screen extends to the edge of the horn and the horn is more gray than black. These will have up to 10 cells and will either use the 460 hz or 435 hz (unless the controller has been upgraded).

Whelen 2900 series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUTsXaZgCvU

Like the 2800s, these have the black struts. However, you'll note the screen goes back toward the center driver channel (but not as much as the 2700). I think the horns are a little bit more on the squat side, but that could be my perception. The most obvious thing to look out for are handles on the horns for the EZ-Pull drivers (see: 0:17 in the above video). These will use the 560hz tone 95% of the time. Some very early units shipped with the 435 hz controller, but those are fairly rare so far as I know.

[bradhig]

The wps4000 at Redman and 367 is gone. All I saw was the pole cut off after it was gone.

[Crazywarriorman]

The wps4000 at Redman and 367 is gone. All I saw was the pole cut off after it was gone.

So it has begun.

[FSThunderboltfan1000]

How much are they charging for an older siren?

[FedTB]

Yesterday I was up in the Maryland Heights and Bridgeton areas and noticed that the 4003 has been taken down that was located in a small park in the middle of my mother-in-law's subdivision (in Maryland Heights). This siren was miraculously still standing after the Good Friday EF-3 tornado that hit that subdivision last April 22nd. The 4003 was only about 800-900 feet from her house.

And the 4003 is now gone on McKelvey Road just north of St. Charles Rock Road. The new 2910 that they put up was only maybe 20 or so feet away from it. As a bit of trivia, the 2910 is the 3rd siren to be located in this spot. Years ago there was a T-Bolt there, then the 4003 and now the 2910.

Can any other St. Louis area siren enthusiasts list where other old sirens have now been taken down, besides the ones listed prior to this post?

[bradhig]

I heard they were keeping the 4000s for parts. Don't they have the same kind of control box as the 2910s?

[FedTB]

I heard they were keeping the 4003s for parts, too. Not sure if the control boxes are the exact same, but they sure appear to be.

[Crazywarriorman]

Well if they are, it makes sense to take them down first. Does anyone know when the removal of the other ones will begin? I'm thinking sometime in March.