train whistles

so i am just tooling down highway 30 listening to the radio when i hear this strange intermitent sound sort coming with the music on the radio only it doesn't quite fit. immediately because i am parinoid about keeping automobiles running i think soming has gone wrong with my jeep so i am just about to turn the radio off when a big union pacific engine sneaks right up beside me and whistles. scare me off the road...almost. it was going just only a little faster than i was going so it took a while for it to get right beside me. if you wonder why i couldn't hear it above the radio.... i am a little ...well a lot deaf so i turn up the radio LOUD.

then there was the time i was driving along, no radio and the engine came right up behind me just as we both got to a crossing and it blew its whistle... another jump in the seat. they don't do the whistle thing until they are almost on top of the crossing which i don't understand. a railroad safety man that was at school for safety day said that they are supposed to do 2 longs and 2 short blasts, but that is not what they do. i have heard all variations.