Yes, that’s the bell, mounted behind the cow-catcher, or more officially, the Pilot.   Whether the bell rotates with an independent clanger, or mounted rigid and mechanical, is unanswered.  Perhaps a New York Central aficionado will set the record straight.

There is a very good reason why the bell would be placed somewhere other than on top of the boiler, typical on most steam locomotives.   Clearances were tight on the NYC and most others in the east.   Early railroad infrastructure was built to a smaller standard, and as trains got longer and heavier the motive power and rolling stock grew in size.  Lineside obstructions could be moved, but tunnels were unforgiving.

If we could see the of the top of the boiler, you would notice that smoke stack, whistle and other apparatus is also very low profile.  Clearance issues is the reason dome cars were virtually nonexistent in the northeast.   Double stack container trains were also late in coming to the east coast railroads for the same reason.

The loco above is one of New York Central’s finest, a Niagara 4-8-4 #6011 built by American Locomotive Company.   Those smoke-lifting wings gave them a sleek appearance.

Credits: photo by Ed Nowak – NYC,  as seen in Classic Trains magazine, Summer 2013

Submitted by Gary O. Ostlund