Is a train coming or did the Blackhawks just score?
In the grand tradition of making noise when good things happen, Carol Stream resident Rich Young is taking it to the next decibel level.
The train enthusiast recently fashioned the horn from a diesel-powered locomotive to an air compressor so that he could let his neighbors - and probably half the village - know when his beloved Blackhawks score during the Stanley Cup Finals.
"It's as loud as I expected," he said. "But it's much louder than I think some people thought it was going to be."
One of those who didn't know what to expect was Young's wife, Fiona.
"Our three kids were in the house going crazy," she said. "They went outside when he blasted it again and I tried to warn them how loud it was going to be, but it was too late."
Luck has been on Young's side, so far. The kids haven't had to visit a hearing specialist, nor have there been any visits from the local constabulary.
"I'd hope if any of the neighbors had a problem with it they'd come see me before calling the police," Young said.
In fact, it appears the neighbors seem to be enjoying it as much as Young and his family.
Young blasts the horn three times after each goal and three more times after a win. During Game 1 when the Blackhawks scored six times and won the game, the neighbors quickly caught on to what was happening. By the end of the night, half the neighborhood was watching the end of the game at the Young's house, he said.
"It was a holiday weekend, and I'm thinking people weren't that uptight about it," Young said.
His wife put the kibosh on the horn during Game 3 last Wednesday because it was a school and work night. But Friday the horn was back in action, and it was the same for Sunday's Game 5, where the horn got a vigorous workout as the Hawks scored seven goals. And no worries about tonight's game; school's out for summer.
And Young might not be finished with his high-profile celebrations.
"I was trying to find a flashing red light to put on top of the house," he said, "but that will have to wait until next year."
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