ACA Allertor 125

The ACA Allertor 125 is a discontinued outdoor warning siren made by Alerting Communicators of America (now American Signal Corporation) and formerly Biersach & Niedermeyer Co. (as the Mobil-Directo) from 1968 until 1980. It had a distinctive design with the chopper in the bottom horn and the noise coming out of the top horn.
History
The ACA Allertor 125 was originally designed in the early 1940s as the B&N (Biersach & Niedermeyer Co.) Mobil-Directo and was used for air raid warnings during World War II. The Mobil Directo was made of metal. It came in 4 different port ratios: 8", 8/12", 9/12", and 10/12", with 9/12" being the most common. The single tone 8", dual tone 9/12" and dual tone 10/12" rotors were derived from Federal Signal Corporation. In 1968, during the height of the Cold War, B&N changed their name to ACA (Allerting Communicators of America) and changed the Mobil-Directo's name to the Allertor. The siren could reach up to 125db, hence the name "ACA Allertor 125". Many aspects of the siren's design were changed at this time; the Mobil-Directo had an exposed motor and a belt-driven rotator, while the Allertor had a covered motor and a chain-driven rotator. During the early 1970s, the body of the Allertor was changed from metal to fiberglass and the bottom horn was made larger to reduce snow intake to the rotor. The ACA Allertor was a popular choice for a warning siren in the Midwest during the 1960s and 1970s. The siren was mainly used for air raid warnings (during the Cold War) and weather warnings (after the Cold War). The ACA Allertor 125's production stopped around 1980, when it as replaced with the more efficiently designed Penetrator 10. As of 2020, these sirens are becoming more uncommon due to their age and due to replacement with newer technology.
Design
The ACA Allertor 125's design is unusual, using the bottom horn as the air intake and the top horn to produce the majority of the sound. Air is sucked into the bottom horn, then into the donut-shaped metal sphere where the chopper is located. (Some siren enthusiasts thus nicknamed the ACA 125 the "toilet siren.") The chopper produces the sound and blows it out through the capsule-shaped top horn. The siren can be heard from several miles away on a clear day. Unfortunately, the siren's size can prove troublesome, as it can be knocked down by strong winds. Also, the chain-driven rotators were prone to occasional breakdowns, usually leading to the failure, removal or outright replacement of the ACA 125.
Cities with ACA Allertors
* Chenoa, Illinois - active as a fire and tornado siren, will NOT test on the first Tuesday
* Philomont, Virginia
* Middleburg, Virginia (removed)
* Arcola, Virginia
* Lucketts, Virginia
* Washington, DC (Removed ca. 1993-1994)
* Lovettsville, Virginia (removed)
* Purcellville, Virginia (removed
* Round Hill, Virginia (removed)
* Neersville, Virginia (removed)
* McLean, Virginia (removed)
* Seward, Alaska
* Rosalia, Kansas (Seen on the Article for Rosalia, Kansas)
* Galesburg, Illinois
* Springfield, Virginia (removed)
* Burke, Virginia (removed)
* Mount Vernon, Virginia (removed)
* Chinook, Montana (removed)
* Pick City, North Dakota (removed)
* Snyder, Texas (removed)
* Emporia, Kansas
* Niles, Michigan
* White Bear Lake, Minnesota (removed)
* Bloomington, Minnesota (removed)
* Grantsburg, Wisconsin (removed)
* Chilton, Wisconsin
* New Hampton, Iowa
* Milwaukee, Wisconsin
* Manitowoc, Wisconsin
* St. Peter, Wisconsin
* Rainier, Oregon (status unknown)
* Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
* Janesville, Minnesota
* Chaska, Minnesota (has 3)
* Mason City, Iowa
* Kimberling City, Missouri
* Bethany, Oklahoma (removed)
* Piedmont, Oklahoma
* Hoffman Estates, Illinois (3, 1 still active, 2 removed and replaced)
* Bear Creek, North Carolina
* Maysville, North Carolina
* Fort Washington, Maryland
* Tarrs, Pennsylvania
* Hughesville, Missouri
* Bolivar, Missouri
* Batavia, Ohio
* Port Washington, Wisconsin
* Pottsville, Pennsylvania
* New London, Wisconsin
* Bellevue, Texas
* Manhattan, Kansas
* Bushong, Kansas] Removed (belongs to private owner)
*Memphis, Tennessee
*Cincinnati, Ohio (removed and replaced)
*Radcliff, Kentucky (not confirmed)
*Hampton, Iowa
*Georgetown Township, Michigan
*Madison, Wisconsin (replaced)
*Woodstock, Illinois (may be a P-15)
*Mahomet, Illinois
*Burlingame, Kansas
*Skagway, Alaska
*Florence, Alabama
*Culver City, California (disconnected)
*Hastings, Nebraska
*Crescent City, California
*Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*Jonesboro, Arkansas
*Kanorado, Kansas
*Prague, Oklahoma
*Denver, Colorado
*Fort Worth, Texas (Status unknown, May have been replaced)
*Scranton, Kansas
*Levant, Kansas
*Menlo, Kansas
*Gem, Kansas
*Belleville, Illinois
*San Angelo, Texas
*Kalamazoo, Michigan (Removed in 1980s)
*Harrisburg, South Dakota
*Centralia, Illinois
*Otterville, Missouri
*Salisbury, Missouri (2 Units)
*Hills, Minnesota
*Montezuma, Kansas
*Nokomis, Illinois
*Grand Prairie, Texas (Removed and replaced by successor ASC T-128 sirens)
*Arlington, Texas (Removed and replaced)
*Paxton, Illinois
*Elmwood Park, Illinois
*Knox Township, Columbiana County, Ohio (Received 2013 from Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station, removed and replaced 2019)
*San Bernardino, California
*Eden Prairie, Minnesota
*Sandstone, Minnesota
*Chaska, Minnesota
*Janesville, Minnesota
*Blue Eye, Missouri
*Lee's Summit, Missouri
*Tipton, Kansas
*Fredericksburg, Iowa
*Patterson, Iowa
*La Plata, Missouri (Has 2 but inactive. Replaced by a new 2001 at fire dept in 2014.)
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* [http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mobil%20directo&qsn&formQBIR&pq=mobil%20directo&sc0-0&sp-1&sk=#viewdetail&id8D642F5CAA1D797F8ECD1EFA06B0BC2DB74C17F9&selectedIndex=20 B&N Mobil Directo picture.]
* [http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ACA+Allertor+125+Siren&Form=INRRLS#viewdetail&id1733CAFDB4BABC61A028B843CBF6EE5E5F7150B3&selectedIndex=22 ACA Allertor with a small horn.]
* [http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=aca+allertor&FORM=HDRSC2#viewdetail&id24B15AD051740653EA9A6B8E26A2409929EA1A8D&selectedIndex=5 ACA Allertor with a big horn.]

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