Mystery Screeching sound, SE Michigan

This is pretty much the first thread I've ever started here despite my long years as a member. This happened last October and I haven't gotten around to doing much with it because I've been involved with a classic supercar that I'm enjoying way too much.

This involves the mysterious sounds that people hear around the world. Not the trumpet sounds (although this may explain some of them) but the screeching, screaming metal sounds where the local city, DPW, the military, nobody seems to know where they come from. Over the years, I've been baffled just like everyone - and curious too. I've seen and heard a lot of really weird things over the years. I've had encounters with UFOs, seen things I can't explain and am generally open to just about any explanation.

In October, in Pittsfield Township in Michigan where I work, these mysterious sounds made an appearance as documented in this video.

I recorded this on my LG Stylo 3 phone. Yeah, it sounds crappy - there's some frequencies that aren't picked up very well. In my defense, I wasn't expecting to hear this so I used what I had on hand.

I imported the audio into Audacity and amplified it and adjusted the lower frequencies so that it sounds much like what I heard. I was less than 100 yards from the source and I suspect that many of these sounds that people are hearing come from the same source. It's sort of the forehead slapping "why didn't I think of that" realization that we're not dealing with anything mysterious but a rather mundane source of the sounds.

Yeah, I know I should reveal the source right off the bat but my clues and guesses are what makes it fun. Who knows, you might be right. Remember, hardened steel on steel. That probably gives it away. One more: It seems to me this only happens when there's a mechanical failure related to compression of air.

1. The locations where they're generated is usually in a man made valley.
2. They're sometimes surrounded by trees or hills or cliffs that give the echoing bone chilling sound that accompanies the sounds.
3.The source of the sound has been around for over 100 years.
4. Spoiler hint: Recent developments in the industry may have increased the frequency of the sounds (not the audio frequency but the number of times heard).

Source to be revealed after some guesses. Trust me, it's a "duh" realization.

And no peeking, that's not fair!

a reply to: billxam

I have no idea what the sounds are on the embedded video.

What it sounded like to me.

At first I thought it could be a siren in the distance.

Then a train braking or a cutting metal sound.

Then computer, space or maybe even underwater sound.

S&F, will be watching for your answer.

a reply to: billxam

I've heard some wild sounds in the distance before that were produced by railway renovation operations. Some of the sounds your video had were like those -- but the middle portion sounded like a jamming signal with the keytones.

Cheers

I have heard sounds like that from the trains carrying iron ore going by. sometimes equipment like a bulldozer or bucket loader makes a sound like that, especially if it is scraping on cement or rock. Heard both of those many times. They sort of resemble that sound, but it is hard to tell.

a reply to: billxam

Wind.

People here are too smart. Over the past year, the Ann Arbor Railroad upgraded their line with continuous welded track, thus no breaks in the line. What this was was an air line failure on one of the trains, dragging the cars along the track. These were empty sand cars/hopper cars that carry sand from fracking as well as empty tankers. There was another failure in early January. Like I said, the audio was pretty poor - I did what I could with it.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

a reply to: billxam

For something different from the other posts.

From my experience on a previous work site many years ago it sounded like pressured steam escaping through exhaust pipes and then gradually winding down.

Either that or turbine engine testing, aircraft?

My thoughts,

Bally

Edit: Answer revealed, oh well I was far off the mark.

I have old train tracks in the woods behind my house. Occasionally, and old freight train passes through there delivering chemicals to a Procter and Gamble plant on the coast. Some of these tanker cars sit in the plant yard for a few years before they haul them out again.

Exactly the same sounds.

originally posted by: billxam
This is pretty much the first thread I've ever started here despite my long years as a member.

It's your 13th thread. Why would you be compelled to say it was your first? No big deal; just curious.

a reply to: billxam

I would've guessed bat guano soup sucking thru bamboo shoots.

a reply to: billxam

Bad trucks on a train.

originally posted by: schuyler

originally posted by: billxam
This is pretty much the first thread I've ever started here despite my long years as a member.

It's your 13th thread. Why would you be compelled to say it was your first? No big deal; just curious.

True, but in his defense, its been 9 years since the last. I've forgotten a LOT in 9 years myself

Train on a curve

a reply to: billxam

I'm here at a Ford Lake in Ypsi Township...and heard those before coming from across the lake near the Ford Plant along I94...though it's not coming from there.

How about the Sumpter or Salem Township or Romulus landfills? The trucks screetch around up on top the hills...

a reply to: mikell

There are no Amtrak curves anywhere near where he's speaking. Pretty straight shot from Detroit/Canadian border, to Dearborn, Ann Arbor to Jackson, Battle Creek to Chicago.

No curves..

Too funny, I grew up next to a Union Pacific main line and just reading the thread title I thought 'bet it was a train'!
Listened to the vid before reading the replies and thought, 'sounds like a train'.
Good 1!