All Mechanical Bells, or M-Bells, consist of a hammer and a gong. Whenever the hammer strikes the gong, a bell sound is produced.

There are various ways that the hammer is controlled. The most common method is through the use of electromagnets, but motors and spring loaded systems, and even manual pull strings have all been used.

Because mechanical bells consist of moving parts, regular maintenance is necessary for the bell to function properly. Because of this, railroads prefer to use electronic bells which are purely digital and have no moving parts.

Mechanical bells do have the upper hand in terms of longevity. With proper maintenance, mechanical bells from the 1900s and 1910s can still work perfectly today.

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