Were you in or near Landers during that quake? The freight train noise also precedes a tornado.
The shaking from a large quake usually makes me forget quickly the loud noise which preceded it. It is a terrible sound.
Yeah, I was there with about 4,000 Marines in 29 Palms, 8 miles from epicenter.. Struck at dawn.
It was like standing on a huge speaker; the sound came from everywhere as the earth groaned!
Incredibly loud.
Unfortunately a small girl was killed, but she was the only casualty as I can recall.