I have read that railroads used these frequently because they were eye catchers for motorists and pedestrians in making it easier for them to notice an oncoming train. Mainly passenger trains, but not always.
I beleive by the 70's, RRs were plating them over.
Now, locos are required to have ditch lights, some even flash in order to grab attention.
Just wondering why railroads would have abandoned something that seemed so obviously helpful in keeping trains visible. Does it just coincide with the waning of passenger trains, or was there more to it?
- Douglas
Most likely maintenance. As a teen (early fifties) I spent my summers in the El Paso Southern Pacific Yard and there were always several MARS lights on a workbench. They had roughly a dozen spares on shelves ready to go.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
The succinct answer is that Mel's right, but for a slightly different reason. FRA started interpreting all lights as being covered at 92-day inspection, not just mandated lights -- in other words, if you installed Gyralights or strobes (or any other specialty device) they had to work or you'd be fined just as you would if other lights were out. SP in particular said that 'optional lights ought to be working or not at the choice of the railroad' but the FRA said no. (And you couldn't just disconnect the extra lights, either!)
Rather obviously this meant that the expensive light shows on some SP power would be removed and plated over... sometimes as soon as possible, not when some part burned out or broke.
Overmod The succinct answer is that Mel's right, but for a slightly different reason. FRA started interpreting all lights as being covered at 92-day inspection, not just mandated lights -- in other words, if you installed Gyralights or strobes (or any other specialty device) they had to work or you'd be fined just as you would if other lights were out. SP in particular said that 'optional lights ought to be working or not at the choice of the railroad' but the FRA said no. (And you couldn't just disconnect the extra lights, either!) Rather obviously this meant that the expensive light shows on some SP power would be removed and plated over... sometimes as soon as possible, not when some part burned out or broke.
Ironic. Regulations essentially killed these specialty lights, but regulations mandated a sort of substitute in the mid 90s with ditchlights (for over 20 mph).
That's also the reason all unecessary equipment was removed - steam generators, etc. If it was attached to the loco, it had to work.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
A similar scenario followed for the FRA Part 223 mandate on front (Type I) and side (Type II) glazing of locomotives, cabooses and passenger cars.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-1998-title49-vol4/pdf/CFR-1998-title49-vol4-part223.pdf
This is why you may see many cabooses with plated-over windows and some switchers and a few road engines had some of their glazing plated over, especially some of the upper cab windows on switchers. The steel plate was a cheaper alternative to installing expensive Lexan or other high-impact glazing.
Passenger cars had to have a minimum of four escape windows.
Good Luck, Ed
DoughlessI have read that railroads used these frequently because they were eye catchers for motorists and pedestrians in making it easier for them to notice an oncoming train. Mainly passenger trains, but not always.
Mars Lights and other similar rotating/oscilating lights are still used on Fire Trucks, for good reason.
These lights cast a "dancing shadow" from anything in the roadway, and it is very easy for the operator to see it. On Fire Trucks responding at night, this effect is amazing. A three-year-old on a tricycle suddenly looks like a dancing monster, the driver can adjust the path and avoid tragedy.
Fire Trucks do not use these light for conspicuity, they have 100 flashing red lights for that. They are used to make obstacles more avoidable.
On trains, I doubt this effect had much advantage since you cannot steer the train out of the way. It seems to me that Ditch Lights, while doing less for the locomotive driver, do more for the motorist since they look like oncoming headlights. In this application I think Ditch Lights make more sense than Mars Lights.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190Fire Trucks do not use these light for conspicuity, they have 100 flashing red lights for that. They are used to make obstacles more avoidable.
I think most departments around here use them becuase they think every truck they have has to be a parade piece. Mars, roto-rays, bells, shiny alcoa wheels - all that stuff.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmannI think most departments around here use them becuase they think every truck they have has to be a parade piece.
They have Fire Trucks in Equestria? I did not know that!
A lot of the varnish on Fire Trucks is unnecessary, but the Mars Lights really do function quite well at making obstacles stand out.
Shiny alluminum wheels... not so much.