Tender headlights on NYC steam locomotives

[gmpullman]

ATSFGuy

Tender headlights were only used for yard duties, switching cars, and coupling up to a train correct?

 

There were occasions where road power had to back a considerable distance. Near me on the branch from Warren to Painesville, Ohio, the B&O used EM-1 locomotives that would back to a siding twenty-or-so miles away to await arrival of the train needing the helper.

Most road engines probably didn't need back-up lights but they were a fairly inexpensive addition and when you did need one, sure were handy.

As the chart I linked to in the NYCHS article shows, about half the H class Mikes did have a back-up light. It all depended on the typical assignment that the locomotives had.

Regards, Ed

 

[ATSFGuy]

Tender headlights were only used for yard duties, switching cars, and coupling up to a train correct?

The headlight looks better on top of the tender vs mounted in the body.

[gmpullman]

Glad to be of some help, Tom 

tstage

Didn't know the Pyle headlights had Fresnel lenses.

I can't say for certain that they all had Fresnel but I seem to recall that nearly every one I've seen of that style were.

Pyle by Edmund, on Flickr

Fun Stuff! Ed

[tstage]

Great pics, Ed!  Didn't know the Pyle headlights had Fresnel lenses.  Love those H-10 Mikes!

Tom

[gmpullman]

Yes, Tom. I've come to the conclusion that, at least for the NYC Mikes, that no two were alike. To add to the mix, often the tenders were swapped around. As the Hudsons got the centipede tenders their original tenders were handed down to some of the Mikes and Mohawks.

Here's two views of H6s with rear lights:

NYC_H6_1715-1709 by Edmund, on Flickr

NYC_H6_1848 by Edmund, on Flickr

As you mention, some tenders were equipped with the flush-mounted Pyle lights such as this H-10 has:

NYC_H10_2129 by Edmund, on Flickr

^{(Photos: NYC)}

I have a theory on this type of light. It wasn't provided so much for the engineer's vision as much as for the switchmen and brakemen working on the ground at night. These lights had Fresnel lenses and the light was cast in a wide beam angle, not so much as a spot-beam. Some locomotives had "auxiliary lights" on the front as well.

Also note the oil skimmer on the tender. This is part of the Elesco feedwater heater, however, not every locomotive had an Elesco. This makes it interesting for modelers when railroads make these modifications "on-the-fly".

Have fun with your research,

Ed

[tstage]

Thanks, Ed.  It's interesting that some of those H-7s were equipped (retrofitted?) with rear headlights and some weren't.  And the ones that were are reminescent of the ones found on the tenders of the NYC U-3s switchers.  The tender headlights on the Niagaras, Hudsons, and Mohawks were a lower-profile design and nearly flush with the sheet metal of the tender.

Tom

[gmpullman]

Hi, Tom

I was doing some research on H-10s a while back. The NYCHS has some good .pdf copies of some of their Headlight articles on line.

Unfortunately, I can only find info for H-7s here:

https://nycshs.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/h-7mikados.pdf

If you scroll to page 17 there is a very handy chart showing individual details. The list on the left shows "Tender Headlight" — yes - no as you read across.

On page 18 is a photo of the 2062 and page 22 showing the 1956 with tender headlights.

If I find anything specific on the H-6s I'll get back to you.

Good Luck, Ed

[tstage]

I was looking at my NYC steam roster this evening and noticed that the Niagara, Hudson, Mohawk, and USRA 0-8-0 switcher all had rear headlights on the tender but the H-6 "Light" Mikados did not.  I got on the Fallen Flags website to view the NYC H-6s but the majority of the photos taken were, not surprisingly, from the fireman's side.

Does anyone know if NYC H-6 Mikados were generally equipped with rear headlights on the tender?

Thanks,

Tom