Asking this question for a friend in Germany who like me runs German trains and unlike me also has US trains. He recently fit his PRR caboose (below) with a end-or-train marker light and is now curious as to position and use.
In terms of the usage was it a blinking red with the caboose at the end being pulled and then white if the train happened to be pushed? I personally do not know and am not easily finding the info online. Also don't know the real terminology which doesn't help.
Thanks for any help.
Peter
-|----|- Peter D. Verheyen-|----|- verheyen@philobiblon.com -|----|- http://www.philobiblon.com/eisenbahn -|----|- http://papphausen.blogspot.com/-|----|- http://www.youtube.com/user/papphausen2
Sounds like he's talking about FRED or Flashing Rear End Device, only problem is it doesn't go on a caboose, it goes on the last freight car of a modern era train. Affectionately also called a F-cking end of train device by railroad men at the time of it's introduction. The railroads in their ever growing infinite wisdom felt it was no longer necessary I believe around the early 1970's. FRED has no morphed into a telemetry device that sends air brake pressure information to the cab bla bla bla Real trains don't have things like FRED hanging off their caboose, maybe a red railroad lantern but that was about it.
PRR used keroscene lanterns, then twin red electric lights till the end of the caboose era. They were mounted on each side of the roof overhang at each corner. Steady red light. The lanterns were painted yellow. I have a pair on my N5C caboose. The flashing lights came after the PRR era ended from my research. Some railroads like the N&W had a flashing light in the middle at the rear edge of the roof, not a strobe, but a incadesent slow flashing red light. Cheers Mike
LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case!
Thank you all. Much appreciated.