Locomotive Headlights

[danmick]

Why do some railroads prefer to have the headlights on the nose and others prefer that they be above the windows?

[nssr9169]

I think that it all is within preference of the railroad. May bee there is a reason that they want to get the beams from the head lightts more in the sight of moterists. Also it could be tho form a tighter tryangle of light that is very appearent. Also it could be that it is for ease of changing the bulbs, so that some person doesn't have to clime all the way ontop of the nose to change 1 headlight!

LONG LIVE THE SW1

[danmick]

So there is no real added benefit to the placement of the lights? Why wouldn't railroads just keep them in the nose for easier access then? Plus, in my opinion, locomotives look much better with the lights in the nose (SD70ACe).

[route_rock]

I prefer them by the number boards ,unless its been a wet day! Brush up against one bare skin YIKES!!! However they do make good glove dryers ;)

[coborn35]

O yes! They are very hot! Try having your hand resting on one while wiping down number boards when samrt engineer decides to test them out!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by route_rock

I prefer them by the number boards ,unless its been a wet day! Brush up against one bare skin YIKES!!! However they do make good glove dryers ;)

I'm with ya on that one, I burned the back of my arm[:(] accidentally on a GP38 this summer[:0].
With the lights on the nose it cuts through fog/rain/snow better, light goes under the weather like fog lights on a car. Lights up top on the cab would light up further distance ahead in good conditions.

DC[8D]

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's a matter of railroads get one location or the other, since I work with some engines that have lights in the nose and some with lights above the cab. I personally prefer lights above the cab, since I have to stand on the "front porch" for many tasks (like guiding a reverse move through the yard or towards a cut of cars), and it seems that I am always either standing in front of the light (dimmer vision), or to the side (the glare from the side makes it tough to see if you're too close to it). I am a freight conductor, so I don't know what an engineer prefers, but I'd guess above-cab mounted also, since the glare will be less when looking at upcoming swithches and the like.

[nssr9169]

Yes i hate how hot they get but it is eayser to guggle the hot bulb wheen you are changing between both hands when you are on the running boards. LOL[(-D][:P][(-D]
Any whay I think it is a railroad mistery that once there was reasoning behind it but now it has been lost in the corperate wash of the railroads, but for some reason the preferances are kept

[Anonymous]

Question for our European friends- How come the Brits, French, and Germans seemed to use just marker lights and not headlights on their steam locomotives?

Erik

[route_rock]

Was looking at an old DRG&W loco it had lights in both spots! I loved the nose mounted ones as they would swish side to side. Not really a Mars light ( Mars lights go in an M pattern) but still a neat feature.

[tatans]

Someone replied on another forum that Canadian railways prefer the higher headlight because of blowing snow, it gives a longer reach on the beam.

[Anonymous]

That is odd.. becuase all the SD40-2's that we have that are from up there have nose headlights... who knows.

[CMSTPP]

Hey, Will do you know what railroads the locomotives belonged to. I'm thinking Rio Grande or Santa Fe. but if you know that would help!

James

[beaulieu]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

Someone replied on another forum that Canadian railways prefer the higher headlight because of blowing snow, it gives a longer reach on the beam.

I am pretty sure that Transport Canada ( Canadian FRA) requires low headlights on the front of Canadian locomotives. That suggests that CN's new ES44DCs are Canadian locomotives, while the new SD70M-2s are US locomotives.

[Anonymous]

CP 6060 6046 all those man