Lighted number boards

[Noah Hofrichter]

Last night when the Wisconsin and Southern engine came to town, I noticed the SD-20 engine didn't have lighted number boards in the back, but it did in the front. Is there any sort of rule saying the "must haves" of lighted number boards, and what other models of locomotive are this same way, if any?

Thanks in advance, Noah

[edblysard]

Nora,
No requirement on lighted number boards on the rear of a locomotive.
UP just paints it's numbers on in the place where there would be a number board.

The GCOR states that the rear of a train,(and a locomotive by itself is a train) must have a rear lighted marker when moving after sunset, and the rear headlights on dim serve that purpose.

Lighted rear number boards are a option on a railroad by railroad basis.

Ed

[kenneo]

Noah

I am not aware of any rule requiring lighted number boards. What is required, however, is that the locomotive number be plainly visable to other trains and all trackside persons haveing a railroad operational interest.

However, it is common practice to have all number boards dark except for the leading number board (the "F" end), the locomotive for which the train is identified as. So you can see the leading number board being on the same locomotive and on the "headlight end" (front), the last unit, pointed either direction, or any "middle" unit, also pointed either direction, as well as a single unit operating frontwards or backwards --- the "order engine" will be the only unit with lit numberboards.