I've seen many instances in videos that seem to indicate the ditch lights can be turned off by the engineer when stopping on a siding or when meeting oncoming trains, so they don't blind the crews of those oncoming trains. In a couple of Charles Smiley videos, the engineer even turned the ditch lights off on SP and RIo Grande locomotives so they didn't interfere with the video shooting.
Most BNSF locos do not have the flashing ditch light feature but some ex BN loco's (i.e. few GP40M's, SD70MAC's) do have the flashing ditch light feature.
CSX, in my experience, goes to flash mode when approaching crossings, but I have no clue how it's activated
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
The computer program does it when the throttle setting is increased or reduced.
On the few NS locomotives I have been on, I did not see any switch beyond the normal for the ditch lights, (on, dim and bright) and when we used these locomotives, (Dash 9s) the flashing was or seemed to be all part of the computer program.
Annoying when doing yard work, to have those things flash in your face,
They also flashed for a few beats when the locomotive changed direction, but that may simply be because the throttle was opened up.
I know that a single horn blast will start them flashing no matter what, along with ringing the bell at the same time, although the bell does have a separate button just for itself, which also starts the lights flashing.
Hitting the alerter button or whisker turned off the flash, but the light remained on.
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It is mentioned in this Thread referencing that NS has the flashing ditch light option on many units.
I've noticed a number of times that the Ditch Lights on NS engines flash when the engine ground speed is reduced. Is there an electro mechanical function(interface) that reduces the light setting to flashing? Or does the engineer have to manually reset to flash, and then back to normal. on NS engines?
Flashing ditch light are an option each railroad can choose to have, or not have.
On most newer GE locomotives, Dash 9 and up, pressing the horn button also causes the bell to ring, and it can be an option to also have it activate a flasher for the ditch lights, but it is only an option.
EMD follows the same patter, it is offered as an option.
What the GCOR states and the FRA requires of all railroads is that the ditch lights be on and the leading headlight be on high when crossing any public grade crossing.
Neither the FRA, or the GCOR requires the ditch lights to flash, although may railroads do opt for that option.
No not all ditch lights flash, some are set up to do so and some are not. This is not exclusive to any one RR that I know of. NS has units whose ditch lights flash as well as some that dont.
On BNSF engines with ditch lights - Are they set up to 'flash' (alternate)when the horn or bell is rung? It appears that GCOR(what most Western railroads use) makes no mention of this feature. It just mentions that above 20 mph, ditch lights need to be illuminated and the headlight on 'bright' when operating over road crossings.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
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