Trains.com

Yellow Light

5665 views
15 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Yellow Light
Posted by Awesome! on Saturday, May 16, 2009 8:30 PM

What is the yellow light on top of the cab?

http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=57906

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Saturday, May 16, 2009 9:16 PM

    I wonder if it has anything to do with the sign on front that says: "Remote control equipped"?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: South Dakota
  • 1,592 posts
Posted by Dakguy201 on Sunday, May 17, 2009 5:29 AM

Murphy Siding

    I wonder if it has anything to do with the sign on front that says: "Remote control equipped"?

You have it, if the light is on, it is being operated remotely.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Sunday, May 17, 2009 5:22 PM

Before the European/Canadian "ditch lights" came into use, many engines back in the seventies and eighties had yellow strobe-light beacons on their roofs...although in this case it probably has to do with the remote control aspect.

Stix
  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Norfolk Southern Lafayette District
  • 1,642 posts
Posted by bubbajustin on Sunday, May 17, 2009 7:07 PM

wjstix

Before the European/Canadian "ditch lights" came into use, many engines back in the seventies and eighties had yellow strobe-light beacons on their roofs...

My dad say's he remember's seeing these engiens with the yellow light on them. He asked why we don't see them mutch any more. I said because of the dich light. I will tell him. Cool. 

The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Posted by Awesome! on Monday, May 18, 2009 10:39 PM

wjstix

Before the European/Canadian "ditch lights" came into use, many engines back in the seventies and eighties had yellow strobe-light beacons on their roofs...although in this case it probably has to do with the remote control aspect.

In the past the Canadian locomotive had strobe-yellow light on top what does mean? This before the electronic cab. What about those locomotive that had the four colors on top of the locomotive number. WHat is that for?

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Rhode Island
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by carnej1 on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 11:53 AM

Awesome!

wjstix

Before the European/Canadian "ditch lights" came into use, many engines back in the seventies and eighties had yellow strobe-light beacons on their roofs...although in this case it probably has to do with the remote control aspect.

In the past the Canadian locomotive had strobe-yellow light on top what does mean? This before the electronic cab. What about those locomotive that had the four colors on top of the locomotive number. WHat is that for?

 Do you mean Classification lights? Conrail had them right up to the end on their fleet..

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 6:54 PM

I've seen locos in the past with these, even one on a model, though it was a not necessary detail feature.  But the remote engines always have extra lights on them. 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Thursday, June 4, 2009 2:27 PM

Gee, I'm feeling old now. Back in the olden days of the eighties (1980's that is, you young whipper-snappers) yellow strobes were on just about every diesel out there. Now they're a relic of the distant past I guess !!

 

Stix
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Thursday, June 4, 2009 8:06 PM
wjstix

Gee, I'm feeling old now. Back in the olden days of the eighties (1980's that is, you young whipper-snappers) yellow strobes were on just about every diesel out there. Now they're a relic of the distant past I guess !!

 

I don't recall many locomotives having these, some maybe but most of the strobes I have seen are more recent and have been added to engines as in the picture. NJTransit put strobes on all their engines, albeit not yellow ones.
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Canada
  • 509 posts
Posted by cprted on Friday, June 5, 2009 1:54 PM

Awesome!

wjstix

Before the European/Canadian "ditch lights" came into use, many engines back in the seventies and eighties had yellow strobe-light beacons on their roofs...although in this case it probably has to do with the remote control aspect.

In the past the Canadian locomotive had strobe-yellow light on top what does mean? This before the electronic cab. What about those locomotive that had the four colors on top of the locomotive number. WHat is that for?

The yellow flashing beacon was simply a warning/visibility/safety device.  It conveys no meaning beyond, "watch out, moving train."

 The coloured lens are the classification lights which indicate the class of train in the same way that coloured flags did.

 In these parts, beltpack operated locomotives are equiped with a pair of red strobe lights.

The grey box represents what the world would look like without the arts. Don't Torch The Arts--Culture Matters http://www.allianceforarts.com/
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Friday, June 5, 2009 4:36 PM

trainfan1221
wjstix

Gee, I'm feeling old now. Back in the olden days of the eighties (1980's that is, you young whipper-snappers) yellow strobes were on just about every diesel out there. Now they're a relic of the distant past I guess !!

 

I don't recall many locomotives having these, some maybe but most of the strobes I have seen are more recent and have been added to engines as in the picture. NJTransit put strobes on all their engines, albeit not yellow ones.

The yellow rotating beacons were pretty standard in the seventies - eighties if you check out photos or film/video from that period. They kinda disappeared pretty quickly when the ditchlights came in.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2560362153_321d98701e.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3293402154_c8693afd34.jpg?v=1235108526

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/mns11.jpg

Stix
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Posted by Awesome! on Sunday, June 7, 2009 8:33 AM

wjstix

trainfan1221
wjstix

Gee, I'm feeling old now. Back in the olden days of the eighties (1980's that is, you young whipper-snappers) yellow strobes were on just about every diesel out there. Now they're a relic of the distant past I guess !!

 

I don't recall many locomotives having these, some maybe but most of the strobes I have seen are more recent and have been added to engines as in the picture. NJTransit put strobes on all their engines, albeit not yellow ones.

The yellow rotating beacons were pretty standard in the seventies - eighties if you check out photos or film/video from that period. They kinda disappeared pretty quickly when the ditchlights came in.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2560362153_321d98701e.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3293402154_c8693afd34.jpg?v=1235108526

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/mns11.jpg

What was the reason using them? What about the other four color lights that Canadian Locomotives had on top display road number. It was usually four color lights display. I need to find a picture. In the begining, the said, "Yellow light is a indicator of using locomotive without a engineer" Control ?

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Burnaby
  • 525 posts
Posted by enr2099 on Sunday, June 7, 2009 12:40 PM

Awesome!

What was the reason using them? What about the other four color lights that Canadian Locomotives had on top display road number. It was usually four color lights display. I need to find a picture. In the begining, the said, "Yellow light is a indicator of using locomotive without a engineer" Control ?

 

If you read through the other messages those questions have been answered. They were/are used to attract attention to the train as a warning, either to watch out for a moving train or as it is used today to watch out for a remote controlled engine that could move at any time. The THREE colours used as class lights are totally different, White=Extra train, Green=Section of a train, Red=Tail End marker.

Tyler W. CN hog
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Posted by Awesome! on Monday, June 8, 2009 8:59 PM

enr2099

Awesome!

What was the reason using them? What about the other four color lights that Canadian Locomotives had on top display road number. It was usually four color lights display. I need to find a picture. In the begining, the said, "Yellow light is a indicator of using locomotive without a engineer" Control ?

 

If you read through the other messages those questions have been answered. They were/are used to attract attention to the train as a warning, either to watch out for a moving train or as it is used today to watch out for a remote controlled engine that could move at any time. The THREE colours used as class lights are totally different, White=Extra train, Green=Section of a train, Red=Tail End marker.

Do you think that method of three colors worked?

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Burnaby
  • 525 posts
Posted by enr2099 on Monday, June 8, 2009 9:30 PM

 They were used for many years, so yes I think they worked.

Tyler W. CN hog

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy