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[Anonymous]

What are the portholes for on the side of an F or E unit?

[passengerfan]

Decoration and light only and they provided little of the latter.

[Anonymous]

There's one necessary porthole/window on a B unit because there's a small, limited-function control stand inside to allow the unit to be moved by itself (generally in a yard, engine terminal or repair shop), or, in an emergency in an engine consist when the lead cab unit is removed or its controls cannot function for whatever reason and the equipment must be gotten out of the way. That porthole/window is hinged and can be opened to allow an operator to stick their head out to see forward and backward.

Note that lots of RRs plated and/or painted over the portholes (except the essential one-see above) toward the end, because they really were useful only for target practice by certain unsavory folks off the ROW. And, of course ATSF performed the ultimate plate-over job, the CF7!![:-,]

[Anonymous]

Unless, of course, providing what ever natural light for interior passage or general maintenance..