Questions about locomotive headlights

[bogie_engineer]

FRA has a detailed set of requirements for headlights and auxiliary lights here:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-II/part-229/subpart-C/subject-group-ECFR4aa004644ff4be4/section-229.125

Dave

[zugmann]

• Metra uses oscillating headlights.  The new F59 (?) rebuilds they are now doing have an LED version.  MARC used to have some on cabcars, I believe as well.

• All the Siemens Charger and Sprinter locomotives I've seen are equipped with LED head and ditchlights. 

 

• There are LED replacement head/ditchlights that can be used in older locomotives.  I've seen photos/videos of them, but not yet in person.  See the RS3M the Arcade and Attica just bought.    Many of the running lights in our older engines (step lights, ground lights, numberboard lights, inside lights) are being replaced with LEDs at a steady rate. 

 

• I like bright headlights.  Helps to see stuff at night in dark yards/industries/other places.  Headlights can be dimmed if you need to. 
• I have Rigid pod LEDs on my truck.  (SAE compliant foglight pattern).  They put my headlights to shame at about a quarter of the size.  Amazing little things. 

 

[Perry Babin]

More than I expected. 

Incandescents will be banned shortly. I don't know if that will affect railroad lamps. 

I understand, leave well enough alone. 

I don't know of you've looked into handheld LED flashlights but a small flashlight (well, will fit into a large pocket) will flood a large field for hundreds of yards out, running on two 18650 battteries. Some of the new LED lights use a conventional reflector and some use an acrylic lens to focus the beam. The following is a nice light that's about average, nowadays. It's a TK35. The reviewer is good because he compares the reviewed lights to a 4D maglight so you have a reference. 

https://youtu.be/73ax2YpIFN8?t=344

For other lights (if you haven't seen what's commonly available), try Battery Junction. I've never dealt with GoingGear (reviewer) so this isn't an endorsement but I've used Battery Junction a LOT and they're good to work with. Not train related. Just general FYI. 

[tree68]

Perry Babin

Do they still use oscillating headlights (main light) on any locomotives?

There are a few left.  Being mechanical, they are a maintenance headache, which means if they aren't working the loco is out of service.  About the only ones you'll see are on vintage locos.

Perry Babin

Are older locomotives converting to LED headlights?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  I doubt you'll see a wholesale replacement occur.

Perry Babin

Are all new locomotives (including rebuilt/refurbished) using LED headlights?

Haven't noticed any, actually.  I could be wrong.

Perry Babin

I don't see many trains at night (been many years). How do the main headlights on a train compare (overall light output) compare to the incandescent headlights of cars.

They're pretty bright, especially when you add the auxiliary (often erroneously called ditch) lights are added.

Perry Babin

The reason this came up (for me) is that I read that train lights don't need to be very bright and bright lights might interfere in seeing signal lights.

As Balt often points out, trains aren't "line of sight" vehicles, as such, they don't need the vision you'd expect from a road vehicle.  BUT, it's no fun hitting an obstruction (tree, large rock, etc) unannounced, if you will.

Perry Babin

Any general information about the headlights (the main light) would be appreciated. It seems that the more I learn about trains and railroads the less I seem to know about trains and railroads.

The headlights run at 72 volts, as do most of the lights and other accessories.  There is a dim function that is used in yards and when meeting other trains.  The headlight bulbs are less than 100 watts, IIRC, so as a parasitic load, they are practically nothing.  Running LEDs instead provides very little advantage in that aspect.

The question becomes when does the cumulative cost of LEDs become less than the cumulative cost of incandescents, of which the railroads probably have pallets on hand.

 Something else to keep in mind is that while LEDs may seem brighter, getting their beam down the tracks requires some sophisticated optics.  Case in point is the LED daytime running lights I added to my truck.  If you stood in front of my truck at night with both the regular headlights the the DRLs on, you'd probably say that the DRL's were brighter.  But if you tried to drive with just the DRL's,  you'd be all but driving in the dark.

 

[Perry Babin]

Do they still use oscillating headlights (main light) on any locomotives?

Are older locomotives converting to LED headlights?

Are all new locomotives (including rebuilt/refurbished) using LED headlights?

I don't see many trains at night (been many years). How do the main headlights on a train compare (overall light output) compare to the incandescent headlights of cars. 

The reason this came up (for me) is that I read that train lights don't need to be very bright and bright lights might interfere in seeing signal lights. 

Any general information about the headlights (the main light) would be appreciated. It seems that the more I learn about trains and railroads the less I seem to know about trains and railroads.