QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas Was the SP the only railroad to use the gyro-lights, or were there others ?
Originally posted by chad thomas [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply tree68 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Northern New York 25,011 posts Posted by tree68 on Monday, April 4, 2005 7:33 AM IC ran them, too. On many first-generation diesels they were inside one of the headlight openings, so not very obvious in photos. 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... Reply M636C Member sinceJanuary 2002 4,612 posts Posted by M636C on Monday, April 4, 2005 7:41 AM CB&Q even had red Mars Lights on the back of their Zephyrs. Their car 302 "Silver Star" was obtained by Mt Newman Mining, where it was known as "Sundowner". I remember standing on the track behind the Sundowner which was waiting to be attached to a train looking at the red light doing its figures of eight - it was just amazing! The light was marked "The Mars Signal Light Co." Peter Reply locomutt Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: Louisville,Ky. 5,077 posts Posted by locomutt on Monday, April 4, 2005 8:06 AM C & O had them on their E & FP units,and I know that the L & N had them on their GP-7& 9's Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!! Reply Modelcar Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania 13,456 posts Posted by Modelcar on Monday, April 4, 2005 8:16 AM .....So did Sante Fe...Watched them come down the hill to make the stop at the depot at Kingman, Az. with the red light oscillating and it shining on trees and buildings, etc....It really got one's attention. Remember they were on E's, etc.....First time I had witnessed those lights in action and actually wondered what they were for at the time...I'm talking over 30 years ago.... Quentin Reply richardy Member sinceDecember 2001 From: NE Oklahoma 287 posts Posted by richardy on Monday, April 4, 2005 8:46 AM Ditto on the Santa Fe. I saw the Mars on the Tulsan several times, it would sweep over to us in our car at the grade crossing. I thought the light was white, this was early 60's and I was very young. I cannot remember the locomotive type. Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Monday, April 4, 2005 9:58 AM Thanks guys, Interesting, I never knew so many other railroads used them. I always thought they were an SP thing. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 4, 2005 6:55 PM Katy and Frisco used them on the original 1948 SL Texas Special, front and rear. Reply Edit Mookie Member sinceJune 2001 From: US 13,488 posts Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 6:05 AM Were they Mars Lights....because they were red? She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw Reply locomutt Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: Louisville,Ky. 5,077 posts Posted by locomutt on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 7:25 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie Were they Mars Lights....because they were red? Mookie, Not ALL Mars,or Gyralites were 'red'; Quite a few were clear/white lights. Not sure how many R.R.s use them these days, but you sure will find them on fire department apparatus. Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!! Reply Kurn Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Akron,OH 229 posts Posted by Kurn on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 7:41 AM Mars was the name of the company that made them.They also made lights for emergency vehicles.Pyle was the maker of Gyralites. If there are no dogs in heaven,then I want to go where they go. Reply Mookie Member sinceJune 2001 From: US 13,488 posts Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 8:08 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Kurn Mars was the name of the company that made them.They also made lights for emergency vehicles.Pyle was the maker of Gyralites. Ah! Thought I had something going there. Thanx She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw Reply tree68 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Northern New York 25,011 posts Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 8:13 AM The name plate says "The Light from Mars." 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... Reply Modelcar Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania 13,456 posts Posted by Modelcar on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 8:42 AM ....A play on the red Planet. Quentin Reply Mookie Member sinceJune 2001 From: US 13,488 posts Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 8:44 AM Ha! I was on to something, after all! She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw Reply zardoz Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Kenosha, WI 6,567 posts Posted by zardoz on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 9:29 AM CNW's E and F units (before going over to Metra) had the oscillating white light in the front mounted on the nose door. The "figure 8" pattern the light produced on the right-of-way war rather hypnotic sometimes. The lights were removed sometime in the 70's. There were also a few SD40's that had a gyrating light in the front. These were not original CNW units (I do not know where they came from). The locomotives that had them were in the 900 series (923, 930, etc). The light was mounted in the same location as where the CNW mounted the bell on the SD40-2's (near the top of the low nose). The Metra F40PH's have a single-beam white light mounted near the roof. The light pattern is an oval (as seen from the cab), and the rotation can be stopped manually, and then aimed wherever you want (great for getting the attention of trackside lurkers). I do not know who the manufacturer was. Reply Modelcar Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania 13,456 posts Posted by Modelcar on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 9:40 AM ...Seem to remember seeing Sante Fe out west using the above described "gyrating light"....I thought they were mounted right at the top of the cab...but not really sure on that....I'm speaking of non passenger engines.... Quentin Reply FThunder11 Member sinceJune 2003 From: Colorado Springs 728 posts Posted by FThunder11 on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 10:29 AM What was a Mars Light used for? Kevin Farlow Colorado Springs Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 10:33 AM Better visibility. They gyrated in a horizontal figure 8 pattern. They also were a better attention getter for people in front of the train. Reply locomutt Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: Louisville,Ky. 5,077 posts Posted by locomutt on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 1:07 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar ....A play on the red Planet. One of my favorite Sci-Fi authors(Robert Heinlein) Is probably 'turning' over in his grave right about now. Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!! Reply tree68 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Northern New York 25,011 posts Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 1:09 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie Ha! I was on to something, after all! But it had to do with the movement of the light (as from "outer space") as opposed to the color. QUOTE: Originally posted by FThunder11 What was a Mars Light used for? As Chad said, better visibility - if you see one, you'll understand perfectly. Try to get hold of some video from SP when they were SP. Admittedly these videos are of models with simulated oscillating lights, but it's all I could find. Check out this site http://www.gadgettom.com/video_clips.htm for an idea of the effect you would see if you are watching such a light. 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... Reply Mookie Member sinceJune 2001 From: US 13,488 posts Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 1:51 PM I have a vague recollection of something called a wig-wag (on an engine, not a crossing) - and couldn't they dim the lights on the old F units? She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw Reply mudchicken Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Denver / La Junta 10,820 posts Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 2:22 PM Wig-wags communicated visually between engine and caboose (usually only found on cabeese) . All diesel locomotives could dim the headlights as far as I'm aware. Mars lights were usually mounted in the nose door (i.e. lower light) of the E and F units so you could get at the moving parts that always failed. Several old F-Units that wound up in Colorado in the 80's serving out their last days in shortline service (#752, 706 and 758(?)) had Mars lights and colored lenses that still worked. Colorado & Eastern (Flanders) had a bunch more that sat around in the Denver Stockyards as "hanger queens".... Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west Reply Sterling1 Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Traveling in Middle Earth 795 posts Posted by Sterling1 on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 4:26 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken Wig-wags communicated visually between engine and caboose (usually only found on cabeese) . All diesel locomotives could dim the headlights as far as I'm aware. Mars lights were usually mounted in the nose door (i.e. lower light) of the E and F units so you could get at the moving parts that always failed. Several old F-Units that wound up in Colorado in the 80's serving out their last days in shortline service (#752, 706 and 758(?)) had Mars lights and colored lenses that still worked. Colorado & Eastern (Flanders) had a bunch more that sat around in the Denver Stockyards as "hanger queens".... Wait a moment, if that's true then what are the some of the red and white/clear lights that I sometimes see in the upper housing of F and E units are those static or what? "There is nothing in life that compares with running a locomotive at 80-plus mph with the windows open, the traction motors screaming, the air horns fighting the rush of incoming air to make any sound at all, automobiles on adjacent highways trying and failing to catch up with you, and the unmistakable presence of raw power. You ride with fear in the pit of your stomach knowing you do not really have control of this beast." - D.C. Battle [Trains 10/2002 issue, p74.] Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 5:38 PM No, they're oscillating lights. MC didn't say all units had them in the center door. In fact a lot were in the top location. Reply Edit Sterling1 Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Traveling in Middle Earth 795 posts Posted by Sterling1 on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 6:09 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by drephpe No, they're oscillating lights. MC didn't say all units had them in the center door. In fact a lot were in the top location. Would they be from Mars Lights or Pyle (Gyralite)? BTW I am not exactly sure what the difference is between Mars and Gyralite designs. Another thing the SP freight units with those red lights were Mars but I don't know a website that shows them in action. What about Reserve Mining, were they similar to the SP freight units? Thanks. "There is nothing in life that compares with running a locomotive at 80-plus mph with the windows open, the traction motors screaming, the air horns fighting the rush of incoming air to make any sound at all, automobiles on adjacent highways trying and failing to catch up with you, and the unmistakable presence of raw power. You ride with fear in the pit of your stomach knowing you do not really have control of this beast." - D.C. Battle [Trains 10/2002 issue, p74.] Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » 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 More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
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...
Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!
Quentin
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie Were they Mars Lights....because they were red?
If there are no dogs in heaven,then I want to go where they go.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Kurn Mars was the name of the company that made them.They also made lights for emergency vehicles.Pyle was the maker of Gyralites.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar ....A play on the red Planet.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie Ha! I was on to something, after all!
QUOTE: Originally posted by FThunder11 What was a Mars Light used for?
QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken Wig-wags communicated visually between engine and caboose (usually only found on cabeese) . All diesel locomotives could dim the headlights as far as I'm aware. Mars lights were usually mounted in the nose door (i.e. lower light) of the E and F units so you could get at the moving parts that always failed. Several old F-Units that wound up in Colorado in the 80's serving out their last days in shortline service (#752, 706 and 758(?)) had Mars lights and colored lenses that still worked. Colorado & Eastern (Flanders) had a bunch more that sat around in the Denver Stockyards as "hanger queens"....
QUOTE: Originally posted by drephpe No, they're oscillating lights. MC didn't say all units had them in the center door. In fact a lot were in the top location.
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