Re: Flashing lights and/or Rotating Beacons on loc

[Anonymous]

Text

Here in the Great White North (Canada), beacons on locmotives are actually quite common. They are mostly used in yard applications in major terminals.
Especially noted on CP Rail, they will place beacons on the top of the cab for added visibility of the locomotives when switching. It wasn't to long ago a switchman was walking down the Devil's Trap when a switcher came up behind him and slammed him into a switch stand. The guy's face is all metal.
Also, these beacons are used whenever Belt Packs are involved in the marshalling of freight cars. These beacons notify crews that the locmotive cab is unmanned, and as such, they should steer clear. This application is especially noted 3 miles from my home town at a ADM Canola Elevator, in CP Rail's Saskatoon railyard, and Alyth Yard in Calgary.
Until then, remember, a good railroader is a lazy railroader! [:D]Text

The Mike

[Anonymous]

Sometime in the early 1940's the Fort Worth & Denver Zepher commenced its run from Dallas, TX to Denver, CO passing thru Dalhart , TX Headquaters for the Worlds Largest Ranch (the XIT) its circling head beacon was as bright a light that any cowboy had ever seen. Other than during WWII only a few trains per week on that line that crossed the Rock Island at Dalhart. In the early 1970's the natural gas shortage created a demand for alternate fuels for Power Generation. Southwestern Public Service Company in Amarillo was the first in TX to Contract for coal out of the Wyoming Coal Fields . Every bridge and 100's of miles of Railroad track had to be replaced to haul these 100 car unit trains. Today that line is operated by The Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and is by several times the greatest hauler of coal out of Wyoming to any market in the USA. For several years now a unit train passes thru Dalhart, TX blaring its whistles and horns for the four or five RR Crossings day & night every 30 minutes or so as each unit train heads north empty or south.loaded with coal. When Combined with the numerous trains out of California to Chicago on the old Rock Island Line the noise is constant to a vistor,but music in the ears of the local merchants in Dalhart. I am new at this Forum and unable to locate an answer to my previous questions: First Tank Car Loadings how many and how far and how often, Demand high or over built? The Second request is I am seeking early day Photographs of Ice Docks used to ice the Trains hauling fruits and vegitables out of California to Chicago and then on to the East Coast. Dalhart was one of the few such operations in America and I want to document this rare and specializrd Industry with words and pictures which has joined the Horse and buggy Industry.

[Anonymous]

I ran across this website tonight and thought I would include it here for people to check out. THE GYRALITE IS STILL BEING USED but it does sound like its days may be numbered. One railroad said during the day the ditch lights are more effective but at night the GYRALITE is better. I say let's see both used.

http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/photo/20585lts1.htm

http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/gyra_use.htm

Hope this helps clear things up. I misspelled it earlier and that may have been part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Just found another website to check out

http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/photo/wprr.htm

Some good pics here, both of the engines and the Gyralites

[kenneo]

Mars and Gyralite are brand names of two companies that made very similar oscilating lighting devices. Mars is a one man band and may be out of business.

The problem with both lighting systems is that they have moving parts and these moving parts wear and break. That means $$, and we all know what that means on a railroad.

[zardoz]

I forgot about the extra light that used to be (and may still be) on the front of Metra trains. All it did was do an oval (i think it rotated counter-clockwise). It never seemed very effective as a warning light. But it WAS useful for spotting a particular point . The light had a switch in the cab where we could stop rotation whenever we wanted. The light also had a red aspect also, only to be used in emergencies.

[Anonymous]

do u always have this much fun to asker a question?

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tomtomtlf

do u always have this much fun to asker a question?

[;)] stick around - it gets much better!

Mookie

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kenneo

Mars and Gyralite are brand names of two companies that made very similar oscilating lighting devices. Mars is a one man band and may be out of business.

The problem with both lighting systems is that they have moving parts and these moving parts wear and break. That means $$, and we all know what that means on a railroad.

The wear factor is exactly why you are seeing more and more strobes (and now LED's) on emergency vehicles. No moving parts to break, although those strobe tubes do get rather pricey. As I mentioned earlier, IC had a version (three lights high) that alternated between the two clear bulbs, with a red one in the mix for the usual purposes.

I still prefer a good rotating light, though. One problem with strobes is that it's hard to keep it in reference. With a rotator, the light is always on, and almost always visible, even when you aren't getting a flash. Ditch lights in flash mode are just as good.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

BRC has equipped its GP38-2's with two rotating amber lights on the cab (one on each side) for use with remote control operation.

[locomutt]

When I first started this,I didn't know how much fun it would be to see everybodys answer.

But seriously,when did some of roads start using them? I model in the 1950'0 to 1960's
era,and would like to be semi-prototypical in this respect.

Also,Mookie if I hurt your feelings,I'm sorry. Just come by the house and you can either
have the or the beer, which ever one you want.


Locomutt





























but

[Mookie]

Mookie isn't quite as calloused as some of the forum posters, but usually she can give as well as she gets.

Actually, beer isn't Mookie's thing - it tastes like really stale wet crackers to me! Now a good Vodka 7 is ok - Fuzzy Navel is better, but Milk (got milk?) is best! They did away with milk trucks and kept beer trucks! I think I am outvoted!

Fuzzy Mookie

[mudchicken]

Milk, catnip and chocolate cake with a vodka chaser? Yikes!

I will affirm that Mookie can dish it out as well as being thick skinned enough to take it.

mudchicken

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Milk, catnip and chocolate cake with a vodka chaser? Yikes!

I will affirm that Mookie can dish it out as well as being thick skinned enough to take it.

mudchicken

Hey feathers - Thanksgiving is coming.....gonna get me a wishbone!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Hey feathers - Thanksgiving is coming.....gonna get me a wishbone!

[locomutt]

Mookie:

Milk,catnipand chocolate cake? Oh Boy! don't let my cats know about it!
They don't like vodka but the dog certainly likes beer!
Oh well you are still welcome here anytime.

Locomutt

[Anonymous]

After the vodka with a beer chaser they will probally see some flashing lights. [:D]

[locomutt]

I still want the troops home happy and safe, bring back the caboose,and who in the heck is ED? If he's running for president, maybe he'll git my vote.

[Anonymous]

Hey Look There -- Another Vote For Ed. [:)]

Come on Ed, your voters await you. [:D]

Just think what you can do for Amtrak. And the country. [:)]

[locomutt]

If ED is running for president,then MOOKIE should run
as vice-president. I think she should use the platform
of Milk,Catnip and choclate cake.

I'll vote for ED, if MOOKIE runs.


locomutt

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

If ED is running for president,then MOOKIE should run
as vice-president. I think she should use the platform
of Milk,Catnip and choclate cake.

I'll vote for ED, if MOOKIE runs.


locomutt

Mookie doesn't run - it isn't lady like! Besides, people hurt themselves laughing if the Mookie runs!

Ed is our resident common sense Texan - which is about as rare as a Mookie.

And since the Mookie has more curiosity than good sense, I understand the loco (i think) but the mutt? (I have people explain their handles on the forum - like Mudchicken for instance. Great learning experience.

Mookie

[locomutt]

Well, Mookie. I've been a railroader over 40 years
and I'm semi-crazy,ergo loco. I've had pets most of my life
and when I'm on the computer, the dog(pet name MUTT)
is always beside me. So I took modellers license and
Duh! locomutt.


Hope that satisfies your curiosity. (although the old saying,
Curiosity killed the cat.)


locomutt

P.S. My dog isn't really a mutt, her greatgrandfather was DEAMON,
and granddad SON OF DEAMON. Her mom come from Alaska!
(check out Disneys Snow Dogs.)

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

Well, Mookie. I've been a railroader over 40 years
and I'm semi-crazy,ergo loco. I've had pets most of my life
and when I'm on the computer, the dog(pet name MUTT)
is always beside me. So I took modellers license and
Duh! locomutt.


Hope that satisfies your curiosity. (although the old saying,
Curiosity killed the cat.)


locomutt

P.S. My dog isn't really a mutt, her greatgrandfather was DEAMON,
and granddad SON OF DEAMON. Her mom come from Alaska!
(check out Disneys Snow Dogs.)

Boy if curiosity is going to get me, I won't be around much longer!!!!!!

Actually - Mookie has always been an animal lover of any kind - so dogs are good! Had a Budz one time that was a true garbage can dog. She was so faithful, I regularly stepped on her! [:0]

Thanx for explanation - now I have another wrinkle for my brain!

Moo

[locomutt]

Okay Mookie, I told you how I picked my name,
byt where did Mookie come from?!

Also remember, That being crazy, keeps you from going insane!!!


locomutt

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

Okay Mookie, I told you how I picked my name,
byt where did Mookie come from?!

Also remember, That being crazy, keeps you from going insane!!!


locomutt

The rest of you ignore this - you all know this story - several times over.

First of all - insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids! That's why I only had one -

Mookie is my aged cat. She was a stray just like almost all of my other pets!

Her real name is Abigail Ann - she ignored any form of that. One day I said Mookie and she meowed....it stuck.

My real name is Jenny - not Jennifer, not Genevieve, not Jennie - which is why I don't like it. I am called Jane, Janet, Joan, Jennifer and Genevieve. Never Jenny. I like Jen - no one uses it! Ergo - Mookie - and everyone uses that - it is easy - you can't misspell it cuz it will still come out close enough and other than Mookie Blalock (a football player ? - help me out guys) no one else has the name on here. Pretty simple, eh? Just like me -

La Mook

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt
I've had pets most of my life
and when I'm on the computer, the dog(pet name MUTT)
is always beside me.

locomutt

P.S. My dog isn't really a mutt, her greatgrandfather was DEAMON,
and granddad SON OF DEAMON. Her mom come from Alaska!
(check out Disneys Snow Dogs.)

Duchess Von Levy, my 70 pound "baby", is jealous of the computer and frequently crawls up in my lap while I am setting here. This, of course, causes typing errors and greately slows down my typing speed. But she does love to go train watching and noone seems to bother me either.

[edblysard]

You know Jim,
Everytime I take my pets out in public, I get the same reaction, lots of elbow room!
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

You know Jim,
Everytime I take my pets out in public, I get the same reaction, lots of elbow room!
Stay Frosty,
Ed

At least I can take Duchess to Petsmarts, but then again I guess you can take ah, yours too. I bet there won't be a line at the cash register when you decide to check out. lol

[edblysard]

No, not often,
But funny thing, some chicks dig the big one!
Still trying to figure out why its only the young girls with black dyed hair, real pale makeup, and black lipstick, but...
The kids who work there for a while already know to order a dozon jumbo white lab rats at the end of each month!
Gonna have fun a week from tomorrow!
Stay Frosty,
Ed[:D]

[Anonymous]

ED [:D]

Glad you are back in good health. I knew you were laying low just didn't know why until you told us in another thread. I thought you were just trying to stay out of the last little fued. Now I wish I would have, but that is hindsight which is always 20/20.