Off list, Joe...
I concur with what you say about personal preferences as between gyro lights
and ditch lights. Also, I've never seen the six light array you mention,
probably with high pwr 32V. (Where are these used?) My comparison was between
the typical pair of ditch lights (however installed / aimed) and the typical
front mounted gyro lights, also however mounted / installed.
You might be interested that what we know as ditch lights are indeed headlights
on electric MU eqpmnt in the US now, in electrified territories. MNR (former
NYNH&H and NYC lines), NJT (PRR and DL&W lines), LIRR, METRA (IC lines), and
probably CSS&SB lines, whatever they call themselves today. Likely also SEPTA
(PRR and RDG lines), MARC [Maryland Area Rail Commuter] (PRR and B&O lines), et
cetera! Notably that's not the case in Canada, at least Eastern Canada (GO)
and the Montreal commuters, whatever they call themselves these days.
Vic
--- In cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "K V Railway" <kvrailway@...> wrote:
Based on personal experience, I absolutely disagree about gyro lights being
preferable to properly installed ditch lights. I rode the BC Rail Budd cars
at night when they still had exactly the same gyro light as was installed on
the CPR Budds. If I were an engineman, I'd much prefer the ditch lights,
especially if it was the six-light arrangement BC Rail had. That would be
most especially the case in the mountains. The BCR ditch light arrangement
was awesome, especially in those tight curves along Howe Sound. When it
comes to 'what's better' ... I think it quickly becomes a matter of personal
preferences in these sorts of issues.
If I remember correctly, gyra lights or whatever they were, on the CPR Budd
cars got their first CPR start on the southern BC run between Nelson, BC,
and Vancouver, BC. That was in part because of the bad terrain and because
of the bombings of CPR track, bridges and structures carried out by the Sons
of Freedom. That was 1958, three years after the Canadian.
Joe Smuin
