Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's
- From: "crip1978" <vic@xxxxxx>
- To: cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2010 04:25:42 -0000
--- In cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, G Burridge <gburridge@...> wrote:
May as well enter the fray ...
Those oscillating lights were there simply and solely to
draw attention to the train and its passage, that train being The
Canadian, the star of the CPR passenger train fleet. This served the
comparable purpose as having searchlights at movie premiers, gala
events, and on skyscraper rooftops, a common practice during the same
general period as the introduction of The Canadian.
Just because the type of light used was a "highway grade
crossing safety headlight", it doesn't necessarily follow that the
goal was to increase driver awareness at level crossings. Rather it
is an example of adapting an existing, readily available, and
_suitable for the purpose_, railway industry fixture to an alternate use.
Consider too that of all the diesel units on the CPR, only
passenger cab units, and of those, only those series normally
assigned(though they could naturally stray elsewhere) to The
Canadian, were fitted with these lights. That left a lot of
locomotives without this added warning bearing down on crossings
across the country. If it did improve crossing safety, well and good,
even if that was an incidental result(though since one had to look UP
to appreciate the effect, it might be argued to be just as much a
distraction for a driver as a warning).
As for the beaming angle allowing crew to check tunnel roofs
or portals, or whatever, for icicles, beyond having a better look at
icicles before hitting them, they obviously and absolutely don't
provide any actual protection for either dome cars or excessive
height freight cars. For that purpose, you have the roof mounted
breakers or breaker cars.
A few words about Gyrolites and Marslights:
All CPR RDC trains were equipped with Gyro-lights / Mars-lights by the late
60's. (Personal observations.) And RDC's weren't ever assigned to The
Canadian, before the VIA daze (which attempted their use E of Sudbury, on the
so-called Montreal connxn). These were mounted on the front doors of the
leading RDC unit.
It's a common misconception that Mars made Figure 8 lights and their
competitors made the others. Mars made regular single-bulb rotating headlights
before and after their Figure 8 design (which was never patented). Their
competitors reportedly made Figure 8 models too.
I've seen both types in operation (on many roads) and ran some too (on CRI&P).
IIRC the RI mounted them on their E-8's in the regular headlight position, and
the headlights were mounted on the front nose door. They were excellent and
superb as early public warnings, especially for public crossings at grade not
adequately protected by gates, and so confirmed by statistics reported to the
FRA. They also usually served well alerting oprs at stations behind curves to
accurately report an equipped trains' location to a train dispr for a possible
last minute train order, usually improving a meet pass or run ahead.
Their primary benefit was safety, and operating rule books allowed them to be
put in stationary position and used as regular headlights in cases of headlight
failures. I'm not sure when CP started using them, but they were being
manufactured in the US since sometime in the 40's, maybe 1940.
Generally, they were useless in tunnels, except as substitute headlights. But,
usually no harm's done leaving them on so they're usually just left on while
passing thru tunnels. Rarely, some engineers were adversely affected by the
lights' "dizzying reflections" in tunnels and these engrs turned them off. The
rule against this was of limited application, arguably unintended and, to my
knowledge, never enforced. 1962 UCOR §§ 17A, 17D.
Re CP vs UP train speeds. Most of our main track between Thunder Bay and
Calgary allowed speeds as fast as anywhere on the UP. (Also on portions of the
Adirondack Sub.) Where unattainable was limited to FP7's attempting to
increase speed above 89/90 mph while going uphill (e.g., Medicine Hat); and
instances of inadequate pwr for train weight / length, as in the case of an eng
failure.
The only road now [reportedly still] using Gyrolights / Marslights is METRA --
the Chicago commuter trains. FRA regulations allow for the use of one such
gyrolight in lieu of two ditch lights on locos moving faster than 20 mph. 49
CFR § 229.125(d).
IME just one of these rotating headlights is far better than any number of
ditch lights on the point of a train for advancing safety...
VRP
Other related posts:
- » Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Michael Salfi
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- John
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- rlkennedy27
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- danieldellunto
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- danieldellunto
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Steve Lucas
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- jshorvath10583
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Steve Lucas
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Steve Lucas
- » RE: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- G Burridge
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's - crip1978
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- jshorvath10583
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- j_shron
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- cv_acr
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Eric
- » Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Doug Cummings
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Vic
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- cv_acr
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- G Burridge
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Keith
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Suther-rail
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- cv_acr
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- Steve Lucas
- » Re: Roof Mounted Mars Lights on CP FP7,s and CP FP9's- dale_gloer