Re: [cpsig] Gyralights (was Re: Domes and icicle breaker cars)
- From: "Roger Traviss" <rogertra@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:05:44 -0800
And I point out again, and must ask again, that if this was indeed the
purpose of the roof gyro light why was it only applied to a handful of
locomotives that were dedicated to passenger service and ran both in the
east and in the west. No one has yet offered an answer to that question. I
know this is what you were told, and I am sure whoever told you was not
trying to mislead you, but if you think about it the explanation is not
logical.
And neither is a light that points upward at about a 45 degree angle so that
it would intersect a tunnel roof just behind the cab windows going to be any
use at all for a locomotive crew in spotting icicles hanging from a tunnel
ceiling in time for them to stop the train, even at a speed as low as 30MPH.
The headlight, which illuminates fully the tunnel anyway, would be far more
useful for that purpose. Even than, what could the engine crew do if they
saw icicles? You can't just stop dead, even at 30MPH. So, they spot and
icicle and saying they do manage to come to a screeching halt. What are
they going to do if they can stop dead? Climb out of the loco cab and try
to break it? That doesn't make any sense either as that would be bloody
dangerous.
With all due respect Doug, the other day you wrote something to the effect
that people have fixed views and won't change them regardless of the facts,
I think this also applies to you. You seem fixed on the roof lights being
for something other than P.R. and or warning lights. Remember, the simplest
explanation of most things is usually the correct one. In this case, the
simplest explanation is that they were warning lights and a P.R. stunt.
After all, American railroads had roof mounted warning lights that shone
upwards into the night sky years before the CPR equipped their passenger F
units with similar lights.
Roger Traviss
Photos of the late GER: -
http://www.highspeedplus.com/~rogertra/
For more photos not in the above album and kitbashes etc..:-
http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/rogertra/Great_Eastern/
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