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John <john@TCLTC.org> writes:
> Bob Parker wrote:
> > In lugnet.trains, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > > That squares with my recollection. For whatever reason, the
> > > oscillating ones (which were designed to increase safety at grade
> > > crossings, IIRC) were sometimes called "Mars" lights. No idea
> > > why.
> >
> > I think that was the name of the manufacturer - the Mars Signal
> > Light Company
>
> Also, wasn't that light actually red, as in the "red planet"? I
> know the Hiawatha Atlantics were retrofitted with red mars lites
> after they were taken out of mainline service.
Well, the Caltrain commuter rail that runs between San Jose and San
Francisco uses only clear (white) lights on the front of the train,
and red on the rear. One of the lights (the uppermost one, IIRC)
oscillates; the others (two or three, I forget) are steady. All are
very bright.
Caltrain is a little weird because the locos always face San Jose,
regardless of the direction of travel. The northernmost car has a
control cab in it (upstairs, on the right hand side of the car), and
both that car and the loco have a full set of lights (red and white).
Only the lights suitable for the direction of travel are on, of
course. At the end of the line, the engineer just walks from one end
of the train to the other.
Has anyone built a Caltrain MOC? I don't think I've ever seen one.
--Bill.
[Note crosspost: I added lugnet.loc.us.ca.sf for more local eyes to see]
--
William R Ward bill@wards.net http://www.wards.net/~bill/
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If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: My Sante Fe 10020
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| (...) The lower 2 non centered of the three non oscillating lights are called "ditch" lights. (...) This is almost completely standard commuter train practice, it's called "push pull" operation. SEMTA, SEPTA, MTA, CTA, Metro North, you name it, they (...) (25 years ago, 26-Feb-02, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.loc.us.ca.sf)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: My Sante Fe 10020
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| (...) Also, wasn't that light actually red, as in the "red planet"? I know the Hiawatha Atlantics were retrofitted with red mars lites after they were taken out of mainline service. -John (...) (25 years ago, 25-Feb-02, to lugnet.trains)
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