blinking EOT devices?

Only on every train without a caboose.

Being put to use everday all across the country.  Unless as flash said there is the rare cab present. 

They are required. The blinking red light is used as a train marker. At night when we flag up behind another train, its easy to see so we know where the end of the train is. Even on a local where we can use a caboose, we need some type of marker. If we don't have to use a 2 way equipped device (ETD), we use an orange flag.  

They are linked by radio to a receiver aboard the locomotive and give information as to whether the rear of the train is moving or stopped, and whether the light is illuminated.  The newest ones also have a GPS device to locate the rear of the train for Positive Train Control (and for locating them when they are detached from a train).  Locating them?  Yes, indeed.  It is a substantial cost to have a foreign-line end of train device on your railroad, and you will want to be sure that they are moved back to their owner as fast as possible.  Also, they occasionally get left behind along the right of way when carmen or trainmen remove them.  They don't earn any return on investment when they are lying in the Johnson grass.

 

When no air pressure is present and they are unlinked, they are supposed to remain dark to avoid battery drain.  Many -- most, by now -- have a small turbine that uses a very small amount of brake pipe air to turn a generator (alternator?) to keep the battery charged while in service.

thanks for the info.  for some reason i though a flag had become the norm.  Actually, last time i saw this same train it had a flag.  Also, that is intersting that they have their own generators.  The train last night had a strange mechnical noise coming from the rear and i wonder if that was the source.  Forgive me, we unfortunately don't get much freight action in south jersey.

The sound you heard was the small air-operated turbine that powers the unit.

And a flag can be used during daylight, but not under conditions of low visibility and not on through trains.  This is governed by the Federal Code of Regulations.  Also, there are other limitations to using the flag.  The EOT device transmits brake pipe pressure by radio to the locomotive, so, whenever it is required that the Engineer know that brakes have applied or released at the rear of the train, somebody has to verify it manually if a flag is used as the marker.  Example: applying and releasing the air brakes on the train after setting out a car or cars.  Also, visual verification that the rear car carrying the marker (whether  EOT or flag) is present is given every time another train is met.