Seaboard/ACL question

Looks like a Pyle-National oscillating warning light assembly, which was also used by Southern Pacific in the later years. The Pyle-National Corporation produced an oscillating signal light to compete with the Mars Warning Light. 

This is a great site to go to for information on warning lights.

The red oscillating headlight was a signal to trains approaching on adjacent tracks that the train displaying the red headlight was not to be passed while the light was displayed.  C&NW, Milwaukee Road, and Union Pacific used the light while a train was stopped to load and unload passengers.  They -- as well as other railroads -- also used the feature that automatically displayed the red oscillating headlight when the brakes were applied in Emergency.  In that case the train could have possibly been derailed.  Railroad-specific rules provided direction to other trains concerning action to be taken when encountering a red oscillating headlight.

Here's what was said on the ACL-SAL forum:

Rule 17-B requires the engine man to turn on the oscillating red light during daylight or night time hours immediately "when the train is disabled or stopped suddenly by an emergency application of the air brakes or from other causes".

I don't recall ACL locos being equipped with that there automatic
feature to turn on the red light on an emergency brake application.
Seems there were switches on the panel in the cab that controlled the
oscillating lights.

Going on with Rule 17-B: "Engine men of approaching trains and
engines, upon seeing such light displayed, must stop, and proceed
only when it is known the route is clear.

Thanks for the help. I went to the Web site that CWEX had post and it had a lot of good info. What it did not tell me how ACL/Seaboard used the lights operationally. Now I just need to figure out how recreate this affect in a small head light housing. Seems tom there was a thread  about this that had I identified company that made these for N and HO trains.

Doug

Bob,

ALL the applications of Mars red warning lights were automatically activated by any emergency air brake application. There really was no reason for the Mars red warning light to be solely operated by a crew member, since it's whole purpose was for emergency protection against oncoming trains while on double track. If the crew were incapacitated as a result of the emergence brake application, if it wasn't for the automatic interface with the air brake system and the electric Mars red warning light, there would be no one to "turn it on".

Thus ALL installations of the Mars Signal Light Co. red warning were automatically activated by the air brake system when in emergency.

Thanks Jack, makes sense.  I forget who the author of that statement was so I'll recheck all of the posts to it to see if anyone responded with the same comment you made.

I suppose if there was an accident involving something crossing the tracks (disabled vehicle, rock slide, etc),without the train being disabled, the engineer would have the opportunity of flipping a switch.  But in those cases would he be required to do so?

That would fall under the definition of "other causes" in the ACL rule cited.