I am aware what all three class lights mean, but why did Conrail only have red class lights on their road power? It would make sense if Conrail was a commuter railroad, but why didn't they use the white and green lights?
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Simple, by that time period "classification lights" and "classification flags" were no longer used, in fact EMD locomotives didn't even come equipped with "flag holder brackets" and "class lights", unless a customer specifically order same.
The "red class lights" would be used for reverse movements, i.e. red to the rear of the train, and NOT just in commuter service.
Hot Water posted:The "red class lights" would be used for reverse movements, i.e. red to the rear of the train, and NOT just in commuter service.
I know what the lights mean (red=rear of train; white=extra train; green=regularly scheduled train). I'm wondering why Conrail locomotives were only equipped with red class lights.
Railfan Brody posted:Hot Water posted:The "red class lights" would be used for reverse movements, i.e. red to the rear of the train, and NOT just in commuter service.
I know what the lights mean (red=rear of train; white=extra train; green=regularly scheduled train). I'm wondering why Conrail locomotives were only equipped with red class lights.
First, apparently you do NOT "know what the lights mean", as "green" was NOT a "regularly scheduled train"! Displaying green class lights/green flags, indicated that a "second section was following".
Second, on Conrail they specified those "red lights", i.e. they were NOT referred to as "class lights" by that time, for units that may have been in helper service (displaying red to the rear), or operating as a light units (again, displaying red to the rear). Conrail specified those red lights on BOTH ends of their diesels.
645 posted:It was a Conrail preference - just like how the Southern Pacific for years specified an L-shaped engineer's window on EMD/GE hood units plus the "SP Light Package" consisting of a GyraLite and red light in addition to the regular headlight. I found the below in seconds using "conrail red marker lights" as keywords using a Google search. Have you tried using Google to find answers to all your questions yet?
http://www.trainorders.com/dis...on/read.php?2,648967
http://www.trainorders.com/dis...n/read.php?2,1344237
I looked up what class lights mean, but I didn't go in depth.
Railfan Brody posted:645 posted:It was a Conrail preference - just like how the Southern Pacific for years specified an L-shaped engineer's window on EMD/GE hood units plus the "SP Light Package" consisting of a GyraLite and red light in addition to the regular headlight. I found the below in seconds using "conrail red marker lights" as keywords using a Google search. Have you tried using Google to find answers to all your questions yet?
http://www.trainorders.com/dis...on/read.php?2,648967
http://www.trainorders.com/dis...n/read.php?2,1344237
I looked up what class lights mean, but I didn't go in depth.
As I indicated above, those are NOT "class lights".
The proper term is marker lights. Many modelers and manufacturers have issues understanding the correct function and lens color of the fixtures on PRR steam power. In 1939 the PRR ceased classifying trains using green or white lights/flags, and their shops were ordered to remove the 4 claw footed helmet head classification light fixtures from the front of locomotives. Identical red and amber lens claw footed marker lamps remained on locomotive pilot beams for several years. Following WWII most PRR steam power hand the marker lamp fixtures removed from the pilot beam and new smaller oval or round red lens marker light fixtures were applied to the same smokebox location as the green&white lens classification light fixtures removed several years earlier.
They are class lights . The only time we used them was for back up moves on the main or light power moves the trail unit displayed red. The other colors were a nice green and white. I never could figure why they were delivered like this as the whole class light train thing was non-existant while i was there. Us train afficiandos would light them up. I liked the green . It gave a nice look to the front of a conrail engine other then that they were meaningless. conrail john
john f penca jr posted:They are class lights . The only time we used them was for back up moves on the main or light power moves the trail unit displayed red. The other colors were a nice green and white. I never could figure why they were delivered like this as the whole class light train thing was non-existant while i was there. Us train afficiandos would light them up. I liked the green . It gave a nice look to the front of a conrail engine other then that they were meaningless. conrail john
Those are NOT "class lights" in the photo posted by the original poster. Those lights came ONLY in red, with an ON-OFF switch in the cab, one for the front pair and one for the rear pair.
We called the lights in the photo bug eyes and i should have looked at the photo before i began to write. They were exclusively red. I was speaking of lights that pre dated this style found on earlier emd that pre dated the sd 50 and 60 line.
I have noticed these same lights on ATSF diesels , they look amber , did these ever get illuminated ?
HOTWATER , anybody ???
Scratchbuilder1-48 posted:I have noticed these same lights on ATSF diesels , they look amber , did these ever get illuminated ?
HOTWATER , anybody ???
Those are the original, as delivered, "class lights", that can be changed manually from clear (white), to green, to red simply by moving a small lever on the light housing. The "ON-OFF" switch for these lights, is on the Engine Control Panel, in the cab.
I'm glad you asked, I didn't know what classification lights or marker light colors ment. Good topic thanks.
The lenses are clear (with red, white and green lenses behind) and are holdovers from when the F45's were new and class lights mattered.
Apparently, they would be removed on some units during later trips through the shops:
Rusty
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