I saw a Photo on http://www.railroadforums.com that showed a BC RAIL Locomotive that 4 ditch lights and the main Head light on one Locomotive. What is up with the extra lights now? I mean if someone can not see this Train coming their way,than they have to be pretty stupid. Allan.
I think it has more to do with enabling the crew to see better around curves in moutainous terrain and so forth.
The USA has no Ditch lights officialy but Auxiliary headlights they shine straight ahead.
The Canadian Ditch lights however shine cross eyed, the right side light shines in left ditch and left light shines in right ditch.
The Ditch lights are of Canadian origin and were to avioid hitting boulders in mountainess terrain.
The USA type Auxiliary headlights are to avoid crossing accidents.
Some Canadian locomotives have both.
The reason that I heard for these four ditchlights was that BC Rail ordered them in the late 70s with high mounted ditchlights, but transport Canada said that they needed some lower, so they ended up with two sets, seeing as they liked the first set of their terrain and didn’t want to get rid of it.
Speaking of ditch lights, the FRA has made a manditory law that all new locomotives are required to have ScocthLite (reflective tape) on key sections on the body of the locomotive. I hear rail cars are also under this law. If memory serves me right the FRA expects most rail cars to have this reflective material by the year 2015.
The ditch lights add to visibility of oncomming motorists when they approach a grade crossing. Ditch lights also serve another purpose but, since above posters have stated the fact there is no need for me too. [:D]
BC Rail ordered all of their locomotives with 2 sets of ditch light.
The lights are all offset to maximize being able to see around the corners.
Anyone who has ever traveled over BC Rail will know how incredibly curvey the trackage is.
All of BC Rail is OCS territory too boot, so it’s a bonus to be able to see around those corners to ensure the track is still there.
well if the job of insalling the dich lights is done correctlly they shine outward, mostlly not bothered to be aimed outward however…I think they were doing some light testing… there is a VIA f40 with 3 headlight bulbs.
just a question why do ya think there are no dich lights oficcally, it has been a FRA(federal rail administration)standard science the early 90’s and EVERY SINGLE PERSON I’VE EVER MET CALLS THEM DITCH LIGHTS even GCOR (general code of operaions) lists them as sutch, wich by the way is used by over 100 railroads to train their emlyoyees.
just because you and other people call them ditch lights do not make them ditch lights.
Look on Canadian locomotives how they are aimed. The once in USA are Auxiliary headlights and aimed straight as per FRA rules.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/09nov20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/octqtr/49cfr229.125.htm
For picture of how Canadian Ditch lights are aimed look here:
http://64.246.11.82/images/j/JOSQ-24_04june25a.jpg.85562.jpg
The lsrm wich is a museam I work at has 1 loco. a NW5 with the ditch lights aimed not crosseyed as in your picture but SHINE IN THE DITCHES, I know its a new concept but hey we’re trendsetters.