I noticed the Bascule bridge is really missing some marker lights. After a search I found some lamps about 3 foot tall used as markers. The top is green and the bottom is red.
Question: Is one steady, and one blinking? And which? I can’t remember the rules.
And does anybody know how far apart they would be spaced? Anybody who knows this answers get a gold star. [:D]
I don’t entirely understand your question, but on the bridge near my house there are two lights, one at the end of each span. When the bridge is down, they are next to each other at the center of the spans. When the bridge is fully opened, they turn green and are at the end of the span which is now point up in the air to allow the ship through.
digitalgriffin sorry but i cant help you out here as i’ve only seen them from above while driving.
have you tried a mariners forum? if there is one
sorry i couldnt be of more help
tom
Hmmm interesting…
Here is what I found…(See type 2 and type 5 lights)
http://www.edko.com/lights2.htm
I’m retired from the Canadian Coast Guard, and in my last position I was responsible for processing bridge applications, and would be the one who would recommend navigation lights where required.
Having said that, I never had the opportunity to process an opening bridge, so don’t recall the requirements. But the basics shouldn’t change - there should be a green light displayed on both sides when the bridge is up, indicating vessels can make safe passage. Red would be when the bridge is down and no passage is possible. As to which should be flashing, I would say the red light so as to be more conspicuous to mariners.
Non opening bridges would normally have a white light between the piers to indicate the deepest and preferred channel to take.
Bob Boudreau
Canadian Coast Guard Retired
How about channel lighting and bouys buoys? I was reading a Dirk Pitt novel this week, and the author (Clive Cussler - highly recommended) casually mentioned the light markings on channel bouys buoys. I realized that I will need bouys buoys when the stuff under my Moose Bay Bridge turns from foam to the briney deep.
(Sorry, Bob. I’ll use a spell-checker next time I’m in water over my head.)
the channel markers are: From seaward in toward the head of navigation "Red right returning"numbers increasing as you go farther in, which leaves green lights to the left. Going downstream it would be green right-red left
Sylvan Scale Models has resin buoys (not bouys!) that are waterline models, that it they can be placed on the top of the model water to appear to be floating. I have a package but haven’t done anything with it yet. They are the type of buoy that could be lighted.
Simpler buoys could be replicated with dowels, making “spar” buoys that were once actually wood logs, later became metal ones and nowadays plastic. Pointed tops on the red ones - right - starboard, and flat tops on the green - left - port ones.
Bob Boudreau
Bob Boudreau
I like Dirk Pitt novels. They are one of the few series of books out there to keep my attention for any length of time. Although the last one I read was Valhalla Rising I think he’s written at least 8 or 9 more since then.
On fixed railroad (and other) bridges in the US, on navigable waters that are in use by boat traffic, there is a white light in the center of the preffered (deepest channel) span, with a red marker light on the right side of the span and a green on the left, when heading upstream.
I do not recall for sure, because I never used the channel span, but on opening rail bridges I seem to recall there were blinking red lights across the top of the span when it was closed, but that the red and green side lights were still there.
As you are in the USA your standards would be determined by the USCG. I suspect that the class of the waterway, be it recreational or commercial, Inland or ocean going, would determine the standard of navigation lights required.
Saying this I would recommend the following sources for info
Chapman’s: a guide to recreational boating.
The Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority (They have all kinds of bridges especially on the Welland Canal)
Your local USCG group HQ.
Marine charts of a section of river with a bascule bridge on it.
Believe it or not there are probably several variations of lights and signalling
Fergie, Master Mariner[:D]
If I get a chance I’ll see what I have in my library.
BINGO!
http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/metlife/aton.htm
http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/aton/bridge.htm
Enjoy
Fergie
thanks Fergie and Fundy. You were both of tremendous help. This should really help the scene out especially at night.
DigitalGriffin:
Check out paragraph 16.9 NAVIGATION LIGHTS ON DRAW BRIDGES in Paul Mallery’s “Bridge and Trestle Handbook, 4th ed”, Carstens Publications 1992. Not only does he explain lighting on draw bridges but he has an accompanying graphic.
This book is almost a “must have” for anyone’s library. (Sorry Kalmbach but you can’t publi***hem all)
rtpoteet