Were there also alot of the ATSF engines with the yellow and red trim? They seem to be alot rarer than the yellow/blue and the silver/red warbonnet.
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So, did the light beam swing side-to-side,in a steady pattern? I understand the Mars light was there to make the train more visible to bystanders(?). I’m more curious what it looked like to the observer, as the train went down the track? Thanks
There are/were a couple of different brands/types on the market. IIRC, one simply swung the beam in a circle. Another painted a figure 8. There’s one in the emergency services world that oscillates up and down as it swings back and forth - more cycles than just a figure 8.
I saw the lights in use on the IC in the 70’s - Depending on where you are in the pattern you’ll usually see a flash or two per cycle, usually in kind of a synchopated rhythm for the figure 8 lights.
Two major manufacturers of the lights were Mars and Gyralight.
On IC (and many others as well) the lights had a clear and a red bulb - the clear for normal ops, the red was for emergencies (ie, stopped on the tracks). IC (and others) also tried the “Oscitrol” which had three lamps stacked vertically, two clear and one red. I never saw the red used on that one, but the two clear lamps flashed alternately, like some ditch lights do today.
SP’s famous light cluster included a fixed headlight, an oscillating clear, and an oscillat
If you need a ATSF fix look up my web site listed below
http://vgalleries.com/members/railfan1/The+Trainfan.vrg
Then go to the California Aug-Sept gallery & scroll down until you see Barstow & you will find a real/true ATSF war bonnet.
[:)]
[quote]
Originally posted by UnionPacificRR6737
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…The ones in use on the Sante Fe…Era: 1969-71, that I was watching them…seemed to osctllate either in a circle or as Tree says, a figure 8 pattern…They REALLY drawed one’s attention as it approached an area at night…If they were to call attention to the train approaching, I’d say they did their job.
Makes you wonder why they’re not in use anymore?
Mechanical nightmare. One or two motors, gears, moving wires. Flashing ditch lights are all solid state.
Still, I liked them, too. IIRC they could be mesmerizing from the standpoint of the crew…
Yes, I miss the Santa Fe. I am an SP man and always have been, But the Santa Fe was my 2nd favorite. All it took was spending a little time out in the desert on the transcon and I was hooked. How could you not be with the parade of hotshot intermodals flying by at 70 mph. And the variety of motive power was great. They had Cowls, GP20s & 30 mixing it up with GP60s / 60Ms, C30-7s, SD40-2s,SD45s, ect…It was common for a train to have a full 9 unit consist with no two engines the same. Unlike today where 90% of the power is the same -9 vomit bonnet.
How can we miss the Santa Fe…when it shows up in Trains or MR every month? [:D]
Just kidding folks. I’m more of an “eastern” fan myself.
…With the mention of power above…one day in Kingman…I was having a bite to eat in a restaurant there on Andy Divine, the main drag through there…and Rt. 66 at the time and a Sante Fe freight came by eastbound and it had 9 engines on the head end and 3 more on the back…I couldn’t believe what I was seeing…Impressive…!!
The father of one of my neighbors is about to retire from the AT&SF (he has 40+ years in T&E service). Needless to say, I love to spend time talking to him about his experiences. Hired out in the early 1960’s. He loved the old company and considered it like a family. He has never liked the BNSF; he claims they came in and ruined everything with their corporate business model.
The ICC did the ATSF a big favor by rejecting the SPSF merger. The Santa Fe got to keep the non-rail assets (and Ray Krebs) and sold the falling giant to the Rio Grande.
Back in the 1970s the ATSF and the MP talked merger, and the Southern and the MP did as well. An ATSF-MP-Southern merger would have created an awesome railroad.
Pssst…Rob Krebs
[:I]
Sorry Rob.
It would be nice to have him on the forum !
You never know, he might be.
I wi***hat I can see that many engines on one train, I would like to go railfanning along Route 66 along the Santa Fe line.
Southern Pacific was also a good railroad, I didn’t even know that Union Pacific brought out the Southern Pacific Railroad until about 3-4 years after the merger, where was my mind heading into at the time.
Thank you for giving me my ATSF fix, I appreciate you doing that.
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by spbed
If you need a ATSF fix look up my web site listed below
http://vgalleries.com/members/railfan1/The+Trainfan.vrg
Then go to the California Aug-Sept gallery & scroll down until you see Barstow & you will find a real/true ATSF war bonnet.
[:)]
I had no idea that the ATSF-MP-Southern talked about merging into one railroad, which Southern are you talking about? You’re not talking about the Southern Pacific Railroad aren’t you?
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Southern as in the Southern Railway, half of Norfolk Southern (well half when NS was formed). http://www.srha.net/