SP’s MP15AC locos were built without aux lights based on the time they were built and a builder’s picture I’ve found, later pictures show they have them added on the endplate, most pictures they’re patched for UP. Can anyone tell me how these were configured, constant on or alternate flashing and when they were added?
I’ve built a 1:48 version in Lego bricks and want to make it match the prototype.
Thanks, Dave
From what I can see, ditchlights were only added on these locomotives as Federal law mandated – most likely that was after the formal UP takeover, but perhaps still largely using SP crews and parts for the installation; I certainly see reference to “SP-style ditch lights” on some of the 2700s. To date I have not seen a picture of one with alternating ditch lights – of course it would only take one.
Not sure you can go by whether a model features alternating lights or not. It certainly seems like SP to want a light show if possible… I’m pretty sure that somewhere in the SP enthusiast community there is a definitive answer with part listings and photographs.
Agreed. I thought someone on this forum would know. I’d have asked on trainorders.com but am no longer a member there.
Dave
In the early 1990s I lived in a town named Antelope right on the NW side of Roseville Yard.
With great frequency, many of the freights had MP15s MU’d right in the middle of their consists, sometimes with two back to back. Granted they were being shuttled to the large engine servicing facility at Roseville, but they were almost always on line, mu’ed with the road units, pulling hard on mainline revenue freight.
The Aux lights are constant. They were added 1998-1999.
Thanks, makes wiring a lot easier.
Dave
Reminds me of a time many years ago when I was still a conductor. The engine we were on, one of the first wide nose SD60 locomotives, had an after market alerter wired in. The engineer showed me that every time he acknowledged the alerter, the sanders came on.
Jeff
I had one that did that. May have been sanders - or ditchlights. Something weird.
Another, when you pressed the “call attendant” button, it made all the air guages jump around a few PSI (they were digital). That kept me entertained on boring nights.
You have attendants to wait on you on those long trips?
No matter how many times I press the button, they never come. Sigh.
But seriously, what’s it really for?
Rings the trainline (inside) alarm bells to all the engines MU’ed to it. HOldover from days of bigger crews, I guess.
Thanks.
No problem good Sir. Post pics when you complete the Switcher
Wake up the deadhead crews that it’s time to get up, and off. Some crews still have a brakeman and they often ride a trailing unit. Calls them forward, or at least to turn on the radio.
Jeff
Legends tell of such mythical creatures, but we never beleived they were true!
Yeah; I thought it was to warn the hoboes in the trailing units to lay low if they had paid the crew for their passage…
In the pre-radio days the “attendent call” feature could be used as a communication signal, just like the air signal line on passenger trains. Way easier for the Trainman to ride in the trailing unit’s cab, especially in nasty weather.
In the earliest days of diesel road passenger locomotives on the B&O the Mechanical Department added a ‘diesel rider’ to the engine crew - a mechanic/electrician to be able to remedy most of the failure issues that the ‘new technology’ might face and thereby keep the trains moving and on schedule.
The attendent call would operate a alarm in all the units to notify the Diesel Attendent that the engineer wanted to ‘talk’ to him.
Not just the B&O, the UP had diesel riders on their streamliners. IIRC, the practice started fading away when the 201A’s were replaced by the more reliable 567’s.