Just a quick question. Do the ditch lights flash alternately on these engines when the horn is sounded? Do any non-Amtrak engines do that?
Most UP engines do not have the flashing ditch lights.
Seems to be more of an Eastern thing. Most NS and CSX engines have flashing ditch lights. I live along a UP line, and if I see flashing ditch lights, chances are pretty good it is not a UP engine.
One of the California Avenue/Chicago Passenger Terminal engines is the 1433, which doesn’t have flashing ditchlights.
I remember back in the mid 90s when those 44/60AC convertibles showe up, we got an auto train off the hill one night with one of these on the point out of the Cracker Jack box. when the first time the engineer hit the horn the ditch lights flashed, and when he dimmed the headlight after the crossing for an eastbound the ditchlights still flashed for a bit till they timed out. Was the only one I saw do that, and I bet it was rewired pretty fast…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC9vbUciU
UP Flashing ditch lights. I think this unit is former SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGSxBtuw6xk
BNSF with flashing ditch lights( I am not positive on this but I think most if not all of the cream and green 70 Macs have them)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yPgcGPzBx
NS, I think every unit has flashing ditch lights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzgsEPNu-_o
CSX, same as NS
Note: None of these videos are mine
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