What determines ON, OFF, or FLASHING DITCH-LIGHTS ?
I have seen flashing ditch-lights on the REAR of PUSHING helpers.
And, as an apparent courtesy to a rail-fan tri-pod set-up quite near the roadbed, the engineer turns off his flashing ditch-lights as the train approaches the camera, only to resume the flashing ditch-lights as soon as the camera is passed.
…No expert here but some railroads don’t use flashing ditch lights and those that do I believe the flashing is started when the horn is energized for an approaching crossing…As for the flashing on a trailing pusher engine…have no answer for that but it sounds like a good idea for rear warning lights…Now if they could only be red in that position…
I might be wrong here but…
I belive the railroads that have alternating ditch lights have them tied to the bell. When the horn is activated it turns the bell on and in turn the ditch lights start to flash untill the bell is turned off.
Chad, I believe you are correct on that.
Some railroads (UP is among them) don’t use flashing ditch lights. However Conrail did and Metra does, and they’re tied in with the bell.
CN and CP don’t use flashing ditch lights up here where I live in Canada.
CSX uses them in my area approaching crossings, as already mentioned. I’d have to guess that’s system wide unless there are state issues involved.
…CSX and NS does so here in Indiana.
most eastern railroads has flashing ditchlights on their locos but some don’t and most leasers, western railroads don’t flash lights but I have seen a patched SP loco flash lights.
name 3 units that definaly don’t blink their lights
kevin
SOO LINE #700, its ditch lights are hard wired to its main headlights so they dont flash at all and are on according to when the headlights are on.
That’s interesting… I always thought that they were tied directly into the horn, but I do suppose that the alternating could technically be tied to the bell, as that is also automatically tied into the horn being used… next time we get some run-through CSXT power with alternating ditch lights up here on our shortline, I’ll have to test that one out. [8D]
I know at least SP, CSX, Amtrak, Metra and NS choose to equip their units with flashing ditch lights…to support what others have said
Ditch lights on CSX locos that I have run are not activated by the bell but by the horn, which also activates the bell. The bell can be rung independently without activating the ditch lights. There are some engines on which the horn activates the ditch lights but not the bell.
NS ditch lights are also activated by pulling the horn down so far.Some other railroads for some reason don’t have their lights flash,like the UP 4800 I was on last night.I think the engineer that had the lights on while pushing just forgot to turn them off.All that’s required on any engine on the rear,or if a lite unit going down the track,is a dim light.Canada I believe was the first of the North American railroads to utilize ditch lights.More likely because of the snow drifts they might encounter.It is an FRA requirement now that any train operating over a road crossing on a class 1 r.r. to have ditch lights.I’m not for sure about class 2 or 3 rr’s.
all ditch lights are activated by the horn. the bell has nothing to do with it.
Excuse me but you are wrong. I know of many locomotives whos ditch lights are not activated by the horn.
I’ve been on just about all types of motors from just about every North American company,and pulling the horn is the only way I have ever seen ditch lights activated.What type of loco.and company are you referring to?Are you talking about the flashing sequence or just the ditch lights coming on with the main headlight ?[%-)]
We have a SOO LINE GP30 #700 and its ditch lights are hard wired to the headlights so when they are on, the ditch lights go on. We have 3 other locomotives,a NW5, SD18 and FP7, which have flashing ditch lights, but are automotically turned on when the headlight is turned on full.
Well there is the difference your talking about.On the regular NS engines we have a switch for the top headlight.A switch for the front or rear ditch light(which not all r.r.'s put ditch lights on both ends for some reason).And a switch to turn off,turn to on(when activated by horn to flash),and to flash at all times.Some of the old Conrailss have a ditchlight toggle switch down on the control panel(that sometimes you forget when meeting oncoming trains [oops]).
From CROR (Canadian Rail Operating Rules) which covers Rail operation in Canada .
17. HEADLIGHT
(a) The full power of the headlight in the direction of movement must be used
approaching each road crossing until the crossing is fully occupied.
(b) On main track, the headlight must be displayed full power continuously to the front
of every moving train except when;
(i) approaching or being approached by an opposing train or engine;
(ii) approaching a location where a stop is to be made to receive or discharge
passengers;
(iii) facing oncoming vehicles at night which may be affected on adjacent
roadways; or
(iv) weather conditions cause the vision of the operating crew to be
impaired.
(c) On other than main track, a headlight will be displayed at the front and rear of an
engine while moving, except the light may be extinguished on the end coupled to
cars.
17.2 DITCH LIGHTS
A train must have ditch lights displayed continuously in the direction of travel when the
headlight is required to be displayed full power.
I’ve only seen flashing ditch lights on commuter trains.
Well being your the man with the answer tell me just how the system works. better yet why dont you write it down here and ill print it and take it to the maintance department ( excuse me thats mechanical department) so they can wire these things up right . and while you are at it tell me how to turn these darn thiings on as i only have 865120 comservative rounded rail miles running these engines. and i figure if you say that the ditch lights dont flash by me blowing the horn then i must be doing something wrong . so when you get time come show me how to run my engine and how to turn the ditch lights on and make sure we get them wired right so they activate on what ever method you use. and while you are at it then show me how to make sure we are always on short hood end ( see on the locomotives i thought i was qualified to run they had a switch for long hood and short hood,) next your going to tell me that Go the wrong way to work…