got me thinking (and my daughters tell me that's dangerous!)

I picked up a pair of AT&SF markers a while back and note that the color combination is 1 red and 3 amber (and in three different sizes on each marker).

Other markers that I've been around were 1 red, 2 amber, and 1 green. (all lenses the same size)

This may be a very basic (read 'stupid' if you wish) question, but what determines (since cabeese are no longer in use, maybe I should say 'determined') the color/lens size combination used? Was a particular color/size combination more advantageous over another? more efficient? preferred? Did roads use different combinations during the same time period? over the entire road? different among the divisions (eg was OSL's combination different from UP's?).

For a particular road would you find the color combination for it's markers in the rule book, or...?

Am I correct that the cobalt blue lenses were used only when the train was "blue flagged"?

....enjoying the lights of the season

sc 'doc' lewis



Heber Valley Railroad
utweyesguy@aol.com

>The marker light colors in the day of cabooses was indeed covered by the trules of the particular railroad.
The most common was 1 red, 3 green. Some roads used amber instead of green.
Usually when a train was occupying the main line the markers showed red to the rear and green (or amber) in the other directions. When in a siding to meet another train, the marker on the main line side was turned to show green to the rear.
Where there were multiple main lines there were other rules. The reason the markers showed a color to the front was so the engine crew could look back and see the green markers and get an idea that all was OK. That, of course was in the days of short trains.
One of the reasons for markers was to indicate the rear end of the train and operators were not supposed to report a train by until he saw the markers.
Generally, the rules governing train movement in the pre radio, ctc days were a lot different than they now are.
The study of the rules used to be a facinating
subject. In my younger days, we used to spend a lot of time discussing the rules and now they were applied.
> that's dangerous!)

> I picked up a pair of AT&SF markers a
> while back and note that the color
> combination is 1 red and 3 amber (and in
> three different sizes on each marker).

> Other markers that I've been around were 1
> red, 2 amber, and 1 green. (all lenses the
> same size)

> This may be a very basic (read 'stupid' if
> you wish) question, but what determines
> (since cabeese are no longer in use, maybe I
> should say 'determined') the color/lens size
> combination used? Was a particular
> color/size combination more advantageous
> over another? more efficient? preferred? Did
> roads use different combinations during the
> same time period? over the entire road?
> different among the divisions (eg was OSL's
> combination different from UP's?).

> For a particular road would you find the
> color combination for it's markers in the
> rule book, or...?

> Am I correct that the cobalt blue lenses
> were used only when the train was "blue
> flagged"?

> ....enjoying the lights of the season

> sc 'doc' lewis


john_nansen@yahoo.com

On the Lake Shore Electric Railway the classification lanterns contained red, green and white in either rotating body or flipper configuration. These come in both three and four lens build. The front of the cars carried two brackets at the outer window posts for the front end lanterns which were stored on brackets on the back bulkhead of the motormans compartment during daylight hours. There was a third bracket on the front on the left of center window post that I have never seen used in pictures and was darn near unreachable once they made the left front window fixed (when they added train number boxes). The rear of the car had two red lenses (electric lamp) in the letterboard and one red lens (electric lamp) in the starboard side of the dasher along with a bracket for the classification lantern on the port side of the dasher. When viewed from the rear you were presented with a lighted square three corners of which were red and the fourth told the classification of the car or train. Freight trains carried a single lens red marker to the rear (no caboose) which came in large and small lens configuration. I guess it really became interesting when freight trains from three or four different companies operated over the system in the 20s.


lamontdc@adelphia.net

Southern Railway used three amber lenses and one red lens per marker lamp. When running, the lamps were set with red to the rear and amber to the sides and front. If running against the current of traffic on directional double track, the marker lamp on the outside (away from the tracks) showed red to the rear and the other lamp was turned to show amber to the front, side and rear. When taking a siding for a superior train, both lamps were turned to show amber to the front, side and rear. This was only done after the rear brakeman had relined and locked the switch for the main track.

awalker2002@comcast.net