I've been a signal guy for nearly 30 years, and worked on and designed
hundreds of searchlight signal installations, and have a feeling you
misunderstood...
More likely, you are missing the relay - also called a "mech" (short for
signal mechanism). This is the electro-mechanical device that houses the
lamp, lenses, drives the lenses in the proper position, has contacts to
validate position, etc. That unit can be found for anywhere from $100 to
$1000, depending upon where you are shopping... the housing is only worth a
few bucks, brand new from the manuifacturer. If you only have the housing,
you do not have a searchlight (yet) - The mechs show up on eBay (etc), and
railroads scrap them occasionally today... (free to you if you know someone
scrapping them).
Feel free to contact me privately if you need some specific info for the
unit, I can probably photocopy something to assist you.
Good luck!
Gabe
signaling@r...
----- Original Message -----
From: <KPMF16@a...>
> I have a U.S. & S. searchlight signal that was used as a dwarf
("vertically
> challenged" for you politically correct types) unit. It's complete except
> for what I understand is called a "mack unit." This is the device that
> controls and produces the different color aspects. Is it possible to
> purchase such a part from the railroad or anyone else as some of these old
> type of signal are being replaced?
>
> Ken Thompson
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