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Re: [BRHSlist] Digest Number 1591

To: BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BRHSlist] Digest Number 1591
From: William Barber <clipperw@E...>
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 10:39:43 -0600
In-reply-to: <1045043509.1213.3389.m12@yahoogroups.com>
Thanks for the reply, Jonathan. Yes, I am certainly aware that the smaller and older Q power usually had their headlights mounted on top of the smokebox. I just never realized that a few pacifics had this arrangement until I saw the Perry photos. My real interest is why the headlights were raised to the top of smokebox position on a few locomotives . As I noted, #2857 is shown earlier in 1929 with the headlight in the standard position. I am pretty sure that no shop general foreman would have arbitrarily raised the headlight. There was labor, expense and probably some material involved. There must have been a reason and I thought maybe someone on the list might know. Illumination in front of the locomotive, as you suggest, might be the justification. Maybe there was a specific operating circumstance such as when Pennsy reversed the generator and headlight positions on K-4s locomotives in later years for maintenance and safety reasons. Possibly, these two (or more) locomotives were involved in a special operating circumstance.

Bill Barber

On Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at 03:51 AM, BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com wrote:

Message: 7
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 15:29:00 -0800
From: jonathanharris@e...
Subject: Re: Locomotive Headlight Positions

Bill --

Top-mounted headlights were not that rare on the Q's steamers. They were
very common (dare I say 'standard'?) on moguls, ten-wheelers, the first
prairies (R-1s, R-2s) and most classes of six-wheel switcher. They also
appeared on quite a few Atlantics, Americans, consolidations (not just the
Lines West D-4s), and some other classes. Obviously, these were all
relatively small engines, so perhaps maximizing visability was a motive for placing (or keeping) lamps as high as possible. It also appears that the top-of-the-smokebox position was an early or intermediate feature (photos show lots of 'box' headlights and cuckoo clocks up there). Some of these headlights later were relocated to the upper front face; repositioning in the other direction seems to have been more rare, but it did happen, as in
the case of those western consolidations you cite.

The above is based on a quick perusal of photos available to me (Otto
Perry, various Burlington Bulletins, Corbin & Kerka). I hope someone more
knowledgeable can tell you (us) the full story.

Jonathan


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