In the Q days, the Gyra-lites or "Mars" lights had a figure 8 pattern.
Later versions had a circular pattern, but those were after the BN was
formed. Gyra-lites, while very effective, fell into disfavor over time
due to high maintenance costs. Flashing or beacon lights were less
complicated and cheaper. The Gyra-lite mechanism was actually a gear
drive platform designed to move the light in a particular circular or
figure 8 pattern. On some RRs, there were reports of the light causing
a hypnotic effect on the crew. One point of clarification: the
Gyra-lite was an additional light on the front of the locomotive, not
the only light. The locomotive still had a fixed beam headlight on at
the same time that the Gyra-lite was operating.
Bill Barber
On Monday, November 10, 2003, at 08:16 AM, BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
wrote:
> Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2003 19:57:20 -0600
> From: "Tom Barrett" <barrett@galesburg.net>
> Subject: Re: What's a "gyra-light"?
>
> before the yellow beacons and the ditch lights, locomotives was
> equipped with mars lights which turned in a circular motion and made a
> swooping effect back and forth across the sky when viewed at night as
> to
> warning of a approaching train, sometimes these could be seen miles
> away
> coming, some had 2 lights 1 clear for a headlight and 1 lens was red
> for if
> the train had an emergency application of the train brakes the red one
> would
> come on to warn approaching trains that the train they was about to
> meet was
> in emergency. , they was pretty neat to watch from a distant on a clear
> night.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "wollffee" <wolfee@onebox.com>
> To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 11:44 AM
> Subject: [BRHSlist] What's a "gyra-light"?
>
>
>> The new Atlas n-scale SD-24 in red Burlington colors will have a non-
>> operating gyra-light. What's that?
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