Two points on ordinary everyday use of the Mars lights.
1) The engineers on the Mails between Eola and West Chicago,at least thru
the 70s, preferred the GP7s with working Mars lights as they really got the
automobile drivers attention when going over the numerous busy crossings on
this
line and along Rte 25 between Batavia and Aurora.
2) The red Mars light could also be turned on in a forward direction w/o an
emergency brake application.
One of the funniest I witnessed was at Eola in the mid 70s. We were on an
eastbound drag from Savanna and had been directed into the "running track" at
Eola as we were dead on the "hog law". My braking partner,Marshall Aull,radioed
the following train and asked if they would pick him up so he could ride
into Cicero to get his car. JF(John) Schmid was the engineer on the following
train and I dont recall if he had an ex Q GP 30,35 or 40 in the lead, but
whatever it was,it had a working Mars light. So John advised Marshall they
would
slow as they came along side the w/c and pick him up for the balance of the
trip to HY. Now John was know to be a prankster.
As his engine came near McClure road and Marshall got down on the ballast to
get ready to swing aboard John flipped the Red Mars light into Red wig wag
mode and radioed the w/c and asked "did you do that ?" The w/c crew responded
with a "nope" and Marshall threw his grip on the ground in disgust as he was
sure his quick ride to HY just went into emergency with a long delay figuring
out the problem and setting it out.
About the time Marshall was ready to join us for the cab ride to Aurora and
catching a dinky to Cicero,John came on the radio and said "Marshall,we're
coming along just fine and we'll be right there".
Leo Phillip
Ps-John has given a Q/A session at a BRHS meet. Marshall died at Bristol,IL
last spring trying to stop a runaway bulkhead flat at an industry.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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