Re: [CBQ] Re: Q Switch Marker Lamp with Amber lenses ?

["STEVEN HOLDING sholding@sbcglobal.net [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

Leo

It is like an A plate on a signal.  Its in the rule book and only one place I ever saw one

Steve in SC

On Thursday, April 23, 2015 6:59 PM, "Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

That guy wiping the lenses and filling the "fonts" was know as "THE LAMP MAN"...We had a Mexican guy with only one eye who did this job at Joliet when I was ATM there in 61-62...He was, of course, known as "Mexican Pete...or One Eyed Pete"  in those pre PC days.

He always appeared as though he took a bath fully clothed in his Lamp Oil..He was the main switch sweeper in the winter...I always feared for him when he got too close the the fire the switchmen always had going...He could have instantaneously combusted.

Pete

-----Original Message-----
From: qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ] <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
To: CBQ <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 23, 2015 1:27 pm
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Re: Q Switch Marker Lamp with Amber lenses ?

 

Sounds logical Pete.

 Maybe as time went by red/green became standard to reduce costs. I say this because my first visit to the Aurora coach yard and Eola would have been around 1962/64 and I recall only red and green. When I was doing my "volunteer hostling" at Eola from '68-72 and sometimes riding with the switch crews all switch lamps were red/green.

When I started getting paid for being on the property in '73 all switch markers at Eola,Savanna and the couple at Aurora depot were red and green. At one point probably around the time the Aurora storehouse was being prepared for demolition all the switches in the Aurora Hill yard received brand new marker lights with the tags still on the lenses. Needless to say they didn't complete a full weeks service. It was amazing how fast they left the property.

I have clear memory of sitting on an Earlville turn engine in the west yard at Eola waiting to leave and watching a senior member of the section going about his route. He wiped the lenses,fueled the pot on each switch and moved over to  the next one.

Leo Phillipp

On Apr 23, 2015, at 1:04 PM, Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com [CBQ] < CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

After thinking about the matter...I'll not "die for this"...but I think that as a general principle we can "posit" that it was the "inside" switches that used the amber lenses rather than red.  ie  Red would only be used on switches connecting tracks to the "main track"...

I would be glad to see a citation either supporting or contradicting this principle.

Pete

-----Original Message-----
From: qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ] < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
To: CBQ < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 23, 2015 10:55 am
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Re: Q Switch Marker Lamp with Amber lenses ?

 

Thanks Jerry and Pete. I'm still curious if anyone can recall which yard location(s) the Q used Amber as all the yards I was in had red/green.

Leo

On Apr 23, 2015, at 10:43 AM, Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com [CBQ] < CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Leo et al

I think that Jerry has provided the correct answer.

Pete

-----Original Message-----
From: jeralbin@aol.com [CBQ] < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
To: CBQ < CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 23, 2015 10:21 am
Subject: [CBQ] Re: Q Switch Marker Lamp with Amber lenses ?

 

The Rock Island's South Chicago yard had them. An old switch tender in the 60's told me they used amber on yard switches as not to confuse main line engineers to think a switch was lined for a siding. I think a double track main line ran through the center of South Chicago yard. The Belt Line's Clearing yard had red/green markers.  Regards...Jerry Albin

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Posted by: STEVEN HOLDING <sholding@sbcglobal.net>

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