November 3, 2015
Charlie and All - Here's the trade journal link to the American Headlight
Company Model D carbon arc headlight:
This was obviously high tech equipment for its time. But, once the high
powered light bulb was perfected, all this became obsolete and ended-up
in the junk pile behind the roundhouse.
During my misspent youth after serving in the Navy, I
worked a summer as a deckhand aboard a river tow boat that was equipped with
two huge brass Carlisle & Finch carbon arc spotlights. On the night watch,
it was my responsibility to climb on top the wheel house and change out
the carbons by hand after they had burnt down. This was while the
pilot below was continuously shouting obscenities at me to hurry up so he
could again "spot" the hard-to-see navigational buoys in the river. Some
memories.....
Pity the poor fireman a hundred years ago or more who had to hang on for
dear life with one hand while using the other to change out carbons at
night while the bouncing locomotive beneath his feet was hurtling along
through the darkness. Train crews today have no idea.....
Charlie, hope you're successful in locating a cut-away diagram of the
headlight itself. Per Hol's earlier comments, I speculate that the Q sold the
headlight design or rights to manufacture it to the Remy Electric
Company. If true, that in itself would make for an interesting article as it
would show just how sophisticated the Q's engineering research was during that
era. Best Regards - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
In a message dated 11/2/2015 5:22:19 P.M. Central Standard Time,
CBQ@yahoogroups.com writes:
All-
A
followup to the American Headlight Model D…..
…..the
reason for the Vent at the top even thought it was an Electric Headlight is
that it was not illuminated by a bulb…..it was a carbon arc type. The
package included the generator and it (not the headlight itself) is
illustrated in a trade journal. Will keep on looking for a cut
of the headlight itself….it does not show up in the 1909 Locomotive
Cyclopedia.
Charlie
Vlk