May 7, 2017
All - My dad M.L. Zadnichek who came-up through the Q's operating
department during the 1940's, 50s and into the 60s to become a division
superintendent, told me years ago that with the advent of the early Zephyrs and
FTs that obviously did not emit clouds of black smoke like a steam locomotive
and thus were not visible at a distance, it became standard operating
practice for diesel powered trains to keep their headlights on at all hours so
they would be visible at a distance to track laborers and others present on the
right-of-way. This came as a result of a number of fatalities due to track
laborers, other employees or trespassers being "surprised" and run over from
behind by fast moving diesel powered trains that they sadly had not seen
approaching. Also, remember how relatively "quiet" a diesel is at speed compared
to a steam locomotive. For any one who has stood track side and watched a Zephyr
fast approaching, it was all but silent until literally on top of you and by
then it would've been much too late to get out of its way. Yet, with
its brilliant headlight on, you could hopefully spot an
on-coming Zephyr or freight train from a good distance away and
safely clear the right-of-way. Eventually, the same practice carried
over to remaining steam power whose crews often, but not always, kept their
headlights on at all hours, too. I surmise that while keeping the headlight on
was mandatory for diesel-powered trains, it was left up to the engineer on
steam-powered trains as to keep the headlight on or off. I, too, have seen
photographs showing steam powered freight trains in the 1950s with headlights
both on and off. By the time that 5632 and 4960 were powering fan trips, their
headlights were kept on at all hours, although no doubt photographs must exist
showing some exception to the practice. Some time ago, we had a thread about how
engineers used the clear aspect of their Mars lights on both steam and diesel
power as a headlight when their regular headlights became inoperative such
as when a bulb burned out. Photographs of that practice exist,
too. Best Regards - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
In a message dated 5/7/2017 1:23:53 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
CBQ@yahoogroups.com writes:
1939 Consolidated Code
rule 17.
The headlight will be displayed to the front of every train BY
NIGHT.
1959 Consolidated Code Rule 17.
The headlight must be
displayed burning bright to the front of every train BY DAY and by
night.
(Capitalization is mine).
The 1959 rule book goes on with
Rule S-17 (S means Single track) to state that when a train is taking a siding
to meet an opposing train and the headlight fails before the train is in the
clear a flagman must immediately be sent ahead to flag. It goes on to state
that Until the headlight of a train is extinguished it is an indication that
the main track is obstructed and the opposing train must approach prepared to
stop.
In other words sometime between 1939 and 1959 the headlight
became a SIGNAL that indicated the train was occupying the mainline.
This is the way the rules were went I hired out in 1968 and up until the end
of Timetable Train Order operations in the 1980s. Current GCO R headlight
rules are similar.
Note that the 1959 Consolidated Code rule 17 and S-17
require the headlight be on whenever occupying the main, there was nothing
prior to that which PREVENTED an individual railroad's rules from requiring
the headlight be on day & night if a railroad wanted itt hat way.
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Posted by: LZadnichek@aol.com
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