Lyle, This true story should answer part of your question. This happened in the mid 1970s.
Our crew had died under the “hog law“(The hours of service law). The entire train crew was in the waycar on the west end of the train resting on the “running track” At Eola which still parallels the mains on the south side. We were waiting for a cab to take us to Aurora depot. My braking partner (the other brakeman) lived in the western suburbs and needed to get to Cicero where his car was parked.
Marshall( he was killed a few years back at Yorkville, IL in a tragic incident on an industrial track) heard an eastbound freight at Aurora on the radio. He called the engineer on the train and asked if he would pick him up on the way bye. “Honest John” Schmid was that engineer. John had a mischievous streak, so as the train was nearing Farnsworth Ave,John got on the radio and asked the rear end crew “did you do that?”. This was a standard inquiring between the two ends of a train when a unexpected emergency brake application had occurred.
The rear end replied “no, not us”,John then added”not me either”. About that time the red Mars light on the lead engine lit up and began rotating in its figure 8 pattern which would indicate an emergency brake application. Upon hearing and seeing this Marshall began swearing a blue streak and threw his grip off the back platform of the waycar as he figured there went his quick ride to Cicero.
About that time the Condr and I pointed out that the train was not losing speed and exhaust was pouring out of the exhaust stacks. Soon honest John came on the radio laughing stating “Marshall we’ll be right there”. The lead unit was a GP 30 or 35 still in Chinese red.
So the above is the long way of saying yes, the red Mars light could be operated manually. I will swear on the good book, if necessary, this is true.
Leo Phillipp On Aug 4, 2020, at 9:30 PM, Lyle Dowell <l_dowell1117@att.net> wrote:
I'm wanting to learn what the 'normal' appearance of the red Mars light would be when activated on GPs, SDs, etc. I've been informed by a reliable EMD employee that on the Es and Fs, the red light would be locked in it's park position if activated, but the engineer/conductor could over ride that and make it move if necessary. Did the GPs and SDs operate in a similar fashion? It's been my belief that an emergency trigger would light a static red light like on the E/Fs, but I've never proven that. The light can move, but was that automatic or manually activated?
Inquiring minds, all that
Lyle Dowell
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