Western Railroad Discussion > What's the difference between a Fusee and a road flare?

I have always wondered how the term (fusee) came about? I've also have heard them called railroad flares. They don't seem any different than a road flare, other than the steel spike on the end of a road flare. They both seem to burn the same.

SantaFefan wrote:

> I have always wondered how the term (fusee) came about? I've
> also have heard them called railroad flares. They don't seem
> any different than a road flare, other than the steel spike on
> the end of a road flare. They both seem to burn the same.

I believe "Fusee" was the brand name of a type of flare that was heavily used by most railroads. The name just stuck. There is no real difference between a fusee and a road flare.

Our RR fusees used to have spikes in their end. Conductors/flagmen used to be pretty good at tossing off a lighted fusse and getting it to stick upright into a tie.

Most RR fusees are 10 minute burners. That is because 10 minutes was the required separation of following trains in dark territory. Highway flares are often 20 minute burners. On the Penn Central we also had 5 minutes fusees used for giving hand signals to the engineer or for flagging crossings. The 5 minute fusees also made great "jet" powered boats when you lit them and threw them in the canal.

Most RR fusees are red but we had some yellow ones. They were mostly used by switchtenders to give trains a highball when they were ready for you. Were there any green fusees?

I haven't seen spikes in railroad fusees for more than twenty years. I recall working the midnight dock job at Portland's SP&S Hoyt Street yard about thirty years ago when a wild driver nearly struck our pin puller who was trying to flag him down with a fusee to prevent him from running into a bunch of hard-to-see-in-the-rain flat cars which were blocking Front Street as we were shoving into the dock yard. The rightly irate pin puller, having narrowly missed being killed, simply planted the spike of the burning fusee into the thin sheet metal of the hood of the automobile where the driver would have no trouble seeing it!

Standard Fusee Corp Peru In 46970

For use in California, a highway flare has to be "red." The restriction doesn't apply to railroads. I agree that time wise, there are much longer lasting highway flares, I know I've used them up to 45 minutes. I've heard they have changed the formulation recently, it used to be seriously nasty to get downwind of one.

on the Fourth of July.

Second District out - A real Flamer (not me)<g>

Yes there were green fusees. Information that I have seen pertaining to yellow fusees seems to indicate that they were used to protect hand car movements. I cannot say what the green fusees would have been used for.

CSX Fusees have the railroad's name printed on them. Road flares don't have railroad names on them. Probably for theft prevention.

Gonut

Theft protection? I'll bet that worked. I've heard that they are great for chasing dogs away from an entry team.

THe Canadian National Flagging kit I have has spiked 10 minute fusees in it...I also used them for that 4th of july beer-laden festivity. and also, once as a flagman, a convertible tried to run me off of the road, so in anger, and a little fear, I threw the fusee at him, seeing that the fusee landed in his backseat, and set the seat on fire...he swerved down the road a bit, then stopped. I got on the engine, gave a "back the hell up" over the radio--and hid in the industrial plant we were switching in. I'm sure he was mad, but I'm pretty sure he didn't ever run a crossing...
DRLOCO, never that good a throw in horseshoes, that's for sure!

I met a BCR engineman years ago on the Tumbler Sub. who gave a handful of em' off his engine. He was concerned about me photographing in known Bear country. His theory was that an inquisitive bear would be frightened of the things. I asked if he'd ever proven that it worked. Well no, he admitted and added that he wasn't sure he wouldn't be shaking so badly that he'd never get the thing lit!

Hmmm.....!

Many years ago, at one of my auctions, I purchased a wooden box with "Lakeside Railway Signal Company, Beloit, Wisconsin" in red paint on the side. The added "I.C.C.-15A 55" leads me to believe it was used to ship fusees. The box measures 10.5" wide, 7.5" high, and 19.5" long. As additional evidence, several of the fusees I have are marked "Lakeside Fusee Co, Beloit, WI." Others are marked "Lakeside Signal Co, South Beloit, WI."

The BN conductors used yellow fusees to ballast register slips they tossed off at East Cabin (East Dubuque) 30 or so years ago. I have several the ICRR operators gave me as "we are not allowed to use those on the IC." The yellow models were manufactured in Peru, Indiana.

My auto trunk has a metal box with a dozen or more fusees. Through the past 40 years, I have used fusees at automobile accidents, fire scenes, or where a train has stopped in emergency and is blocking a nonsignaled rural crossing. I have had crews toss off replacement fusees with a hearty "thanks for the help."

I was shown a little trick by a old head SP engineer on the commutes, he cracked the fusee in half, then poured out the contents of the fusee on the railhead in varying lengths. Then he ran the engine over it, making a popping and crackling noises from the material that was built up on the railhead.

See what happens when you get bored! :-)

Another trick with the fusees is to take a small piece and load it into the middle of your conductor's cigarette (when he isn't looking, of course). Three or four puffs, and he is definitely going to put that thing out.

I once bet a conductor $10 that a fusee would burn under water. He took me up. I lit one and put it in a puddle of water. He was amazed. He then bet me $10 I couldn't do it again. Easiest $20 I ever made.

I started as a flagman. It was the flagman's job to toss lit fusees off the back end of the caboose whenever your train slowed to a speed where it might be overtaken, which was half speed or less (at minimum). I got to be pretty good at sticking a tie. We also had yellow fusees for passing signals, but it was against the rules to use a yellow fusee in the vicinity of an interlocking or an open trainorder station.

The Olin Chemical Company was probably the largest producer of fusees and highway flares for decades. This has been my understanding of the difference between the two, having been a cop and a railroader. The most common highway flare is a 30 minute burner, however some departments and bureaus use a 50 minute burner. A railroad fusee is a 10 minute burner, due to the requirements of the GCOR. I have never, ever seen a flagging kit equipped with anything other than 10 minute fusees. I once had a yellow U.P. fusee in my trunk for years, but wound up having to use it on the freeway. I don't even know if they make yellow ones anymore, or where you would get one.

Fusee (few zee) is French for rocket.


They usually came in 10 minute red and yellow, with a spike, (yellow for dropping off to slow a following train) also 5 minute green with a wooden handle for hand signals when switching (usually only in fog). The yellow was a little longer due to a slightly larger amount of contents needed to burn 10 minutes.

There were 5 minute (with no spike) used by NYC on their main line account close headway allowed by their signals.

Made to very exacting standards, will burn under water etc.

Cap was often taken off and put over spike so when carried in pocket would not cut.

Cap also very handy to hold chalk and keep your hands clean!

I think the fusee of the good old days is a thing of the past. I do not believe the ones currently in use on at least the BNSF will burn under water, also they go out with just a light tap. I guess they are safety fusees now. Crews were having too much fun with them. "They" are also taking away our torpedoes. And by the way the bottle rockets they make today aren't as good as the ones I had as a kid.

What's the difference? Oh, probably about $2.50 a piece. Have you ever seen how much they are when you go to an auto supply store? Geeze! The same with 6 volt lantern batteries. Expensive!

steamjocky....over, and glad I don't have to pay for them

is that a lot of the RR fusees, especially yellow ones had handles on them you could use when signalling with them.

they all burn under water otherwise they wouldn't work in heavy rain.

Almost all will go out with a light tap if you do it right. My Dad got close to a full case several years ago from a UP crewman when UP changed it's usage. Don't remember wht the change was.