Steam & Excursion > 844 With her Mars Light.

   It was great to see 844 back out and running after a three year absence pulling the Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Day's special last weekend. Many excellent photos were posted of this event.  A lot of folks were commenting about the lack of the red Mars light, which had been removed several years ago.
  Here are some images taken of 844 back about 2008-2009 when she had her full ight array.

1.  Early in the morning at Denver Union Station before departure for Cheyenne on the CFD train.

2.  A closer view.

3  Riding the turntable at Cheyenne while all the passengers were enjoying lunch and the rodeo.

   Thank you for looking, and as always, comments welcome.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO.

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Here's three more shots from when 844 still carried her Mars light.

4.  844 is getting serviced at the Cheyenne steam shop during the CFD run about 2008.

5.  Eastbound in Echo Canyon, Utah near Baskin.  About 2008-2009.

6.  Early morning before departure from Rock Springs, Wyoming.  Love that early morning light.

   As I said in my previous post, thanks for looking, and as always, comments welcome.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO

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She just doesn't look right without it.

Posted from iPhone

Looks better with the red light.  Vote to bring it back.
ALLEN

Best part about this photo series isn't the Mars light it's that 844 is wearing her "basic black" and not all white walled, striped and chromed out.

Spoony81 Wrote:
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> Best part about this photo series isn't the Mars
> light it's that 844 is wearing her "basic black"
> and not all white walled, striped and chromed out.


My thoughts exactly!

Posted from iPhone

Forgot how good 844 looked without all the striping. I think the most important thing that needs to be done to 844 cosmetically is that the striping/whitewalls needs to go.. just doesn't look right on that engine.

Looks aside, what safety purpose does the Mars Light fulfill?  & why red?  

Seems that other locomotives had clear oscilating lights in the front, like DRGW diesel ditch lights through the end.  These helped attract attention to the locomotive further in advance at grade crossings, likely improving safety.  

I know the 4449 has a clear oscilating light in front, but, looking YouTube videos of 844 and 4449, I don't see either of them with the oscilating light turned on in daylight running.  

Just curious, 

Ted in OR

gobbl3gook Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looks aside, what safety purpose does the Mars
> Light fulfill?  & why red?  
>
> Seems that other locomotives had clear oscilating
> lights in the front, like DRGW diesel ditch lights
> through the end.  These helped attract attention
> to the locomotive further in advance at grade
> crossings, likely improving safety.  
>
> I know the 4449 has a clear oscilating light in
> front, but, looking YouTube videos of 844 and
> 4449, I don't see either of them with the
> oscilating light turned on in daylight running.
>  
>
> Just curious, 
>
> Ted in OR

The traditional UP operated over a fair amount of double track (D-251), including the entire Overland Route. In such territory, the danger of a train derailing and fouling the opposite main track is a constant threat, and to warn any opposing train, a red Mars light that activated automatically during an emergency brake application, would give the opposing train warning that something may be wrong and to approach at restricted speed if possible. The head brakeman was still required to flag in front, but the red Mars was an additional warning.

What's puzzling is why freight locomotives were not outfitted with such devices. It would seem more likely a freight train would foul the main more than a passenger train.

Posted from Android

gobbl3gook Wrote:

> Looks aside, what safety purpose does the Mars
> Light fulfill?  & why red?  

See: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,4082160

> I know the 4449 has a clear oscilating light in
> front, but, looking YouTube videos of 844 and
> 4449, I don't see either of them with the
> oscilating light turned on in daylight running.

The one time I got to chase the 4449, on its way to Railfair '99 in Sacramento, the oscillating light was in use.  Back in the days of steam it wasn't uncommon to run with the main headlight extinguished as well:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3821099
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3721234

Santa Fe had oscillating lights on most of its passenger diesels, but photos of them with the lights in use back in the 50's aren't that common outside of the populated areas of California and Texas.

I still think she looks cleaner without it.  Would look even better without the whitewalls and the rest of the bling.  You know, like she should look.

BCHellman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gobbl3gook Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looks aside, what safety purpose does the Mars
> > Light fulfill?  & why red?  
> >
> > Seems that other locomotives had clear
> oscilating
> > lights in the front, like DRGW diesel ditch
> lights
> > through the end.  These helped attract
> attention
> > to the locomotive further in advance at grade
> > crossings, likely improving safety.  
> >
> > I know the 4449 has a clear oscilating light in
> > front, but, looking YouTube videos of 844 and
> > 4449, I don't see either of them with the
> > oscilating light turned on in daylight running.
> >  
> >
> > Just curious, 
> >
> > Ted in OR
>
> The traditional UP operated over a fair amount of
> double track (D-251), including the entire
> Overland Route. In such territory, the danger of a
> train derailing and fouling the opposite main
> track is a constant threat, and to warn any
> opposing train, a red Mars light that activated
> automatically during an emergency brake
> application, would give the opposing train warning
> that something may be wrong and to approach at
> restricted speed if possible. The head brakeman
> was still required to flag in front, but the red
> Mars was an additional warning.
>
> What's puzzling is why freight locomotives were
> not outfitted with such devices. It would seem
> more likely a freight train would foul the main
> more than a passenger train.
>
> Posted from Android

Good point. Other railroads did equip their diesel freight locomotives with the red warning light feature. The most famous such road being the Southern Pacific along with the Northern Pacific. I believe some first generation U.P. SD & GP-7 units had the red light also.

Posted from iPhone

gobbl3gook Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looks aside, what safety purpose does the Mars
> Light fulfill?  & why red?  

> Just curious, 
>
> Ted in OR
​Ted, I kind of answered that in another thread but the red oscillating light served for head end flagging. For protection when an emerengcy air application occurs it works automatically. It is reset by the engine crew when all is reset and corrected. Also it could be manually activated from the cab for passenger trains to flag when there was a track between them and the depot platforms to load passengers.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

The Special Agents were finding game in trying to kick everybody out of the shop and turntable area this year. They looked a bit weirded out - it has been so long, this is their first time seeing a steam trip operate, so I just stayed out of their hair as much as I could! === === = === JLH

Love the pics too, but remember guys, Ed wants 844 to always look pretty, not a workhorse that she's designed for and having limited stops, but then again did Scott get on Ed about how fast she could go and how the run to Denber shouldn't be limited to 1 stop in between like it has been when Steve and the guys ran her?

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> Love the pics too, but remember guys, Ed wants 844
> to always look pretty, not a workhorse that she's
> designed for and having limited stops, but then
> again did Scott get on Ed about how fast she could
> go and how the run to Denber shouldn't be limited
> to 1 stop in between like it has been when Steve
> and the guys ran her?

There's nothing wrong with "bling" if the equipment is being maintained properly. The awesome steam program across the Pacific does just that, reliable locomotives polished to near-perfection, and they change the external appearances of their most popular Mikado occasionally to satisfy the foamers. Different "pie plates" too, and why not, if people can see it run almost every weekend?

They also have a fleet of 4-5 operating steam locomotives now. They don't "sideline" one at the expense of another (and make up lame excuses), which is really stupid if you think about it.

The 844 looking like a workhorse is simply form following function. It'd be just as lame TRYING to make it look like a workhorse. Just wanted  to keep things in perspective.