Western Railroad Discussion > The Black Widow Was Out and About Yesterday

1. Albany & Eastern's Black Widow seen pulling centerbeam flat cars of dimensional lumber from the Weyerhaeuser Santiam Sawmill south of Lebanon, OR yesterday afternoon.

2. With GP35E 2501 seen heading down the Sweet Home Branch.

3. In Lebanon following 2501 home at the end of the day. Even in fading light she looks good!


Enjoy possibly the prettiest diesel out there,
Marty Bernard



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/15 14:57 by MartyBernard.

---

---

---

Marty...The SD9 looks real sharp, just like the old days.....

Marty,
Was that you in the van following us? Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos.

What? No ditch lights?

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What? No ditch lights?


The gyro-light counts.

Marty

shay2305 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Marty,
> Was that you in the van following us? Thanks for
> sharing the wonderful photos.

Lucky I didn't hit you! With all five AERC locos in Lebanon last evening and four of them about in the same place, even getting in each others way, I noticed several highway vehicles behaving irradically. Were you in a tan Suburban?

Marty

Don't get me wrong, I have always thought this is a very sharp locomotive and I really enjoy seeing it when I happen to be running around Lebanon (OR) but there is one thing that has always bothered me: the painted on number boards right down to the "X". I guess I'm a bit more of a purist but I would have loved to see it with the glass pane and the insert numbers (including the "X") behind the pane of glass as EMD and SP intended it to be.

Check the steam board for the latest product of Lavacot Locomotive Works.

Great shots .

Dave

Posted from Android

I was the engineer on the 5399.

MartyBernard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What? No ditch lights?
>
>
> The gyro-light counts.
>
> Marty


So, I may be wrong...but I thought I once read that ditch lights are required regardless of any other lighting package...unless...it is considered an "historic" locomotive. The owner may of course, install other lighting as desired in addition to the ditch lights.

ATSF3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So, I may be wrong...


I won't copy the whole thing but 49 CFR, 229.125 basically says ditch-lights (auxiliary lights) are required only if the locomotive will be operated in excess of 20 mph over any public crossings. On the other hand I don't see where the oscillating headlight eliminates the requirement for "auxiliary lights". Historical locomotives are exempted if they were built before December 31, 1948.

Update: 49 CFR, 229.133(c) specifically allows oscillating headlights if they were ordered for a unit built prior to 1996 (SD9's would certainly pre-date that).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/15 19:21 by Railbaron.