Nostalgia & History > Alco Class Lights

Hi,
I'm sure it's a simple answer, But I'm curious as to what use the 3 multi-color class lights found on a number of different types of Alco Diesels directly above the Numberboards have? Thanks

Mostly Canadian use. White for Extra train, green for extra section following. Red to be used as Marker lights.

This is them.
Ed K.

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Inside of the cab on the front wall as I recall had three toggle switches one for each light, so you could light up one , two or all three.

I expect he's talking about the built-in class lights. But the US RR's used them also. How long they used them is up to the laws guys to add in.

n6vRL
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> I expect he's talking about the built-in class
> lights. But the US RR's used them also. How long
> they used them is up to the laws guys to add in.

What is unique to Canadian engines is that the classification lights (on later models, anyway) were three separate lamps located above the number boards. Most if not all US railroads used a single light with a movable colored lens to display re, white or green, and these were usually located on the nose. I've always assumed that this must have had something to do with the movable lenses freezing up in cold weather. doe anyone know the origins of this US/Canadian difference for sure. When did it start? Canadian F-units seem to have been built with a single lens on the nose like their American counterparts.

D F W

Wildebeest Wrote:
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> n6vRL
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I expect he's talking about the built-in class
> > lights. But the US RR's used them also. How
> long
> > they used them is up to the laws guys to add
> in.
>
> What is unique to Canadian engines is that the
> classification lights (on later models, anyway)
> were three separate lamps located above the number
> boards. Most if not all US railroads used a
> single light with a movable colored lens to
> display re, white or green, and these were usually
> located on the nose.

Alco, not Canadian. See the second picture here:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,1600859,1600859#1600859

TAW

n6nvr Wrote:
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> I expect he's talking about the built-in class
> lights. But the US RR's used them also. How long
> they used them is up to the laws guys to add in.


Yes..exactly... as seen on SP, UP and lots of US Alcos. Not the type Ed posted..3 individual lights on each side of the cab built in above the numberboards as on C-628's 630's etc.

Most Alco Century units had the three individual lights (white, green, red) above the number boards on the front of the cab and a single light, with changeable lenses on the rear of the unit.
This was the standard configuration as delivered from Alco.