How do these two lights opperate? Which one is green and which one is amber? This picture clearly shows one light was taken off Superliner I's. I've heard it was the red emergency brake light. Is this true, and now which light if any displays an emergency application. Do the position of the green and amber differ between Superliner I's and II's?
Thanks, Matt
Posted by coach34135 (Member # 1979) on :
I asked my car attendant about those lights when we were sitting around El Paso...I think she said that Red meant the brakes are on; yellow they are being released and green they are off? But she wasn't 100% sure and neither am I.
Posted by Italiancanuck89 (Member # 1873) on :
If you're talking about what i think you are, the green light means the doors are all closed and it;s safe to start moving. The engineer can see this with his side mirrors. The amber means the door is open and he shouldn't move yet.
Posted by Southwest Chief (Member # 1227) on :
I have heard this debate over and over again and no one seems to know which it is. Some say they indicate door position, while others say it's the brakes. I have seen pictures of a trainset with all the doors closed and the lights were all amber (check out the picture on page 28 of the November 2002 issue of Trains magazine)(plus I've been on the Southwest Chief and have seen the amber lights on while we were in the Cajon pass, I sure hope a door wasn't open then!), so I tend to believe they are brake lights, but then I see a picture of a train stopped at a station and the lights are green (so I doubt the brakes would be released). I have never ever seen the red aspect on any of my train trips. So I suspect the red is emergency. I'm just wondering if Superliners still show red, since they only have two lights now. I wonder if one light can show two colors(amber + red)?
Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :
In the vestibules of the Superliners, there are overhead control panels with several buttons, lights, and switches on them. I always thought that the car attendants changed the marker lights when their car was secure, but from what I just read, they [the markers] all change at once, so individual cars don't have isolated systems, right?
[This message has been edited by Eric (edited 10-09-2002).]
Posted by F40PHR231 (Member # 1350) on :
On the superliners, the green/amber lights have nothing to do with the doors, nor are they controlled by any attendant.
The light panel you see in the lower-level is for interior lighting, and marker lights (at end of car if it is last car of train)
The amber/yellow in this discussion are brake lights. Amber mean's they're applied on that car. Green means all brakes have been released.
This is neccessary for the engineer to see, to avoid stuck brakes. Watch the train at night when going around a curve, you may see the brakes be applied to slow down a bit, and then be released.
Also, watch this when the train is departing a station. It has nothing to do with doors, just the brake status.
~Chris
Posted by wheels of steel (Member # 1332) on :
Hello railroaders, I have also seen that on a captial limited movie, as the train was rolling down the tracks, the lights was clicking back and forth amber and green, I am also aware that the veiw was from the car door being open The half part of the door.
Posted by coach34135 (Member # 1979) on :
Kinda of a cool system these lights. So if the engineer is applying the brakes and one of those car's lights is not showing amber, it tells the engineer that unit's brakes need attention. I guess my car attendant was pretty much right! Some still have red...or was that the Metrolinks' cars...uuhhh...hehe
quote:Originally posted by F40PHR231: On the superliners, the green/amber lights have nothing to do with the doors, nor are they controlled by any attendant.
The light panel you see in the lower-level is for interior lighting, and marker lights (at end of car if it is last car of train)
The amber/yellow in this discussion are brake lights. Amber mean's they're applied on that car. Green means all brakes have been released.
This is neccessary for the engineer to see, to avoid stuck brakes. Watch the train at night when going around a curve, you may see the brakes be applied to slow down a bit, and then be released.
Also, watch this when the train is departing a station. It has nothing to do with doors, just the brake status.
~Chris
Posted by rmiller (Member # 341) on :
quote:Originally posted by coach34135: Kinda of a cool system these lights. So if the engineer is applying the brakes and one of those car's lights is not showing amber, it tells the engineer that unit's brakes need attention. I guess my car attendant was pretty much right! Some still have red...or was that the Metrolinks' cars...uuhhh...hehe
Yes, Chris is absolutely right. The amber/green lights on the side of the superliners near the door reflect the current status of that car's brakes. The marker lights on the end of the car are turned on/off with a manual switch in the electrical panel as are all other electrical services for that car.
------------------ _ V Rick Miller Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A. ICQ 104290053 Linux - The Freedom to Chose
Posted by Southwest Chief (Member # 1227) on :
Thanks to all
This has been very helpfull. I'm making accurate Superliners for the computer game, Microsoft Train Sim.
Anybody know about the third "red" light though?(Only on Superliner I's) Was the emergency brake indication taken off of Superliners? The P40's and P42's do have markers that will light red when an emergency brake application is made. I know for sure now,(looked at some real old photos I have), that Superliner I's did display red. So what's the theories on this?
Also the twin red markers on the last car. Are these still used on the last Superliner, when there are mail, roadrailers, etc... on the rear? I know for sure that the end mail/roadrailer will have a standard EOTD(End Of Train Device)
Thanks Again, Matt
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
I remember watching the lights at Alpine station on the Sunset Limited. It was a "smoking stop" so a lot of people got off, including me (despite not smoking). The train moved forward to move the coach cars to the platform. The interesting thing was that the brake lights didn't come off together, nor in sequence (ie from the front to the rear of the train), but apparently randomly. Strange.
Geoff M.
Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :
Southwest Chief asked: "Also, the twin red markers on the last car. Are these still used on the last Superliner, when there are mail, roadrailers, etc... on the rear? I know for sure that the end mail/roadrailer will have a standard EOTD(End Of Train Device)." I've seen the Chief a few times with the markers lit (on the Superliner immediately before the mail/express), so it can and does happen!
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Southwest Chief -
Tell me about this Microsoft "Train Sim" game you are developing!! When will it be available? How much will it cost? Are you contracting to Microsoft to develop this game? Will this be in the same family of computer games as "Sim City"?
Microsoft Train Sim has been out for a while now. It is great in that you can create your own stuff with appropriate 3D software. Many 3rd party companies have offered addons and some are outstanding. In fact my favorite route is the Cajon Pass route made by 3DTS http://www.3dtrainstuff.com/press.html There are many websites that offer free addons too(cars, locos, whatever) Check out this site. http://www.train-sim.com/cgi/dcforum/dcboard.cgi It has a forum to discuss all of the many aspects of Train Sim.
Train Sim is more like flight sims then Sim City, although sometimes, I wish it was easier like Sim City to create your own routes, etc...
It is a very adicting game and if you're into trains, it's a must have.
Posted by Superliner (Member # 1670) on :
One reason all the lights will not go from amber to green or green to amber all together is beacause of each cars brake system. One car may release/respond quicker than another. Some Superliners (and other types of equipment) have red lights that indicate the train has gone into emergancy.
