On American trains, were there ever Amber Lenses on marker lights? and when did Marker Lights stop being used?

Question

I am guessing with the end of the caboose in the 80s and maybe by the end of the 70s, you saw no more kerosine or electrically converted markers on the rear of trains.

Answer 1

Markers are still in use, though they are not the markers of old. Todays markers are on the rear end tele and flash,as opposed to being continuously illuminated.

When the flashing markers began being used, there was concern at the NTSB, ignored by the FRA, that since there is a proper block signal aspect of "flashing red", which permits passing without stopping at restricted speed, the flashing marker may be mis-identified and cause a rear end collision.

I know of no railroads that ever equipped cabooses or engines with amber indicator lights or cabooses with amber markers. That doesn't mean they weren't used prior by the signatories to the consolidated code back in the early 80s. This of course has been supplanted by the GCOR.

More often than not, yellow lights were used on switch targets to indicate a switch in the reverse position.

Cabooses, however, were equipped with both red and green marker lights. Keep in mind it is the display of a marker that makes a train a train. Without a marker it is merely an engine with a string of cars.

When a train had cleared the main track in "dark" (no automatic block signals) territory, the conductor would turn the lantern 90 degrees to expose the green light to the rear, indicating to the overtaking train that the main track was clear, or an opposing move knew the rear end was out of the way. This move was referred to, in railroad jargon, as "turning the jewels". The SP had stopped using the green markers by the early 60s, but UP cabooses had electrical red and green markers right up to the end.

Indicator lights is another thing. A train, when receiving clearance and orders, was instructed to either display "no" or "green" signals on the lead engine.

A train displaying no signals (not lighted) indicated a train that was operating under timetable authority on a schedule, referred to as a "regular" train. A train displaying green signals indicated a regular train with following sections of the train. It could be two or 5 or 1,000. You stayed put until the last train came by with no signals displayed, but displaying a marker. Only then had the regular train passed.

Indicator lights were also capable of displaying white and red. White indicator lights identified a train as an "extra", which is simply any train operating on other than timetable authority. When engines were used at the rear of the train in helper service, the indicator lights to the rear would be changed to red, for a marker. In addition, a headlight displayed on dim to the rear is also a marker, these days. In addition, during daylight hours, a red flag is an acceptable marker.

Good question. Thanks for asking.

Answer 2

markers are still used.. cabooses are no longer needed they use cameras and computers to tell where the end of the train is at... also - it took a lot of time to remove the caboose and then reattach it for the next run... most trains have small lights in the center on top of the last train...

Answer 3

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