Ditch lights in Canada

[lock4244]

Why bother? Some folks wouldn't notice, respect or stop for the train if you pulled them out of their car, slapped them silly, and showed them the train >

A waste of money. Why don't we start a massive campaign to educate people on the dangers of touching their tounge to a metal pole on a frigid winter day?

A dose of personal responsibility is all that's really needed... and some (un)common sense.

Chris... maybe the intent now is to shine through the rocks in some people's heads  ???

[3rdrail]

Prior to Senator Kassebaum's bill, there was no US law governing locomotive or railcar headlights. As a result, some commuter railroads and transit authorities equipped MU cars with dual, lower headlights, European style. After her bill became law, these rail lines had to add a third, centered, high headlight to the MU cars, as the bill required a distinct "triangle".

So, the reasons for their use in the US and Canada did differ materially. I got involved in this as I worked for a short line with no need whatsoever for additional locomotive lighting - we already had operating Mars lights on all our power. So, it was just peeing money away as far as the AN was concerned.

[Lenny53]

I think CN actually displayed the first GP38-2W as the first safety cab unit (I've seen a photo of it with a banner on it) even though the first M420W was actually completed first. IIRC the GP38-2W was actually the last engine on an order of standard-cab GP38-2s, the rest of the GP38-2Ws ordered in a separate batch later, followed by large fleets of wide nose SD40-2W and GP40-2L and GP40-2Ws. The M420Ws then would have been the first complete order of engines with the safety cab.

First delivered safety cab was a M420 in May '73.  The first GP38-2 with safety cab was indeed the last unit of the GR20-b class.

[Robbman]

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