Author Topic: Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?  (Read 1657 times)

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daniel_leavitt2000

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Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?
« on: June 02, 2018, 03:45:07 AM »
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I was reading an article recently about early street lighting. In the beginning around  the 1870's town centers were lit with only a few glowing orbs mounted on oil derrick-like structures. These lights were not lit with incandescent bulbs, but carbon-arc lamps. These produced a very bright, cool light very similar to today's HID and LED lighting.

These had major drawbacks - the carbon electrodes need frequent adjustment to continue operating and the light was far too harsh for interior use. They were last used as lamps for searchlights and film projectors in the 1950's.

But they would obviously have a place in train lighting.

Was this ever tried?
There's a shyness found in reason
Apprehensive influence swallow away
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Kinda like the way you keep looking away

learmoia

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Re: Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2018, 08:24:19 AM »
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https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2898009

Short answer yes those or kerosine..

~Ian

ncbqguy

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Re: Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2018, 10:20:00 AM »
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Carbon Arc headlights were very common on railroads. 
Electric headlights had to wait for development of bulbs which could withstand the harsh operating environment; especially the vibration.
Charlie Vlk

nkalanaga

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Re: Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2018, 02:04:24 AM »
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Another factor was that early incandescent bulbs, even if they were durable enough, weren't as bright as modern ones.  They were fine for lighting your living room, but not so good for a headlight, especially if you wanted to see far enough ahead to do any good.
N Kalanaga
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railnerd

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Re: Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2018, 06:09:17 PM »
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nkalanaga

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Re: Steam or early electric revives with HID lights?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2018, 01:47:32 AM »
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Interesting.  "confused the laying hens"...
N Kalanaga
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