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Re: (erielack) DL&W E8 Mars Light

The Mars light had a motor driven mechanism that made the light reflector 
oscillate. The D&RGW also used them and we have some mfgr's literature at 
the Colorad Railroad Museum.

They certainly were eye catching.

It seems to me that I heard the DL&W stopped using them because of legal 
problems. If the Mars light wasn't on and they hit a car at a grade crossing 
it would be used as evidence of negligence. Also the fact that all their 
locos weren't equipped was also a liability. So it was easiest just to not 
use them.

Chuck Y
Boulder CO


- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William E. Botkin" <webotkin_@_ecentral.com>
To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 4:39 PM
Subject: (erielack) DL&W E8 Mars Light


> All,
>
> I clearly recall the Mars light used on the through passenger trains in 
> late DL&W and early EL days as they came through Morristown at 50 to 60 
> mph. The effect was especially neat at night to see the figure "8" pattern 
> sweeping across the landscape.
>
> This was before the door headlights on the ex-DL&W E8s units were replaced 
> with solid doors and the headlight was moved to the nose on the DL&W 
> units.
>
> Bill Botkin
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Richard Pennisi" <eldispatcher72_@_yahoo.com>
> To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 4:10 PM
> Subject: RE: RE: (erielack) oscillating lights (was: EL calendar - 
> February photo)
>
>
> Listers,
>
>  The Westerner and after EL, the Lake Cities, always had the oscillating 
> headlight on when it arrived in Dover.  You could spot the train headlight 
> before it came around the curve under Salem Street.
>
>  Rich Pennisi
>
> Sam Weibel <weeb_@_centurytel.net> wrote:
>  Paul, I don't think the DL&W engineers used the lights much, In all the
> years of my growing up along the Scranton-Dunmore main line I believe I 
> saw
> an oscillating headlight actually illuminated and working once. That was 
> up
> till 1966 when I departed for service to our beloved country.
>
>
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> http://EL-List.railfan.net/
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