Lights and Cameras

I was thinking the other day and why has nobody thought of putting Red & Green lights on locomotives for safety? When the locomotive is stationary (and idling) the 2 Red lights turn on. When the locomotives is moving the 2 Green lights turn on. To make running a long locomotive or a enclosed locomotive long hood forward easier, why not install a camera on the back? The locomotive has a camera on the back, then through wires it transmits the picture to the cab. In the cab there is a retractable and compact CTX projecter that displays the image on a piece of rolled down plastic. The plastic would be resting on the electronics cabinet. To minimize glare the person(s) in the cab would roll down some blinds to cover up most of the windows.

http://trainiaxindex.cjb.net/ (out of order as of 10/1/04)
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There are already operating rules requiring auxillary and marker lights on locomotives for safety.

FRA rules and NORAC Rule 22b require Auxillary Lights (Ditch Lights) to be displayed when approaching and operating over grade crossings at greater than 20 MPH.

NORAC 24a requires marker lights (usually red) or the rear low beam headlight be displayed on the rear of passenger trains, light engines or engines at the rear of a train.

NORAC 22a requires that the front headlight be dimmed when the train is standing.

In private industrial switching operations, locomotives display a rotating or flashing yellow light when moving. I believe that remote controlled locomotives also must display warning lights.

The use of a green light is usually unacceptable because it could be confused with a "clear" indication on a fixed signal.

all of the remote control locomtives that I have seen on CSX, CPR, CN, and UP have beaon lites on both sides of locomotive cab. It seems like the horn sounds off two Toots when the locomotive moves forward, 3 times when reverseing in direction, and once when stoping. I observed this in Syracuse, NY on CSX and in several outher locations as well while railfaning diffrent parts of the country that the horn would go off as the loco(s) moved and stoped. I maybe wrong about the horn thing but this was the impression I got while watching remote operations.

The camera idea is intresting thow some trucking companys have or are exparmenting with such ideas. I know that the U.S. post office has been ordering mail vans with camers on them now with in the last year or so. Maybe such things could be fitten into a end of train device with a camera lense no bigger than a quarter installed in them?

A camera is a pretty good idea. All UPS and most Fedex package cars are equipped with cameras on the rear. Seems like it should be a no-brainer to have these on locomotives.

I could see a camera on a small industral critter or Hi-Rail Truck where one guy might be runing the whole show by him self like they most ofton do at some plants. On a major railroad I don't know if it would work.
You would still need a guy on the ground to do the work but I supose its a good idea for maybe a yard locomotive never know when someone might slip and fall while backing up to couple on to a car.

When the engineer's view is obstructed, that is when the trainman should be on the leading end, to act as the engineer's eyes. This idea of a video camera is just like the remote control, it will just kill jobs.

As for marker lights, many CONRAIL units used to have class lights on the shorth hood for lite engine moves.

remote control units have a strobe light on the roof of the cab, one on each side......as for the loco's horn giving 2 toots for forward, 3 toots for forward, that is nothing new. It is part of the normal whistle sgnals. (I.e. when a conductor on a passenger train rings the interior buzzer two times, that is instructing the engineer to proceed, and the engineer would more than likely acknowledge the buzzer signal by sounding two short toots of the engine whistle.)

Part of the idea for the camera is so you can run a F45 long hood foward and not stick your head out of the window.

http://trainiaxindex.cjb.net/ (out of order as of 10/8/04)
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I can recall seeing a good many Lehigh Valley FA's,and F units runing backwards on a few video tapes.

And not to mention, the cameras are there most likely for security reasons as well, to see if there are any unauthrorized guests trying to "hobo" or illegaly hitch a ride. Glad they placed cameras to detect intruders.