MP-54 Headlight Question

After recieving the 2005 LIRR calander (thank you Dr. Glueck) I noticed that the MP54 on the cover has a distinct red glow in the headlight housing. Now I know railroads have often added a red light in the head light housing for emergency operations, but I can not ever recall any LIRR units ever having this feature. Am I confused? Is this a printing problem on the calander? Is this related to the amount of bolts holding the smoke box cover on a G5s? Do I have way too much free time on my hands to even notice such a thing and still post a useless question on the net????????

Paul:
That is not an illusion. After the Richmond Hill rear-ender in November 1950, it was decided to add additional rear-end protection to supplement the two red markers. A plastic lens was outfitted to be placed over the headlight by means of a lever. The headlight was turned on in the trailing car, and with the red lens covering the headlight, there was no mistaking the rear of an MU. The coaches without headlights - trailers used in diesel/steam service - had a porable lamp, lens magnified, suspended in the rear vestibule with an electrical connection to power it.
These lights were referred to as "Rudolph" after the popular Christmas song "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" which was released not too long before the "Rudolph" idea came about.
Hope this helps in answering your question.

Pappy's right on...

They were "rudys".

Clem

Here's an example of that large, rear marker lamp, suspended in the end door opening:



Dave Keller

It looks like the light is on a MU converted to a trailer. (Penny Bridge is on the old Montauk Line in Queens , which was never electrified west of Fresh Pond, and even then the electrification I believe was for freight). Is that a former MP-54 or MP 41 ?

Yes, this is a steam car on the Montauk branch and not an MU.

After the 1950 disasters (Richmond Hill and Rockville Centre) the rear of ALL trains were required to display this large, visible, marker lamp.

I posted the steam car shot as it was the only one I had available to post as an example of the large lamp.

Dave Keller

Speaking of the two wrecks in the fifties:

Question: Did the LIRR do anything special to further the cause of ATP development after the two wrecks, or did they just start buying off-the-shelf components? What type of protection was available in the fifties, Cab Signal only, or was speed enforcement also available?

Thanks,
Tom

I know that they never again used a gauntlet track in subsequent grade eliminations, as was done at RVC!

Dave Keller

I think that the automatic speed control equipment installed beginning in 1951 was off-the-shelf US&S stuff. It was definitely pretty sophisticated stuff since it did not simply stop a train like automatic train stop systems. They (and the PRR, of course) had simple unenforced cab signals going back to at least the 1930s. Correct me if I'm wrong but, cab signal rules were in effect on the Main Line west of Jamaica for many years before the wreck. If the engineer chose not to obey the cab signal aspects, well.......

Don't forget that the LIRR also had automatic train stops (trippers) on the Atlantic Branch west of Jamaica and at all drawbridges in electrified territory. The automatic train stops on the Atlantic Branch from East New York to Jamaica were removed from service on Jan 31, 1970. The trains stops between Flatbush Ave and East New York were removed from service on April 4, 1970.

Automatic train stops were in service at the protecting home signals at each end of the gauntlet track at Rockville Centre from the beginning on April 19, 1949. There was a very small section of actual single track between the east end of the gauntlet and the west end of the temporary Rockville Centre station (which had been relocated east of its former location). The single track and gauntlet were completely traffic-locked. After the wreck, however, automatic train stops were added to the last automatic block signals BEFORE the interlocking and two of the automatic block signals AFTER the interlocking on February 26, 1950. Not only that but, the eastward automatic block signal east of Lynbrook (S176) had its number plate removed and the "stop and proceed" aspect replaced with "stop signal" (a la home signals) so eastward trains that did not have a route established at Centre Interlocking would be held WAAAAAAY back, west of Rocklyn Ave! After this wreck, one couldn't be too safe.

Whew! Was this way too much information or what?!

Yes, Dave, this is why this kind of stuff needs to be published and made available to everyone. BTW, this is exactly the kind of super-detailed info I have accumulated through the years courtesy of Bob Emery and Art Huneke.

Xjqcf,

Ya got me! I know the PRR had the cab signal for the approach-medium aspect (the 120 code?). Did the LIRR display this with both the MAS and the 30 lit at the same time? Was only the 30 lit? Any pre-M1 engineers out there? Originally, the restricting speed was 12 mph rather than 15. The cab signal display unit I have has the 12 covered with a piece of cardboard behind the protective piece of glass! This unit came from a scrapped MP72c.

You may want to post this question to the Railway Signaling listserver on Yahoo Groups.

UN Block:

Great, detailed info on the RVC setup!

Thanx!

Dave Keller

P.S. Just goes to prove Murphy's Law: If anything CAN go wrong, IT WILL.

Great info, UN.

Now at the risk of being ignorant, let me pose this question...

If the RVC gauntlet track was protected with train stops at each end, how did the opposing beasts meet? Were they simply going fast enough to collide dispite the brake pipe being dumped when it passed the stop signal?

I suppose without speed control it could have been going at any speed the engineer chose.

Clem

Clem,
WHAT was I thinking!?!?! Of course there were no automatic train stops at the home signals before the wreck! This is what happens when you rely on faulty memory rather than the documentation.

On February 26, 1950 ONLY the four automatic block signals received train stops and they were MANUALLY operated! There was a Tripper Operator's shanty on the south side of the tracks at both locations. These operators cleared the stop arms, probably on the orders of the towerman at Centre. The stop arms were normally in the tripping position for the two automatics entering the area and were normally in the clear position for the two automatics leaving the area. I'm guessing that they included the stop arms on the automatics leaving the area JUST IN CASE a reverse move was made under train orders.

SORRY for the original misinformation.

UN Block

You mention the towerman at Centre interlocking.

I do not have an employee timetable from 1949. I do have one effective 9/50, which was later.

1. Does Center interlocking appear in the 1949 timetable or general orders issued subsequently?

2. Was this a temporary tower or temporary cabin?

3. What was the location (north/south of tracks, east/west of . . . .?)

I'd like to add this data to my LIRR Telegraphic Call Letters and Interlockings listing.

Please provide whatever data you may have, including dates in service and out of service if you have them to hand on G.O.s.

Thanx!

Dave Keller

Dave,

Centre Interlocking was temporary for the grade crossing elimination project, as follows:

In service: April 19, 1949
Out of service: July 18, 1950

For the technically inclined, Centre had a 4-lever US&S Model TC table-top interlocking machine, as follows:

1 lever for four signals (02)
1 lever for traffic locking (04)
2 levers for two switches (01 and 03)

The machine was, I think, in the ticket office on the temporary westbound platform.

Hope this helps!