Why are marker lights removed?

Why have alot of former conrail engines had there red marker lights removed? It's seems like NS does it more than CSX. But I thought marker lights were mandated on engines, so that in the event they were at the end of the train, the marker lights would mark the end of the train for track workers.

In any event why the rush to take them out when they don't bother anything and look real sharp when there on.

airman00 wrote:Why have alot of former conrail engines had there red marker lights removed? It's seems like NS does it more than CSX. But I thought marker lights were mandated on engines, so that in the event they were at the end of the train, the marker lights would mark the end of the train for track workers.

In any event why the rush to take them out when they don't bother anything and look real sharp when there on.

If they are present, they have to work. It's cheaper to remove them than to maintain them.

They were real nice on Conrail,we turned them on when a crew outlawed and parked a train. The new crew looked for the red lights when finding us. As for NS .......they took them out because of the cost of the bulbs and yes they have to work if equipped.

airman00 wrote:Why have alot of former conrail engines had there red marker lights removed? It's seems like NS does it more than CSX. But I thought marker lights were mandated on engines, so that in the event they were at the end of the train, the marker lights would mark the end of the train for track workers.

In any event why the rush to take them out when they don't bother anything and look real sharp when there on.

They haven't been required for some time but Conrail still kept using them and ordering them on new units.

A rear headlight on dim fits the requirement to act as the marker for the end of a train. Light engines are considered a train.