I'm trying to find out whether there is any kind of general statement that can be made concerning the colors showing on the lights on both ends of the train. Especially steam era. I believe that I recently read, that all Miss Pacific or GN freights were run as extras. That would mean that the class lights showing would be clear/white. However, that doesn't stand for other companies. For instance, what would be the most commonly seen, as a general statement, class color for freights----would all aspects(front-rear-side) be the same color? Same question for passenger trains------? Were the lights only used at night? Marker lights: the tender only had red lights and they were only lit when it was running light---correct? Again, I am only looking for a general statement applying to many/most trains or what would be seen most often. Thanks.
One link I found real quick: http://sp5472.ncry.org/classlights.htm As mentioned, there are three colors: red, white and green. Red is like a taillight and is on the rear of a loco if it's running light, or on the rear of a loco acting as a pusher. White means the train is an extra. Green means that it's a "section" of a train. If one train was full, and a second one needed to be added, then the lead loco on the lead train would have green class lights, and the trailing train's lead would have its lights off. Same goes for multiple sections - all trains had their lead loco's class lights green except for the last train which would have them switched off.
It depends on railroad and era. One example is here. It's the rulebook, Consolidate Code of Operating Rules - Revised 1959 Wolfgang
Class Lights Thanks to both of you for the quick responses. Wonfgang, I seem to remember your name from a modeling project you did. Let me state the previous question a different way: If I were standing near mainline tracks for a day in 1950, at a point in Chicago where I would see most of the trains entering and leaving the city, what would be the predominant color I would most likely see in the classification lights?
Petey, Remember, Class lights are on the front of an engine, and marker lights ore on teh rear of the engine or train. Class Lights - Most passenger trains leaving a terminal like Chicago would have NO class lights lit - They are 'scheduled' trains. If there are multiple sections of the same train, all sections would display GREEN class lights except the last section. This is how an oppossing train waiting in a siding knows that the last section of a scheduled train has passed. Freights can be 'scheduled'(NO class lights lit) or run as an 'Extra'(WHITE flags or class lights). Marker lights - These are usually on the last car of a train and usually display RED to the rear. The also have side and front facing lens and they may be GREEN or YELLOW, per the specific railroad. On the CB&Q, they used RED to the rear, and GREEN to the side/front. Locomotives in 'helper' service many times had RED markers on the rear o the tender if they did not have a caboose. Class lights on model trains have been messed up ever since Lionel put green jewels on their engines! Jim
As a general statement, freight trains would most likely have either white or no class lights lit, as a freight would most likely be an extra or a regular train. Passenger trains would most likely be either no class lights lit or green because a passenger train would most likely be a regular train or a section of a regular train. Marker lights would most likely be red to the rear and various combinations to the sides or front depending on the road and territory.
