I some time ago read that during the days of steam… many steam loco's ran without a headlight on during the day since it was thought the smoke belching monster was enough to warn folks… besides the dynamo was needed to drive the headlight and it saved some energy…. did I dream this up or can any one confirm this…. signed born too late to see the real thing 1956… Did not miss it by much… Jim
Back in earlier days, operating rules were much different. Railroads all had their own rules. Not like it became as time moved ahead, where rules were more consolidated between multiple companies. Yes. They did run without headlights. I can't tell you why. My guess is that changed as safety concerns and laws were tightened.
Back in the days of steam, and even into the early to mid 50's, the railroads possessed far more power over the gov. they were the country builders as it were. ergo, they pretty much made their own sets of rules, gov be damned.. Slowly, up until about 1967 when the fed DOT was formed, the gov... well.. they became a bit railroad un friendly. Add in the low cost of fuel and semi's... and landowners that railroad right of ways went through etc etc etc... that kind of marked the end of the golden age of railroads as it were. the survivors, mainly U.P., BNSF, AMTRACK... are left spending billions to accomodate the safety... and govs distaste for the railroad... save for amtrack... which was taken over by the gov during the end of the nixon era... If memory serves correctly... gov owned, crap management installed, designed to fail... obviously it hasn't but the gov keeps trying... Anyway... the long and short of your question... it was really railroad specific as far as lighting rules, etc.... U.P. seemed to be the biggest force back then.. The lesser railroads, either were driven into bankruptcy, or absorbed in mergers as time progressed. I'm not even sure if you could google those rules pertaining to a specific railroads op procedure. maybe a trip to the library to search through scads of microfiche?
The gentleman in the linked article did a very good job of telling the story and history of the locomotive headlight. http://www.presentationmagazine.com/history-railway-locomotive-headlamp-16257.htm During the late 1940's early 1950's the only time I did not see a headlight turned on, on a steamer, was when the locomotive was parked on a siding and not moving.
Thanks for the link! Had learned a bit out of a firemans training manual reprint I have, but it had no history. Have been around 'air-arc' welders that are used to blow holes or cut out very thick steel plate, and i can affirm that it puts out a VERY bright blue-white light! That would definitely be a blinding thing. Now, to figure out when various roads put in rules about when it must be lit....
