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Are the lights on the front of a train,,

montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,206 ******
edited January 2017 in General Discussion
the same as aircraft landing lights??

Which is brighter??

Comments

  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 25,364 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    JHHO the landing lights would be brighter .
    the train is on tracks and no need to light up a huge area besides they could not stop in time 99% of the time
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    A long time ago, I operated a 1953 GM diesel/electric locomotive. It had lights that would make it like daylight, a LONG way down the track. I thought it would be cool to put such lights on the front of my truck, but I found that they ran on 32 volts DC.

    Later on, I worked for a PD in the same area. Our patrol cars had spotlights on them, that allegedly were aircraft landing lights. The police car spotlights were nowhere near as bright as the locomotive lights.
  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,206 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nunn
    A long time ago, I operated a 1953 GM diesel/electric locomotive. It had lights that would make it like daylight, a LONG way down the track. I thought it would be cool to put such lights on the front of my truck, but I found that they ran on 32 volts DC.

    Later on, I worked for a PD in the same area. Our patrol cars had spotlights on them, that allegedly were aircraft landing lights. The police car spotlights were nowhere near as bright as the locomotive lights.
    Yep,I remember that it was just a given that the cop cars had aircraft lights in their spotlights. True? I don't know,but they were bright. Now a train is not only bright,but is bright for a long ways. Thanks for the reply Nunn.
  • fideaufideau Member Posts: 11,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They once used "Mars Lights" that oscillated to light up a wide area.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are you channeling Penguin, Joe??
  • savage170savage170 Member Posts: 37,566 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    From the FRA rules book
    The FRA requires that the locomotive headlight (steady burn) used for road service have a luminous intensity of at least 200,000 candela. The headlight light focus angle in the horizontal plane in relation to the centerline of the locomotive must illuminate the track so that the locomotive engineer can identify moving or stationary objects or conditions at a distance of 244 m (800 ft) in front and ahead of the locomotive. The reduced luminous intensity (60,000 candela) and distance requirements (91.5 m [300 ft]) for railroad yard headlight operation is required to reduce excessive glare for railroad employees.
  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Still have a bunch of airplane light bulbs on the shelf. Wagner. Used to run them on the tractors. HID and led's have made them obsolete.
  • guns-n-painthorsesguns-n-painthorses Member Posts: 6,462 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Headlight + Ditchlights on a locomotive = blinding lights.

    The ditch lights are to make you see the train, day or night, so you don't get hit by it. Aircraft landing lights, not as bright as you have little risk of getting hit by airplane.
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,493 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Aircraft landing lights are largely so you can be seen by the control tower. They obviously don't illuminate anything when you are at any altitude at all, and they're of very little use in the actual landing, when you depend mostly on the runway lights. Landing lights are highly detrimental when you're in clouds, as you might guess. Nothing but "milk bottle" glare from outside when you're trying to read the instruments.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • dakotashooter2dakotashooter2 Member Posts: 6,186
    edited November -1
    So how come a train can be 300 ft from a crossing and I still have trouble spotting it ?
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,493 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You have to look the right direction.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Had a Pair of Aircraft lights in my El Camino just behind the grill.

    To test them I only turned them on for a few seconds.

    Well one night out on I-15 between Camp Pendelton and San Diego I had a car coming in the other lane that would not dim its lights. Tries flashing my Normal Highs and nothing. Hit those Aircraft Lights and He turned on his flashing Blue Lights.

    For some reason he did not come after me. But when I looked at the front of my car when I got home, the grill was melted it was plastic.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've got some 64,000 deg. (??) Kelvin lights on front of my Jeep. I call them the "Dominators," when some DA refuses to dim his brights.

    Works every time.
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The ANN/VS-1 Searchlight was used on the M60 tank. Weighed several hundred pounds. Light output of a lighthouse or small nuclear weapon.

    Type of light................Visable or infrared.
    Type of lamp................Xenon, short arc.
    Output candlepower:
    Normal......................100 million.
    Overdrive..................150 million.
    Beamwidth
    Narrrow.....................0.5deg to 0.75deg.
    Wide.........................7.0deg.
    Input power requirements:
    Voltage......................28 volts dc.
    Current:
    Nominal....................100 amperes
    Overdrive.................140 amperes
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
    Still have a bunch of airplane light bulbs on the shelf. Wagner. Used to run them on the tractors. HID and led's have made them obsolete.


    I still buy the standard bulbs for my landing lights they are about 16 bucks each. The FAA approved and certified LED landing light bulbs are over 400 bucks EACH. [B)][:0]
  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,206 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost
    quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
    Still have a bunch of airplane light bulbs on the shelf. Wagner. Used to run them on the tractors. HID and led's have made them obsolete.


    I still buy the standard bulbs for my landing lights they are about 16 bucks each. The FAA approved and certified LED landing light bulbs are over 400 bucks EACH. [B)][:0]
    Holy schmoly,,[:0][:0][:0]
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