I'd like to put EOT lights on my cabooses and trailing passenger cars. I've noticed in the Walthers catalog that various companies sell EOT light kits that come in red or yellow, flashing or constant. Does anyone know what is most prototypical? Was/is there any standard for EOT lights on real trains, or did everyone do as they pleased? I'm most interested in steam era as opposed to modern, in case this has changed. Also, does anyone have experience with products from Accurate Lighting or Circuitron? These two companies seem to have the broadest product offerings in rolling stock lighting. Thanks, Dan
All the EOT's I've ever seen on UP/SP and BNSF freights here in SoCal have red colored flashers...but I have heard of other RR's using amber colored flashers. Hopefully some of the Trainboard members that follow or work for some of the other railroads can chime in. [ 26 November 2001: Message edited by: Mankind ]</p>
I believe before the FRED came around, the cabooses had two steady red marker lamps, as well as passenger cars, on the rear end. The color may have been RR specific, but most were red. Modern trains have a single Flashing Rear End Device mounted on the rear coupler.
CN and other eastern Canadian railways use two types of SBU (Sending Brake Unit). One has a flasher, the other has a reflector only. Both are red in colour, and seem to be used interchangably. I seem to recall hearing a while back that the reflector type had fallen out of favour, because the reflectors got dirty and couldn't be seen until way too late. However, I haven't noticed a surge in the use of the flashers. To distinguish, I refer to the flashers as FRED, the reflectors as Barney. B-Dubya
