# CLASSIFICATION LIGHTS



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

When should classification lights be seen?

When should they be lit? 

Should they be seen from the front of the approaching engine?

Should they be on with the Number boards and Headlights?

Or should they be off when the headlights are on with a approaching train?

Do switchers have classification lights?

JJ


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

In daylight they used flags, as the evening got darker they would pull the flags and insert the appropriate lense in the housing and turn on the lights. 

Reg schedule no flag or lights, white for extra and green for following sections (extra trains for extra passengers) ... like they said in the tail light thread. 

Class lights weren't bright, they could be left alone. 

Not every road used the same codes. 

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Funny to find this thread at the top of the list on the homepage 5 days after the last post ... mine!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

That's cuse I altered the Questions.....I am not getting the answer I was looking for. 

Could be I did not phrase the questions correctly. 

JJ


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## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

This is why most photos of the Twentieth Century Limited from back in the pre-streamliner days show green flags on the locomotive. The Century typically ran in two to four sections.


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## Andre Anderson (Jan 3, 2008)

John, 

Class lights would have been on at the same time as the number boards, so you could wire them together. The reason that they would not be on the same circuit with the head lights is if you are meeting another train and you are in the siding you would turn off the headlight so as to not blind the other engineer but you would leave the class lights on so he could tell what class your trains is. Any time your train is out on the main and it is an extra you would have either have your class lights on or displaying white flags on the front of the train weather you are running long hood forward or short hood forward. Yes a switcher would display class lights if it was out on the main. 

Andre


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

_(Note: responses relative to steam locos.)

When should classification lights be seen?_ 
The physical lights themselves? (not illuminated, but lamps physically on display) Depends on the railroad and locomotive. Some railroads permanently mounted the lamps (typical if they were wired for electricity), some took them on and off as needed. 

_When should they be lit? _
At night, only when needed to indicate the train was running extra (white) or had multiple sections (green). During the day, flags would be used instead of lights. 

_Should they be seen from the front of the approaching engine?_ 
Yes. 

_Should they be on with the Number boards and Headlights?_ 
Depends on the railroad and/or locomotive. Somewhere on the front. I've seen them up high near the headlights, on the front of the smokebox, or on the side of the smokebox. Flag holders were often on the ends of the pilot beam. Some railroads also put the class lamps there. 

_Or should they be off when the headlights are on with a approaching train?_ 
To my understanding, they should always be on regardless of the headlight, as they indicate the status of the train (extra or multiple sections.) Note: if a train had multiple sections, all sections except the last section would have green class lamps lit (or green flags during the day). The last section would not, so to indicate to oncoming trains and observers that it was the last section, and there were no more additional sections following. 

_Do switchers have classification lights?_ 
Unlikely, unless pressed into mainline service for some reason.

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm sure some road diesels that have classification lights were later pressed into switcher service. Have to look at some photos, but would guess they would not be illuminated in the switchyard. 

greg


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Thank you Gentlemen.


Moving a wire on my Airwire Decoder board and they will be on with the Numbers boards...


JJ


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