# SP Pyle Barrel Headlight



## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi,

This is quite a specific question but I was just wondering if anyone could help me.

I am trying to find out if the Pyle National barrel signal lights that SP fitted on some of their geeps and SDs are fixed beam or oscillating lamps? I can find loads of information about the other gyralights they used, but nothing on this particular light. I have loads of great photos from books and off the net, but they often don't show it illuminated and what kind of beam it cast.

Thanks for any info you can give me!
Regards,
Gavin


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Gavin

Maybe the following will be of some help.

http://espee.railfan.net/spsd07.html[/b]
Details: Only two series of SD7's were delivered with barrel signal lights at both ends: 5309-5316 and 5317-5335. The rest had just the normal vertical headlight both ends. Most of the earlier units seem to have been retro-fitted with the barrel signal light on the front only. 1959 saw the beginning of the removal of the rear Mars light from SD7's. During 1958/59 another change was also instigated, that of replacing the barrel signal light with the smaller Pyle-National signal light DA 1002 or similar. Variations abound, with one being painting out the rear barrel signal light, and placing a red lens in the top rear headlight and/or the front headlight. When the barrel was removed the bracket was not always removed with it. Some units had the barrel Mars removed without having the Pyle-National replacing it.

[url]http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/warnlts.htm[/b][/url]
In conventional language, a Mars Light is interpreted as being a light unit having a sweeping “figure 8” pattern and a Gyralite as one having a circular or elliptical pattern. Also, some consider a Mars Light as being a “red” light and a Gyralite as being “clear” (or white). It should be noted that none of the patents of The Pyle-National Company, hence the Gyralite, show a mechanism which produces a “figure 8” pattern. There are, however, patents that show circular or elliptical beam patterns for oscillating light units by Jeremiah D. Kennelly, hence the Mars Signal Light Company. It should also be noted that colored light filters or lenses were used on both Mars Lights and Gyralites.

[url]http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/history.htm[/b][/url]
It should be noted that the 15360 Gyralite (beacon) was not included in the takeover of the RR lighting line by Trans-Lite, Inc. This Gyralite was left to Pyle-National and acquired in the 1970 merger with Harvey Hubbell, Inc. (discussed below). 

In 1970, Pyle-National merged with Harvey Hubbell, Inc. The Anti-Trust Division of the Department of Justice received inquiries on this merger. As a result, in 1972, Hubbell divested itself of Pyle-National’s Connector Division. This division became known as The Pyle-National Company.

Harvey Hubbell, Inc. became known as “Hubbell, Inc.”.

The 15360 Gyralite was marketed by Hubbell Lighting, Inc. (subsidiary of Hubbell, Inc.). This Gyralite was actively produced as a part of their lighting line through 1997. They still will manufacture this light on a special order.

[url]http://www.trans-liteinc.com/history.html[/b][/url]


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## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks Steven, some great info there!


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

No problem Gavin, glad the above was found to be of use.


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