I stumbled across a website with some good information on all the various kinds of Gyralites. I couldn't find any mention of this site or the information here. Here's the link: http://www.trainweb.org/gyra/ A few references to Frisco Gyralites are sprinkled through the information. It's an old website that hasn't been updated in more than 14 years, but the information is still historically useful as long as it remains available. The owner of the website also references a book he wrote on the subject. I found it on Amazon and the resellers want $$$$ for it. Based on the information on the above website it appears that the Frisco equipped their second generation units with 175x0 series Gyralites (the 4th digit represented various mounting methods and electrical conduit placement, none of which is externally visible). It also mentions that the eight B30-7s had an unusual surface mount for their Gyralites. A brief refresher on Frisco Gyralites (just in case someone doesn't know, not because I'm an expert) 2nd Generation Units: All units that had Gyralites were built that way, I know of no units retrofitted with them U25B - none had Gyralites GP35 - none had Gyralites SD45 - SLSF 900-942 no Gyralites, SLSF 943-948 had Gyralites U30B - SLSF 832-843 no Gyralites, SLSF 844-862 had Gyralites GP38AC - all had Gyralites GP38-2 - all had Gyralites GP15-1 - all had Gyralites B30-7 - all had Gyralites SD40-2 - all had Gyralites GP40-2 - all had Gyralites First Generation Units: I know very little about these. Feel free to add to or correct this information. The E7s and E8s had Mars lights in the upper headlight housing. Presumably it included one oscillating white light and a red emergency brake light. The lower housing on the nose door appears to have twin beam headlights. The FP7s have both upper and lower headlight housings, but did not have the same white and red Mars light in the upper housing. Possibly the upper housing included some kind of oscillating light as the housing on the nose door appears to be the twin beam headlights. The F3s, F7s, and FA-1s I am clueless about. Some have only the upper headlight housing, others have both. For units that had headlights in the nose door, presumably they had some kind of oscillating light in the upper housing. I'm guessing that management felt the expense of oscillating lights was worth it for locomotives that would be operating at higher speeds in passenger service. However, this does not explain why some freight-only cab units had dual headlight housings, nor does it explain why boiler equipped GP7s had no similar warning lights for when they led passenger trains.
Rolla Dave has found a really valuable reference, perhaps the moderators can add that website to our set of links. hopefully the Gyralight website will stay "up" for another fourteen years for a handy reference. Tom G.
I remember that figure 8 pattern, not on E units but on 2nd gen EMD diesels. I remember that floodlight pattern lighting up the dark row on the curve, then the train would come around the corner. fun stuff !
Keith, Thanks for the correction on the E-units! Does anyone know what type of light was in the FP7s?
That figure-8 Mars light pattern on the E's was really neat to see at night as the lead unit sat at the Rolla depot heading west. The light flashed off the trackside buildings ahead of the train in a real neat way. I used to really enjoy it when the engineer flipped the light back on as he started up #9 after the station stop. The noise was also fantastic from the four 567's. As I recall (I'm out of town and can't check my references) all, or at least some, of the Frisco FP7's came with just one headlight. I believe the Frisco added the second light in the door. Probably the same with the F7's that had door lights. Can anyone confirm? Ken
Don't forget; the 200 series wide vision cabooses carried red oscillating lamps, and the Frisco placed a red oscillating lamp on the rear of its passenger trains. I always enjoyed watching a passenger disappear into the distance...a pair of red marker lamps with the red oscillating lamp and just wisp of steam escaping from the steam line.
At least two of the boiler equiped GP7s (560 and 606) Had mars lights. See: http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?2324-GP7s-with-Mars-lights&highlight=Gp7+mars Paul
How about that? I'd somehow overlooked the 2011 thread on GP7s with mars light. Pretty interesting stuff! Best Regards,