I was looking at the Fallen Flags site, and there are two FP-7s in the Frsico section, 5042 and 5044. Both have single headlights. Just about every other photo I've seen of Frisco FP-7s shows dual headlights, and Mike Condren's roster states that FP-7s had gyralights added. Does anyone know when they were added? I'm stripping and painting an Roco ER FP-7 with a single headlight, no DB for Frisco--can't afford Intermountain.
As-built at EMD, they had no nose door light. They must have been added later during shoppings. It's possible not all of the FP-7's received the nose door light. BTW (I think), the upper light was the gyra-light, not the door light. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I know that was the case on the Frisco E-units. Ken ps - I bought one Frisco Intermountain FP-7. I don't like everything about the way it looks, but it sure runs well!
Thanks Ken. I read your thread on Intermountain FP-7s with great interest, as I would love to have one--but I got this Roco/ER models FP-7 for a very good price. I was thinking I could add a headlight casting to it, but after looking at Fallen Flags, not to mention pictures on this site, I may just leave it as is. You are correct; when gyralights were added they were installed in the upper housing, or at least that's what I've read: The EA7s and E8As were delivered with Mars lights. Several F3s, F7s, F9s, FA1s, and all FP7s were retrofitted with Mars lights. These included 5008, 5021, 5027, 5200, 5201, 5203, 5204, 5207, 5217, 5218, and 5220. Where so equipped, the Mars signal light was in the normal nose housing and the headlight was located in the nose door. On E-units, there was a red emergency brake signal light in addition to the normal white oscillating light. At least one GP7 was equipped with a Mars light. (from Mike Condren's Frisco Diesel Roster, http://www.cbu.edu/~mcondren/Frisco_Diesels.htm)I'm not completely happy with the way this FP-7 looks either, but it'll be fine from 3 feet away.
Don't know exactly when the Frisco's FP7 units received the lower nose lights. Pretty sure they did not arrive from EMD so equipped. As the Frisco found need for the FP7's on light passenger runs, or to sub or supplement for the E's, it makes sense the railroad would want to have the dual lights up front just as the E-units had. Similar to the E's, the dual light mount on the FP7's included the road illumination headlight(s) in the lower housing, with the Mars 0scillating light plus the red emergency warning light in the upper housing, just as the E's were equipped. I imagine this work was done during shopping as the Frisco equipped several, if not all, FP units for occasional passenger service. Just my thoughts, no hard evidence. K
Can't find any pics of the FP7's having a red light as one of the two lights in the upper nose light housing. The FP7 units that did have two lights up top seem to be two white lights. The E's generally had a white with red below it in the upper nose housing. I assume the top one was a Mars; the red one was an emergency, on the E's. K
