Gyralite Information

Discussion in 'Diesel General' started by rolla dave, Mar 6, 2015.

  1. rolla dave

    rolla dave Member

    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.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 7, 2015
  2. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

    TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020) Passed Away July 15, 2020 Frisco.org Supporter

    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.
     
  3. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Dave, the E units had Mars lights installed in the upper headlamp housing.
     
  4. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter


    did the figure-8 pattern
     
  5. paul slavens

    paul slavens Member

    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 !
     
  6. rolla dave

    rolla dave Member

    Keith,

    Thanks for the correction on the E-units! Does anyone know what type of light was in the FP7s?
     
  7. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    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
     
  8. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

    TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020) Passed Away July 15, 2020 Frisco.org Supporter

    Ken, you are correct, the FP-7's came with just a single headlight.

    Tom G.
     
  9. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    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.
     
  10. pbender

    pbender Member Frisco.org Supporter

  11. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

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