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Why Do Freight Trains Have a FLASHING Red Light?
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edwin_m
Veteran Member
Portable tail lamps are battery powered. Having them flashing with a short "on" period will increase the battery life as well as making them more conspicuous.
Cue question on why fixed tail lamps don't flash...
Cue question on why fixed tail lamps don't flash...
100andthirty
Member
All trains have to have a red light at the rear. In the bad old days this was an oil lamp, which often glowed slightly if really dark. The introduction of electric lamps was probably earlier than battery technology could provide; light enough to be portable and to last a long time. The flashing reduced the drain on the battery. However, it also drew attention to the lamp, so would be quickly noticed if not working, as it is a single point failure. Virtually all passenger stock, excepting loco hauled with no rear loco or Driving Trailer, has two steady red lights at the rear.
With LED lamps the current draw is much smaller than the incandescent lamps! So there is no need to flash, but folk are used to the flashing and it does draw attention to it, like bicycle lamps.
With LED lamps the current draw is much smaller than the incandescent lamps! So there is no need to flash, but folk are used to the flashing and it does draw attention to it, like bicycle lamps.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Interestingly in mainland Europe they don't use lights (other than on passenger coaches which have them built in), they just use a metal tail marker which has a red X symbol on it.
I assume the advantage of a light is that if a train is where it shouldn't be you might see it and stop. But is that needed in these days of super-bright headlamps? Would something reflective do?
I assume the advantage of a light is that if a train is where it shouldn't be you might see it and stop. But is that needed in these days of super-bright headlamps? Would something reflective do?
TwistedMentat
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It also helps identify if a train has split unexpectedly. If you see a consist (not constant 
) go by and there's no tail lamp you can be confident it's split and somewhere there are a set of cars blocking the track.
Though with axle counters and track circuits this ends up being a backup for a backup.
Overseas you can get much more complex ones that monitor end of train brake pressure and communicate it back to the cab. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device
I also like the name Fred for them. Flashing Rear End Device.
) go by and there's no tail lamp you can be confident it's split and somewhere there are a set of cars blocking the track.Though with axle counters and track circuits this ends up being a backup for a backup.
Overseas you can get much more complex ones that monitor end of train brake pressure and communicate it back to the cab. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device
I also like the name Fred for them. Flashing Rear End Device.
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