Super Beacon Ray Model 174

[pittsfordredfox]

Nice pair of lights

[SheriffTankStoner]

Too bad there wasn't a purple lens for this.

[MrIMBECILE1]

RTzee comments are the truth. I can't understand why Federal would not have understood that. Just a couple of inches makes a big, big difference in the effectiveness of this light.

[distantsignal]

These are awesome pieces!

I grew up in Tallahassee, Florida and Beacon Rays were on every police and fire vehicle. Fla Highway Patrol went blue in the early 60's. Nothing struck fear in a driver's heart more than a flashing Beacon Ray behind them.

I never saw the reversing models until Hawaii Five-O in 1969. What was the purpose of the reverse-action over the single direction model?

Thanks,

Danny Harmon

[robertgift]

A mistake with these is the light should stop and reverse with a bulb facing directly forward. That gives a much brighter appearing light for that moment. Next it blinks as another bulb then sweeps across one's vision.

With the name tag facing directly forward, all that is ever seen in one's rearview mirror is a less bright flash.

[Rtzee]

@robertgift "Hind sight is always 20-20"

[robertgift]

@Rtzee Well, not always "20-20", either.

Buthey should have seen this and improved it.

They could have improved it at any time. (Just moving the front name plate left enough would have made the difference.)

[zangazoo2007]

Hawaii Five-O (the blue one)

[SheriffTankStoner]

@zangazoo2007 Attack Of The Eye Creatures (the red one)

[k0smon]

These lights were usually mounted on the vehicle with the swing centered rather than at the end of the swing, which caused the light to be no more effective than a regular beacon. Another way to approximate the effect of this light was to use a 3 lamp beacon and kill one of the lamps.

[thebakerman1]

Excellent lights. They were truly remarkable lights in their day that offered a 360 degree staggered flash not found in other lights of the period. These are some of the really great collectible lights, and this pair appear in fine shape. And of course, REAL glass domes mean they will never fade or become opaque due to cleaning agents, bugs, sand or whatever.

[MPfreeze10]

OLD SCHOOL

[thebakerman1]

@MPfreeze10

Yep, the real-deal bubble gum lights!!

[awolfpack343]

very nice. i didnt know that they made lights like those that spin like that

[Rtzee]

Yes sir. These both have glass lenses and sit in my office. Thanks for stopping by. You have nice site on here. Thanks!

[Blueteamguy]

Paint a Pontiac GTO to classic "B&W" and you have yourself a classic cop car :)

[CSILCPD]

i love it this stuff was realy great not these extreme led flashers

[STARZFAN31]

these were amazingly good lights, bright, especially for their day.

[Rtzee]

Thank you. Yes they are in good shape. I actually have them setting on top of a bookshelf at my office. Thanks for stopping by.

[efd49931]

Nice lights.

[Rtzee]

Thank you and thanks for stopping by. I'm a La. State Trooper and these red ones are what I remember way back when. Thanks for posting.

[leeking007]

Im impressed , how do they oscillate? is it a complex mechanical Issue? oz medic ..

[Rtzee]

Not complex at all. Go to Henry455 on youtube and look at his video of Mars 888 internal workings, you can see how the round turning horizontal geared plate causes a light or the carousel of lights to oscillate. Thanks.

[PolizeiPaul]

Dude.. The blue one it's like off Hawaii 50.. Nice light.. only thing I never liked about it is it oscilates as oposed to rotates.. My red one like it rotates you'll see it soon when I upload my other lights.

[Rtzee]

The oscilation is what makes this model so unique. Thanks for stopping by. Is yours a Federal Sign and Signal?

[PolizeiPaul]

Yes it is.Manufactured in Blue Island, Illinois

Model 15 A: Junior Beacon made in 1948.

The first one out. It has a large bulb(kinda looks like a house hold one but it's 12 volts and it has a metal block with 4 cut out holes with magnifying lenses to give the appearance of 4 bulbs rotating in it.. You'll see it soon as I get the colors touched up cause I don't have a camcorder and filmed it with a digital camera instead and the brightness of it kinda messes the colors up.

[Rtzee]

I have a Junior with a red glass lens. I will post soon. Thanks for stopping by and posting. I will have my Junior Beacon Ray on here before long.

[B52FORTRESS]

ok...where can i get one?

[PolizeiPaul]

Sometimes the local police throw them away when they get new fancy light bars. Just pull up and look in their dumpster for them or you can also find them on eBAy but you'll usually pay a pretty penny there. You might also try auto salvage yards and scrap car part shops as they tend to get these off wrecked emergency vehicles alot.

[SheriffTankStoner]

I wish they still made these today. You see these oscillators in TV. Very the cool in Hawaii Five-0. Saw a red one on the Twilight Zone ep. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet and in the 1965 b-movie Attack Of The Eye Creatures

[stupullen]

dang sheriff...

you watch that crap too? and here I thought I was being origional.

very nice lights for there time.

[B52FORTRESS]

the fire dept. where i live still have 174's on some of the auxillary pumpers and ariels.

[Rtzee]

Cool! I bet they are mounted on some very nice older trucks!  Thanks for stopping by.

[TheLSK]

OUTSTANDING!

[tac2mike]

Really nice! Makes me wish I kept my Purple 174!

[fmartinjr]

superb

[Rtzee]

Thank you.  It took a while to find the blue glass. Thanks for your comment.

[GibsonFella]

That's a treasure right there. Two Super Beacon Rays in red and blue.

[meamorja]

Cool man!!!