SP #4449 & UP #844 doubleheader departing Centralia

[silverjinglebobspur1]

Responding to the horn and whistle. I have notes from this engine, my great grandfather was the engineer. Horn for all functions, and whistle to communicate with caboose which also had a whistle and whistle for yard and line hands in acknowledgement of signals.

[ThomasRivette]

I miss that duel mars light.

[westr]

You know, initially I felt the same way, but after National Train Day, the trip to and from Michigan and Holiday Express, I've gotten used to the new single beam. Looking through the new 4449 calendar, I realized I now like the single-beam better. It just fits the opening better. It is also the way 4449 was designed.

[ThomasRivette]

Love the sound of that bell.

[durangoandsilverton]

does anybody have a picture of an sp Colonnade depot, mainly the ticket office and the bullterin board, i am makeing one for the woodland sp depot. thank you

[ForeverSilver]

Cool, American Steam! Although it's not as pretty as out A4s but still, it's nice.

[darkhound891]

@ForeverSilver forgive me but the A4 is an eyesore thats my opinion.....what doesnt help my opinion is that i happen to be an american sorry buddy ill give the a4 1 thing it comes in a rainbow of colors

[lisasffek]

that train is f****** deadly. cool

[boeingLL747]

hey why does the daylight have an airhorn on it as well as a steam whistle?

[westr]

I'm not sure of the exact reason for the air horn, but it is original equipment. Maybe it was more effective in certain situations, or maybe it just seemed more modern like a diesel. The whistle might have been used in other situations or just been a backup. Air horns were standard equipment on later Southern Pacific steam engines, including the Daylights and later Cab-Forwards, and were added to some older engines. Today, 4449 usually uses the whistle, since that's what people want to hear.

[seth4404]

The air horn's sound cuts through the fog that plagues the San Francisco bay area better than that of a steam whistle. Its rare Doyle ever uses it. I believe it is a Leslie A200.

[Engine438]

Back in the days of steam, they would use the Horn at Grade Crossings, not the whistle. Why, I don't know. But it is rare to hear Doyle use the horn.

[nasher902k7]

dalight and fef again

[NN2Blue]

Fancy Headlamp! Can someone please explain?? Cheers!

[westr]

4449's upper light is a type of gyrating warning light called a Mars light. It moves in a figure 8 pattern, sweeping across the tracks ahead and illuminating areas where the regular headlight (the single-beam in the lower position) doesn't reach. During the day, the movement of the light makes it appear to flash from a distance. These lights were very common on Southern Pacific as well and other railroads, and are the predessors of the ditch lights on modern diesels.

[NN2Blue]

Thanks. I guessed it gave a greater coverage, but it was one of those "Well you learn something new everyday" moments. I don't know much about US railroads.

[lt1caprice57l]

And what I hear is that enginners vastly prefer the Mars lights/Gyralites.

[westr]

I think that's generally true. There are a few former Southern Pacific diesels owned by shortlines here in the northwest that have kept their Mars/Gyralights instead of being equipped with ditch lights.