Rule of the Week: Headlights

...a continuing review of railroad operating rules applicable to MSTS, in the interests of more realistic operation of the simulator:Rule 5.9 - Headlight Display.Turn the headlight on bright to the front of every train, except when the light must be dinmmed or turned off. (comment: this means 24/7, day and night)5.9.1 - Dimming Headlights: Except when a train is approaching or passing over a public crossing at grade, dim the headlight:1. At stations and yards where switching is being done.2. When engine is stopped close behind another train.3. In non-signaled territory (e.g., Kalispell branch in Marias) when the engine is stopped on the main track waiting for an approaching train.4. When approaching and passing the head end and read end of a train on an adjacent track (comment: just like dimming your auto headlites at night, except during daylight hours also). (comment: did BNSF just change this rule? can any BNSF professional out there help?)5.9.2 - Headlight Off: 1. When a train is stopped clear of the main track to meet a train, however an extinguished headlight does not indicate to an opposing train that a train is clear of the main track. (comment: Al Krug had a scary tale re this, in non-signaled (dark) territory, IIRC where he was coming down a hill to a siding where an opposing train was supposed to be in the clear on the siding, and they saw this headlight near the near siding switch without time to stop due to speed/grade. Seems the crew forgot to turn it off.2. Without block system limits, when a train is stopped on the main track to meet a train approaching on the same track. fwbryan

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RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, SVTS, Dec-08-03, 08:41 PM, (1) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, Busdriver, Dec-08-03, 10:45 PM, (2) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, SVTS, Dec-08-03, 11:44 PM, (3) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, davereage, Dec-09-03, 00:08 AM, (4) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, smp11512, Dec-09-03, 00:42 AM, (5) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, TexasWestern70Mac, Dec-09-03, 01:49 AM, (6) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, PatchCrew, Dec-10-03, 08:47 PM, (7) RE: Rule of the Week: Headlights, Tim Frost, Dec-10-03, 10:50 PM, (8)

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Yes, BNSF did change the rule. Dimming is no longer permitted when approaching another train.Chris Bogley
Syracuse New York
www.msnusers.com/highballphoto

3rd shift production, Krispy Kreme, East Syracuse NY. www.krispykreme.com

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Do you know "why" they changed the rule on the BNSF?Bryce

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My guess would be diming the lights creates a unsafe situation where the train is moving, but the lights are not on. It's one of those "better safe than sorry" ideas, where you reduce the chance of a accident of some sorts without the lights on, and leave yourself open for a lawsuit.Again, that is just a guess, not fact.Chris Bogley
Syracuse New York
www.msnusers.com/highballphoto

3rd shift production, Krispy Kreme, East Syracuse NY. www.krispykreme.com

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I'm assuming that "stations" includes passenger stations? I've seen quite a few GO Trains without the ditch lights lit coming into stations. Gues it's nice not to blind the customers! (especially in dark Union Station).

Dave Reage
Halifax, Canada

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According to a BNSF Engineer I met in Tehachapi on Wensday is that in the Day time you are not allowed to dim your headlights for anything but at night , if the Engineer of the Train you are meeting requests that you dim the lights you MUST do it, but if they do not request it then you CAN NOT do it.Shane Palus
BNSF Railfan

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really? hmmm the engineers here on the Slaton sub still dim thier headlights for meets during the day.....have seen it, and as recent as saturday. guess older hoggers still do it out of habit.Hauling America one pixel at a time
Bill Hemb; train sim repainter http://www.cascadenscale.org/Evergreen/tsdm.htm

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To add what Shane said above, the modified rule in place on UP and BNSF does not allow the dimming of the headlight at anytime during daylight hours except as stated above. Why? Because some Engineers were dimming their headlight during the daytime and then forgetting to turn the headlight back to bright. It is a big no-no to go over a grade crossing with a dimmed headlight and no ditchlights (the ditchlights only come on when the headlight switch is in the bright position). The FRA wants to de-certify any Engineer who does so.PatchCrew
UP Engineer

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LAST EDITED ON Dec-10-03 AT 10:52 PM (EST)

-nevermind- (I misread, my question HAS been answered)Tim Frost
The Union Atlantic Railroad: Your stuff's important!

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