Few questions about M1/M3 railcars

[Pu3rToRoCk8947]

I wanted to ask few questions about the M1/M3 railcars,correct me if i am wrong on this but i noticed in old pictures when they were first delivered that it didn't have any headlamps mounted on the cars.I have seen videos of the M1's in revenue action and no headlamps during the early 90's.

Where the headlamps part of the M1/M3 order or added later on some or all of the fleet?

If this is an FRA mandate on commuter railroads then why doesn't SIRT R44's have them installed?

I know Budd was the manufacturer of the M1/M3's but is it rumor or fact that later orders of M3's had different name of manufacturer on builders plates?

[metsfan]

They were there from the beginning. Every train from the beginning back to the mid 1800's is federally required to have headlamps, later some sort of rear facing indicator was required, which is why all rolling stock has at least tail lights, and all forward facing (cab end A unit etc) rolling stock has headlamps, which are maintained vigilantly. More recently the triangle pattern, top fixed light, 2 lower lights have been required, though some equipment operates with a waiver. The spacing is also regulated and is standard where possible.

 

You may have been looking at the B end, vs the F end.

 

- A

[Pu3rToRoCk8947]

Thanks for the info metsfan,but maybe you should take a peek of this video i found on YouTube and you tell me.

I especially noticed on these LIRR M1 cars was the old MTA M logo in the front of the car,the blue M across from the engineers window.

I found this video on Italman45's page and according to the video it is dated from 1994,now i couldn't see the front of the car but the end shows no headlamp at all

I believe Island Modelworks LLC,a website that sells HO/N scale models,say in their M1 model section the real deal were delivered without headlamps on MTA property when first purchased

I hope this link works so anybody can check this video out

 

[metsfan]

The white/clear bulbs next to the tail end red lamps are the headlamps, As i said the triangle pattern was adopted at different times by different agencies, the top light was added later to meet the new guidelines. There was a timetable to do the modifications, as it costs money and takes time on a rolling stock fleet of any respectable size.

 

- A

[Far Rock Depot]

I wanted to ask few questions about the M1/M3 railcars,correct me if i am wrong on this but i noticed in old pictures when they were first delivered that it didn't have any headlamps mounted on the cars.I have seen videos of the M1's in revenue action and no headlamps during the early 90's.

Where the headlamps part of the M1/M3 order or added later on some or all of the fleet?

If this is an FRA mandate on commuter railroads then why doesn't SIRT R44's have them installed?

I know Budd was the manufacturer of the M1/M3's but is it rumor or fact that later orders of M3's had different name of manufacturer on builders plates?

 

i beleive you are referring to the lamps on the top of the front. they were added a few years ago. i beleive the LIRR cars have a double lamp and MNR have a single lamp. As for why they are not installed on SIR's 44s, well, although the SIR is a FRA regulated RR, they are currently NOT connected to the rest of the national railroad network therefore a waiver is in place to allow the MTA to leave out a few specs that it would normally require to include.