UK "Pen Pals"

[nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org]

Mr. Prydderch wrote:>>Unless somebody contradicts me, a headlight was not
required as all railway property was fenced/walled off. Thus, no animals or
people were near the tracks, and drivers(engineers) did not need to see what
was out there. Passengers were on elevated platforms (about three feet, I
think), and were not normally allowed on the tracks.
About 50 years ago trespassers were strictly pursued, and prosecuted.<<

Thanks for the interesting information. It never occurred to me that
headlights wouldn't be necessary if there would never be anything on the
tracks that shouldn't be there. It's quite a contrast with the situation
here. In the city where I work, only a few months ago a young man walking
down the tracks on his way to his waiter job was struck and killed by a
train. The knucklehead was listening to an Ipod turned up so loud he
couldn't hear the approaching train's screaming horns! 

What about road crossings though? Were there no grade level crossings, or
did roads always cross over or under the tracks? If there were grade level
crossings then trains without headlights would, to a driver in a car, almost
appear to materialize out of nowhere at night. I've driven in the UK on
several vacations but I can't remember anything about railroad crossings. 

Thanks for your time. It's fascinating that the US and Britain developed
completely different approaches to something as basic as locomotive
lighting.  

Rob Doorack