Drivers are always turning off the red lights at terminals and switching on the white, and v.v. at the other end of the train.

They do this so often that this behaviour is ingrained.

It is conceivable that they may be distracted and fail to complete the action of turning on the white lights, say:

* get a message from Control to look out for vandals throwing stones (Seven Hills). Driver distracted. Fails to turn on white headlights.

* passenger tells Guard about a switch board door being loose in a carriage (Chatswood). Guard bells Driver that he is leaving his compartment to lock that door. Driver distracted.

* Have encountered at least once in a lifetime, seeing RED lights on the front of a train.

Both these examples are very rare, and should they happen, so be it.

The overall conclusion is that the white lights were almost 99.99% on.

Are there any circumstances by which both red and white lights at the ends of a train are switched OFF?

Turning on the White switch, unless there is "Lamp Proving", does not of course mean that the white light is showing if the lamp is broken. Does the Driver have to get out and check, or is there a mirror?

The drunken lady may of course been looking Up the Down line or v.v.

If we look at the Network Rules - NTR 406 Using Train Lights - there is a prohibition on using train lights in  the Metropolitian Area.

cityrail-rulez postulates that "Third all trains I've seen sound their horn when leaving railway stations"

again this is not a rule, in fact it was removed from rules in about 2015

If we look at the Network Rules - NTR 406 Using Train Lights - there is a prohibition on using train lights in the Metropolitian Area.

Please clarify:

* Are Headlights and Marker Lights the same thing? Do all types of trains have both? The Headlights are bigger and brighter than the marker lights. On the A-trains, the marker lights are up high, while the headlights are down low.

In the case of the drunken girl walking along the tracks, does she mean that the headlights or marker lights or both, were not alight?

If we look at the Network Rules - NTR 406 Using Train Lights - there is a prohibition on using train lights in the Metropolitian Area.

Please clarify:

* Are Headlights and Marker Lights the same thing? Do all types of trains have both? The Headlights are bigger and brighter than the marker lights. On the A-trains, the marker lights are up high, while the headlights are down low.

In the case of the drunken girl walking along the tracks, does she mean that the headlights or marker lights or both, were not alight?

marker lights are the red or white lights at the top of a passenger carriage

there is no requirement to run with headlights on, indeed it is mandated against, in the area where this occurred

In the case of the drunken girl walking along the tracks, does she mean that the headlights or marker lights or both, were not alight?

marker lights are the red or white lights at the top of a passenger carriage

there is no requirement to run with headlights on, indeed it is mandated against, in the area where this occurred

On my line, trains with Headlights low down always seem to have them on.

For thread about drunken girl, see https://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11384722.htm .

Drivers are always turning off the red lights at terminals and switching on the white, and v.v. at the other end of the train.

It is conceivable that they may be distracted and fail to complete the action of turning on the white lights, say:

* Have encountered at least once in a lifetime, seeing RED lights on the front of a train.

Both these examples are very rare, and should they happen, so be it.

The overall conclusion is that the white lights were almost 99.99% on.

Are there any circumstances by which both red and white lights at the ends of a train are switched OFF?

Accidental red lights on the front is actually quite common. Operational employees in busy areas probably see it weekly. Drivers are simply requested to correct the situation.

Headlamps illuminated on rear of train is not rare, either. Both of these irregularities typically arise when drivers change ends and forget to check their marker and headlamps.

Occasionally, both red tail lamps on a MU train might fail in service, but missing marker lights are not a real problem in the age of continuous track circuits and continuous brakes.


There are no normal circumstances in which a multiple unit train on a running line would have all marker lights extinguished.
It can be seen in case of:
- failure of all maker light globes (rare)
- failure either of train or electrification
- stabling on running lines with pantographs lowered etc. (not a normal situation)
- loco-hauling of dead MU train (WB tail lamp attached to rear of train)

In the case of the drunken girl walking along the tracks, does she mean that the headlights or marker lights or both, were not alight?

marker lights are the red or white lights at the top of a passenger carriage

there is no requirement to run with headlights on, indeed it is mandated against, in the area where this occurred

On my line, trains with Headlights low down always seem to have them on.

For thread about drunken girl, see https://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11384722.htm .

Low or dipped beam headlamps (also known as ditch lights), where fitted, are now required to be illuminated on all running lines. This was changed a couple of years ago IIRC. Before the change, all headlamps had to be off inside the metropolitan area.

Use of main headlamps is still restricted essentially to outside the Sydney and Newcastle suburban areas, where they should generally be illuminated at all times (except where extinguished as provided for in the rules).

NB There are still a small number of trains with no headlamps, e.g. the S sets with marker lights only. Like all suburban EMUs before them, these trains were never intended for use outside the metropolitan area and thus did not need headlamps.