A Bright Future for Your Commuter Railway

Three years after its onset, the state of emergency around the COVID-19 pandemic has officially been lifted by the World Health Organization. In the months leading up to this declaration, commuter culture had already started to see a resurgence, as workplaces resumed in-person operations and employees increasingly made a Great Return to the office.

Public transit ridership, which had dwindled to 10% to 40% of its usual rates during the earliest stages of the pandemic, bounced back to 70% of pre-pandemic levels by the final months of 2022. What’s more, many workers have reported positive feelings around reinstating their daily or weekly commute — largely because it offers a much-needed transition between home and the workplace.

This is great news for managers of commuter railways, who can expect to see a steady increase in ridership throughout the remainder of 2023. This moment also provides a unique opportunity to consider investing in locomotive lighting upgrades, particularly for the majority of railway operators who still use incandescent lamps for their interior and exterior lighting.

Why the Right Lighting is Important

While it may be tempting to select lamp replacements based on the lowest upfront cost, balancing budget concerns with a few important lamp characteristics yields a better ROI over time.

When selecting a locomotive lighting upgrade, one important consideration is the lifespan of the lamp. Changing a single burned-out lamp takes an average of 20 minutes, so a longer-lived option means your locomotive spends significantly less time out of commission while awaiting or undergoing repairs.

Out of the three primary options for your exterior locomotive lighting — incandescent, LED, and halogen — LEDs require the least frequent replacements, with lifespans that range between 30,000 to 50,000 hours per lamp. However, at $100 at $300 per lamp for moderately priced options and up to $1,000 for a premium lamp, the upfront cost of LEDs is prohibitive for most railways, particularly those who wish to upgrade the lighting for their entire fleet at once.

While the longevity of halogen lamps doesn’t quite match that of LEDs, their 2,000- to 4,000-hour lifespan far outmatches the 800-hour average offered by incandescents, meaning they require replacements about 3.75 times less frequently. Halogen options also tend to be more cost-effective than their LED counterparts while providing an industry-proven alternative to incandescents.

Stressing Compatability

As with any new part installation, it’s also important to determine whether your replacement lighting is compatible with your locomotive’s existing infrastructure — a factor that’s key not only in protecting the safety of passengers, but also in ensuring the maximum possible benefit from your upgraded lighting option.

Thankfully, upgrading from incandescent to LED or halogen doesn’t have to mean a total rewire of your locomotive. For locomotives using PAR46 or PAR56 models, switching out lamp types usually requires no additional steps beyond the purchase and installation of the new lamp. This versatility in terms of replacement is a crucial component of a smooth and efficient lighting upgrade; ideally, the option you choose will be as simple as “plug and play,” allowing for a seamless transition to a higher quality option.

The filament durability of your replacement lighting is another necessary consideration, especially since it contributes both to the overall longevity of the lamp and your ability to protect the safety of passengers and crew. In halogen lamps, insufficient filaments are especially prone to heat saturation, a phenomenon that causes the filament to sag over time. This drooping of the filament affects the light center, pointing the beam upward and causing an imprecision known as beam wander.

Keys to Choosing a New Direction

To avoid this and other concerns in your upgraded lighting, it’s important to do your homework and ensure that the manufacturer is reputable, established and has the capacity to perform (and document) their own quality controls.

The manufacturer should also be trusted to use durable, automotive-grade components throughout the production process, rather than regular commercial-grade materials. While choosing an LED lamp sidesteps any potential concerns about filament sag, these lamps can still dim over time if made with materials of insufficient quality. For this reason, it’s important to ensure you’re working with a well-established manufacturer, regardless of the type of lighting you ultimately choose.

While reducing the frequency of lamp changeouts is certainly an important goal of a lighting upgrade, even the highest quality lamp will eventually need to be replaced — which is why the availability of your lighting option should be on your list of factors to consider.

Moving Away from Incandescents

Incandescent lights are no longer manufactured in the U.S. and importing them requires a heavy tax (approximately 25%, as of 2023). Halogen lamps are subject to the same tax when imported from overseas; however, unlike with incandescents, there are a few manufacturers of halogen lamps based in the U.S.

On top of taxes and container costs, importing parts from outside the U.S. takes a significant amount of time, often several years. Choosing a product that’s available domestically allows you to sidestep the added complications and expenses of expediting your order, ensuring your replacements are readily available when you need them.

With workers resuming their commutes in increasing numbers, there’s never been a better or more important time for commuter railways to consider upgrading their lighting options. While upgrading from incandescents is a worthwhile goal, balancing this with additional factors — such as the lamp’s lifespan, versatility, filament strength, and ease of replacements — is ultimately an investment in the long-term success of your fleet.