Re: Questions about headlights?

The reason for mounting the headlight somewhere on the bandstand of an articulated locomotive is so that it will shine in the direction the front engine is pointing rather than out into space. Some roads, like the Northern Pacific, discovered this fairly quickly while others, such as the Union Pacific, did not make the change untill the second series of Challengers came along.

The location of the headlight on the smoke box was according to the preference of the road ordering the locomotive. The Sumpter Valley Mikes and the lone Ten Wheeler had/have theirs mounted on the front of the smoke box near the top. This would probably lower the temprature somewhat inside the headlight, as opposed to mounting it on top of the smoke box. Top mounting was more common on locomotives in logging service, likely to get the light further from harms way and to allow it to shine over a loaded car.

At some point, I don't remember when, the ICC demanded that all locomotives with high mounted head lights had to have a place for crew members to stand while servicing the light.