High-Rise (Multi-Level) lights

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
(My apologies if anyone has covered this topic before, but...)

In 1966, NYPD started outfitting some of its cars with supplemental "high-rise" lights, also known as Multi-Level lights, mounted behind the usual Beacon Ray and consisting of two bars that could be vertically rotated 90 degrees (goal-post style.) They were made by the local Julian A. McDermott company and were intended to provide enhanced, long range warning on-scene of roadway accidents and disabled vehicles, etc. There were 6 double-faced lights; 3 on each bar, flashing in an alternating pattern. The lights were also used in the down-position (e.g., while in motion). Over the years, there has been a progression of newer models and configurations, to include the incorporation of spotlights, etc., not to mention Whelen's introduction of a similar product.

The basic concept is still in use today in the NYC metro area for highway patrol. My question is, does anyone know of anywhere distant from New York that used/uses such equipment?
 

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  • NYPD 2901 1987 Chevy Caprice Highway 3 (NS).jpg
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  • NYPD #2889; 1996 Chevy Caprice; Highway 4 (Manh.); 5-24-1997 (ns).jpg
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  • Suffolk County PD 906; 1995-96 Chevy Caprice (NS).jpg
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  • 1986-88 Dodge Diplomat; Staten Island Bridges command; 7-21-1990 (NS).jpg
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  • Poughkeepsie Town PD #41; 1990 Chevy Caprice Traffic Enforcement (NS).jpg
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  • NYPD 103 Pct 71 Fury w McDermott High-Rise lights (NS).jpg
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  • NCPD Highway Patrol car with McDermott ML-6 Hi-Rise lights on extension brackets; 8-12-1999 (NS).jpg
    NCPD Highway Patrol car with McDermott ML-6 Hi-Rise lights on extension brackets; 8-12-1999 (NS).jpg
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801

Member
Jul 14, 2014
679
NV
Did you have to raise and lower them manually? Just wondering because I've never seen on in person.
 

NPS Ranger

Member
May 21, 2010
1,988
Penn's Woods
Maybe I wasn't paying attention but I don't remember that wart with the red blinky back in the day. What's up with that? Maybe an inflatable liferaft for when the vehicle gets blown off the Whitestone Bridge?
 
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NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
LOL! McDermott designated that unit as an ML-4-Strobe, so I gather the blinker is a strobe.

If McDermott riser lights are rare outside the NY metro area, the ML-4-Strobe qualifies as rare even within the metro area! I don't recall any agency other than the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority that used that model. Why TBTA selected that version I don't know, but they had them in service for a good number of years in the '80s & '90s.

By the way, here's a photo of one on a Chevy wagon, where the red/amber configuration is reversed from what was on the Plymouth.
 

Attachments

  • NY TBTA #54; c. 1985 Chevrolet stationwagon; Midtown Tunnel; August 1988 (NS).jpg
    NY TBTA #54; c. 1985 Chevrolet stationwagon; Midtown Tunnel; August 1988 (NS).jpg
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lotsofbars

Member
Jul 20, 2010
1,999
NYC, New York
TBTA still runs riser bars as their primary warning. They're the new Whelen version with all LED heads. The same style that was used to the rear on FDNY Battalion vehicles up until recently. Check it out.

ac1.staticflickr.com_1_219_491718803_219c5152ce_b.jpg
 
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NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
How is that Aerodynic set up? Any more pics of it, maybe from the front?
Here 'ya go.

Also note the supporting brackets here which raise the McDermott unit to clear rear output of the AeroDynic.
 

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  • McDermott ML-4-Strobe on '86-88 Chevy (N.Kemp).jpg
    McDermott ML-4-Strobe on '86-88 Chevy (N.Kemp).jpg
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CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
Looks like a NYPD Aerodynic to me
The only exception is the lense configuration. The rotators are under red sections, mirrors under clear, and the forward flashers are under amber.
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
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NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
The only exception is the lense configuration. The rotators are under red sections, mirrors under clear, and the forward flashers are under amber.
Presumably there would be one more difference - the red rotating lamps for NYPD instead have to be clear lamps here, yes?
 

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  • NYPD #1662; SOD; 1987 Caprice; at filming of movie Cadillac Man; Northn Bl, 7-1989 (NS).jpg
    NYPD #1662; SOD; 1987 Caprice; at filming of movie Cadillac Man; Northn Bl, 7-1989 (NS).jpg
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NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
Here's vintage photos showing another interesting approach for ensuring that the McDermott riser unit did not block the lightbar!

Maybe this was done in order to clear the luggage rack ...
 

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  • NCPD #2281; 198x Ford stationwagon, Highway Patrol;Whelen bar under McDermott unit(ns).jpg
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CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
The Riser lights are elevated so the primary lightbar can be seen from the rear, in my opinion unnecessary.
The current NYPD practice is to elevate the newer more compact Vision SLR bar so it can be seen from the rear over the Riser lights, again in my opinion unnecessary.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
I wanna see a Twinsonic with this LOL!
Well, not a TwinSonic, but take a look at what is on this Ford stationwagon! I believe it is a related product ("Vu-Control") from the same company (Weaver Division).
 

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  • Peel ON Regional Police #98; late 1970s; patrol sgt's wagon.jpg
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May 31, 2010
1,013
Aurora, Coloado
Denver, CO PD uses a version of a riser bar. Used to be made by Super Vac but not able to find any info. In fairness, have not dug deep. I bought an old one at auction. It had an all light MX7000 and a Whelen TA mounted to it with the factory 6 inch oval TA built on the riser.
This pic is at Denver International Airport.

m;km;l,m;.jpg
 
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ex416

Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,021
West Central Wisconsin
i remember seeing a Denver CO PD squad with a type of riser bar back in 78 or 79 when i was stationed there. the riser apparatus was boxy looking, which was what caught my eye because i had never seen one before. i'm not sure anymore, but i think it was equiped with a twinsonic lightbar.
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
Denver, CO PD uses a version of a riser bar. Used to be made by Super Vac but not able to find any info. In fairness, have not dug deep. I bought an old one at auction. It had an all light MX7000 and a Whelen TA mounted to it with the factory 6 inch oval TA built on the riser.
This pic is at Denver International Airport.

View attachment 155244
Interesting. This looks like it may be the same unit used by the NY-NJ Port Authority Police in the 1980s. To my understanding it was an Acme Hi-Low.

Whatever you think about the Hi-Low, ya gotta love the serious push-bumper on this bridge patrol car.
 

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  • PAPD 5124-6; 1980s Dodge Diplomat _ GW Bridge command (NS).jpg
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  • PAPD #5124-6 80s Dodge Diplomat side - GWB (NS).jpg
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  • PAPD #5124-6; front; 198x Dodge Diplomat with Acme Hi-Lo unit; GWB  Command; 8-1988 (ns).jpg
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CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
That push-bumper was fairly standard on PAPD RMPs of that era, probably most bridge and tunnel units plus some Bus Terminal units too
 
Having only been to NYC 3 times, I never got to see these lights in action...and I actually drove once into Manhattan from Philly (1987). IMHO, the ascetics of these bars were plum forsaken, but I sure get the utilitarian need as it seemed drivers were either driving with their eyes closed or using Brail (rumble strips on shoulders and reflectors on lane markers). As I recall, it was eight lanes of traffic moving down the Ave. of the Americas with only 6 lanes defined. You quickly learned the 1st rule...Tonnage Counts!
 

NESQ115

Member
Jan 21, 2012
118
New York
No, just those 3 I'm afraid. Unfortunately I have no rear photo.

But here's two other PAPD cars with the same push-bumpers, assigned to another bridge command. At that time, it seems that the relatively few PAPD cars that had McDermott lights had red StreetHawks, while the rest of the cars had red/blue AeroDynics.
 

Attachments

  • PAPD #513x; 198x Dodge Diplomat, front; SIB Command; 7-21-1990 (ns).jpg
    PAPD #513x; 198x Dodge Diplomat, front; SIB Command; 7-21-1990 (ns).jpg
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