Fed-Sig CJ-184

[dmathieu]

Split red/amber domes use to be seen on Maine F.D.'s (before lightbars). Ahead of NFPA's standards, it was believed the amber cut thru smoke/fog better than red while on scene (rear placement). Since the experts are here, did Federal offer one with 2 par46 bulbs?

Not a rotator with PAR 46 bulbs.

 

[Liberty703]

Not a rotator with PAR 46 bulbs.

Thanks, I bought a rather large collection almost a year ago. I did not get the light (owner kept it along with his collection of Beacon Rays), but there was a large beacon with 2 par46 bulbs, offset & projecting 180 deg from each other, with split red/amber dome. I did get some photo's of his collection, I'll search my files, but he told me it was rare.

 

[DalmatProd]

They date further back but became popular with Adam-12 and Dragnet.

Skip,


You are quite correct, however, Jack Webb would give you an elbow, for not mentioning his third show that displayed the amber-to-the-rear: EMERGENCY, with the caveat that "Rescue 51" was using a FS Twinsonic. Additionally, I believe the original "Dragnet," (1951-1959) used an in-car solid red to the front and next iteration (1967-1970) had a flashing red light from within the vehicle, but I'm fairly sure it was not a revolving light, aka, "fireball." This revival of show also displayed an amber-to-the-rear, on the few rear shots that Webb used. He felt that people didn't tune in to see vehicles, they wanted to see the people (sic. actors).


That last fact came from the best one of my grad school professors from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, the late Frederick Ziv. For those of you who are my contemporaries, you might remember that after the credits rolled on such great shows as, "Highway Patrol," "Sea Hunt," "Bat Masterson," and many more, the full-screen credit of ZIV Television Productions, would pop up. He was an indefatigable executive producer, who was also close friends with Jack Webb and Rod Serling.


Steve

 

[Skip Goulet]

Skip,
You are quite correct, however, Jack Webb would give you an elbow, for not mentioning his third show that displayed the amber-to-the-rear: EMERGENCY, with the caveat that "Rescue 51" was using a FS Twinsonic. Additionally, I believe the original "Dragnet," (1951-1959) used an in-car solid red to the front and next iteration (1967-1970) had a flashing red light from within the vehicle, but I'm fairly sure it was not a revolving light, aka, "fireball." This revival of show also displayed an amber-to-the-rear, on the few rear shots that Webb used. He felt that people didn't tune in to see vehicles, they wanted to see the people (sic. actors).


That last fact came from the best one of my grad school professors from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, the late Frederick Ziv. For those of you who are my contemporaries, you might remember that after the credits rolled on such great shows as, "Highway Patrol," "Sea Hunt," "Bat Masterson," and many more, the full-screen credit of ZIV Television Productions, would pop up. He was an indefatigable executive producer, who was also close friends with Jack Webb and Rod Serling.


Steve

I haven't seen one of the old original Dragnets in a long time, so I can't remember what they used then. But in the '67-70 series, they used a small Unit handheld spotlight with a PAR 36 red sealed beam which was steady-burn red to meet California requirements. On some episodes you can see an amber sealed-beam flashing light in the rear deck of that mid-sized Ford, but in other episodes it's not there. Another remarkable thing about the later episodes in that smaller Ford was that you didn't see a siren control, like the Interceptors you could see on Adam-12. What you did see, however, whenever they had to run "hot", Gannon would hit the horn button and suddenly you heard the siren! Another neat unmarked unit was the orignal '57 Dodge used in "The Lineup" which ran from '57 to '59 or '60, and was then spun-off with "San Francisco Beat". The light used inside the Dodge was at the very least a PAR46 light that satup on the dash board in its own mount, but it flashed: it wasn't steady burn. The show was b/w, so we just assumed it was a red light, and the siren sounds were dubbed in.


What you mention above about sphincter-grabbing lights: you would've loved the old Mars DL8 that our volunteer service in Lubbock had on our original '60 Chevy wagon ambulance. This was an old 6-volt light that used an incandescent bulb similar to those in the lollipop light. But what we did was to remove the old bulb and replace it with a 1019 bulb (the 100 c.p. from a junior beacon). Now you talk about bright! We didn't modify the light in any other way except the bulb change, and remarkably running that light on 12-volts never hurt that old motor, although it oscillated considerably faster. A deputy friend of mine called it a "freaking" wobbly-light. One night we were leaving the local car races with a patient and this guy just happened to be sitting there with nothing else to do, so we ended up with a high-speed escort to the ER. Once the run was over I thanked the guy for the escort and he said, "Aw hell, Young'un, you didn't need me. That freakin wobbly light was so bright I almost had to turn my mirror around". Did it's job for sure!

 

[Skip Goulet]

Not a rotator with PAR 46 bulbs.

You're right, Dan. Federal didn't market a beacon with PAR 46 bulb. Trippe did with an oversized beacon the S2. It had twin PAR 46 aircraft sealed beams and was the brightest beacon I've seen. We had a pair mounted on a Trippe bar along with a pair of CP100 speakers powered by a PA200 and pair of blue DoRay lollipops, all on a 1970 Suburban ambulance. We also had a Q mounted just behind the lightbar. We made an emergency transfer from Lubbock to Hobbs,NM late one night, and when we cleared Seminole, TX which was 30 mi. east of Hobbs, the police escort that was waiting for us could see us when left Seminole. Not bad: 30 miles.

 

[fyrboy]

Sold the clear & red.