Whelen FastTrax FTR3 lightbar

[tsquale]

Another really special item for the collection is finally complete! I stumbled upon this empty FastTrax housing for $75 and knew that it was a must have and would be a fun project. It came from Michigan and is MSP blue. I'd like to think it came from MSP but I have yet to find any photos of them in use with them (if you have a photo of it in use, please share here!)

The housing is in considerably good condition for it's age (appx 1999). The clear lens was quite yellowed and took quite a bit of elbow grease to clear up which was a challenge with it being thin and curved so it doesn't lay flat. I was able to source the required 400 series strobe and halogens from here and eBay, as well as getting the lenses from various online sellers. Reading through Whelen's manuals on these, they used a unique power supply (ISP8HS) that not only controls the strobes, but the halogens as well. There was a special controller for the FastTrax (I would LOVE to find one of those as well) that would allow me to better control the bar and power supply, but I was able to figure out how to activate three seperate modes as well as three flash patterns for each mode, and low power.

Mode 1: End strobes only
Mode 2: End strobes and halogen only
Mode 3: Everything

 

[EHFD_Tower_751]

**puts a shitty grin on his face**

I know someone that a whelen fasttrax controller

 

[tsquale]

**puts a shitty grin on his face**

I know someone that a whelen fasttrax controller

Pm sent!!!!

 

[gtpts27]

Awesome find Tony. Great color to boot. I remember when my hometown department put one of these on a slicktop. Thought it was the coolest thing I'd seen up to that point. Hope you can get the controller. I knew they had a special power supply but didn't know about the controller. Would be interested to see it.

 

[firebuff17]

Great job!

love the sounds of it firing.

I also remember reading that these requiring a special power supply but did not know about the controller. Sounds like you have a lead on that though. Good luck

 

[Mndlm]

Minnesota Highway Patrol used them for approximately 1-2 years never saw them again after that time.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Minnesota Highway Patrol used them for approximately 1-2 years never saw them again after that time.

Unless I am mistaken, that's because the LED interior bars started coming out around that time, so they just got out classed.

 

[Maxim2Eng]

Unless I am mistaken, that's because the LED interior bars started coming out around that time, so they just got out classed.

...and the Crown Vic, for which the fairing was specifically designed, was already rumored to be headed for the dinosaur bone yard. Agencies were already looking for replacements and Dodge introduced the Charger in 2006. Regardless, it is an awesomely righteous find! Who knows, given MHPs incredible testing facilities, it may have been a one-off eval unit!

 

[Turd Ferguson]

If that is a one off, that would make that find that much sweeter.

 

[tsquale]

Now we need someone from Michigan to cough up a photo!

 

[kitn1mcc]

nice bar

 

[Andy L.]

Just stumbled on this thread. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures but years ago, late 90's early 2000's I drove by the MSP drive track several times and they had a variety of different lightbars on their track cars. There were several sick top setups too. They were testing different products and ultimately stuck with their traditional beacons with upgraded perimeter lighting.

Years later I went through a drive instructor school at their drive track and confirmed that story with one of their permanent staff. MSP is very found of Whelen so I would say it is very likely you have one of the lights that were being tested. It would have most likely been installed by either Canfield Equipment in Warren MI, or at the State of Michigan Fleet garage. Canfield might be a source of a photo. There was a member here at one time that did installs at Canfield. I think his name was Eric.

 

[needforspeed]

 

[tsquale]

FINALLY sourced a controller and got it in. Works awesome!

 

[kitn1mcc]

hell yeah

 

[firebuff17]

Love it!!
Glad you finally found the controller

That’s cool that the halogen integrates with the strobes in the traffic advisor patterns. Very interesting.

 

[tsquale]

Love it!!
Glad you finally found the controller

That’s cool that the halogen integrates with the strobes in the traffic advisor patterns. Very interesting.

These use a special power supply that controls and SYNCS (!!!) the halogens with the strobes no matter the pattern! The camera truly does not do this bar justice!

 

[firebuff17]

Does that use (or similar) ISP series 4 Strobe outlet 4 halogen outlet. I don’t know the model number.
Same or similar idea that was geared towards some DOT systems that were labeled Sun Snow Fog By Whelen. That’s where the halogen would flash along with the strobe

 

[tsquale]

Does that use (or similar) ISP series 4 Strobe outlet 4 halogen outlet. I don’t know the model number.
Same or similar idea that was geared towards some DOT systems that were labeled Sun Snow Fog By Whelen. That’s where the halogen would flash along with the strobe

ISP8HS is the specific one the Fasttrax use

 

[firebuff17]

Nice. Thanks. Great score. I always thought those were so cool. Being in Whelen country ( originally south central Ct and Now central CT) I never really saw any in person. They were definitely gearing up to lead the way to the interior bar.

and that is the same power supply in the SSNF DOT systems offered by whelen.