AIR TAXI TAXIING AT NIGHT HITS UNLIT BARRICADE.

Narrative

I WAS REPOSITIONING AN ACFT FROM AN OVERNIGHT HANGAR ON THE N SIDE OF MKE TO THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT. AS I BEGAN TAXIING I TURNED ATIS ON. WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW I HAD NO TAXI LIGHT. I DOUBLE-CHKED THE SWITCH -- IT WAS ON. I BEGAN USING THE LNDG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TO SEE WHERE I WAS GOING. BY NOW ATIS WAS ANNOYING SO I TURNED IT OFF WITHOUT REALLY HEARING IT. ABOUT 3/4 TO MY DEST I HEARD A THUD AND FELT A JAR ON THE R OF THE ACFT (I THOUGHT I HIT A POTHOLE). AS I CONTINUED TO TAXI I NOTICED MY R ENG SMOKING AND DID AN EMER SHUTDOWN. AS I STOPPED AND DID A TOTAL SHUTDOWN I COULD BARELY MAKE OUT THE SHAPE OF ANOTHER BARRICADE AHEAD. I NOW RADIOED GND CTL AND TOLD THEM WHAT I THOUGHT HAPPENED AND I WAS GOING TO WALK TO OUR FACILITY AND START THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS (ALL BARRICADES WERE UNLIT). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE MISSED EVERYTHING ON ATIS; CERTAINLY DID NOT PICK UP ON BARRICADES ALONG RTE. THE TAXI LIGHT TOOK ALL HIS ATTN AND HE GOOFED. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENG.