FLC OF AN LTT CLBED AND TURNED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA AND THE VISUAL SIGHTING ON A DC8 ON A VISUAL CLB.

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WHILE FLYING AT 16000 FT ENRTE TO ROC; WE HAD A NEAR MISS WITH A CARGO DC8. OUR ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH TCASII BUT THE DC8 DID NOT HAVE SUCH EQUIP ONBOARD. THE DC8 WAS GIVEN A VISUAL CLB CLRNC FROM CTR TO 17000 FT. (DC8 WAS AT 15000 FT.) WE HAD DC8 IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 8-10 MI OUT AND HE HAD ABOUT A 30-40 DEG INTERCEPT COURSE. THERE WAS NO MOONLIGHT. WHAT BASICALLY HAPPENED WAS THAT THE DC8 CLBED INTO OUR PATH INSTEAD OF WAITING TO PASS US BEFORE CLBING. WE GOT AN RA FROM TCASII AND A CLB WARNING AND THE FO RESPONDED SWIFTLY. THE FO PULLED INTO A 25 DEG CLB; AND SINCE WE HAD A VISUAL; ROLLED ACFT INTO A R 30 DEG BANK TO AVOID THE DC8. AFTER MISSING THE ACFT; WE RETURNED TO 16000 FT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS INCIDENT IS GOOD REASON TO EXAMINE THE NEW VISUAL CLRNC RULES THAT ENRTE CTLRS HAVE BEEN USING. ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHERE VISUAL CUES ARE ALMOST NONEXISTENT. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT ENRTE VISUAL CLRNCS HAPPEN AT GREATER SPDS. THE LAST PROB WITH NIGHT VISUAL ENRTE CLRNCS WHEN HVY ACFT ARE INVOLVED IS WAKE TURB. WHO PROVIDES WAKE TURB SEPARATION IF HVY ACFT IS THE ONE DOING A VISUAL CLB?