Thanks for the advice.
It would seem a short in the line is the most likely cuplrit as I am
leaving the lights connected for 24 hours and they still remain off,
plus while maybe 10 fixtures exist on the line, only 3 or so have
lightbulbs intact. I washoping to avoid a whole new installation since
the wire that has been run was built into some landscaping that came
after it but I may need to junk the whole thing...