PHOTOS: LEAMAN - The Place To Be

The Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line, today operated by Amtrak as their Harrisburg Line, is known for its many interlocking towers that survived well into the 21st Century and I have covered several of them on this blog. However there is one "place" that isn't quite a tower, although it has many of the trappings of one. While the PRR seemed to have an aversion to CTC, it still had a lot more signaling infrastructure than peer railroads with a particular focus on Manual Block System and its related component, the block station. What's a block station? Well its a location on the line that can host a block operator who in turn can perform those duties necessary for some (manual) block operation like transmitting train orders, displaying signals and throwing hand operated switches. Even on signaled PRR main lines one could find non-interlocked block stations open either 24/7 or part time.

Located at milepost 56.7 between PARK and CORK interlockings on the Main Line is the town of of Leaman Place. You might recognize the name for being the interchange point for the Strasburg Railroad. This segment of the Main Line was electrified in 1939 and at the time  featured 4 main tracks. Despite the 24 mile gap between the two interlocking stations, no intermediate crossovers were provided as most disruptions could be dealt with by relying on the "spare" main track (with the parallel Columbia Branch directly providing an additional two tracks of relief capacity for freight). However in 1948 tracks 2 and 3 were removed due to declining traffic and evidently this length of single track operation during maintenance or equipment failure had become an issue because in 1961 the PRR constructed the new LEAMAN block station at milepost 57.0 with a pair of main track crossovers protected by semi-automatic signals. Unlike similar hand throw block stations LEAMAN had no normal hours of operation and was only open as needed for single track operation.

LEAMAN consisted of a pair of center locked hand operated crossovers and a pair of position light signals oriented in the normal direction of travel. As this was not an interlocking, no reverse direction signals were not installed. A rather robust operator's shelter was provided and outfitted with  station signs, climate control and telecommunications. 

This sort of hand operated crossover layout was not uncommon on other double track ABS main lines with the requisite "shelter" typically taking the form of a wayside telephone booth that would allow crews to call the dispatcher to pick up their movement authority to run through the single track area or to report clear of it. However LEAMAN was unique in that its signals and electric switch locks were tied to a small control panel inside the operator's shelter and not accessible to road crews. 

The panel had two levers, one for each signal, the 4L westbound and 2R eastbound. On the chart both are listed as semi-automatic so placing them in the Stop position would extinguish the marker lamp changing the Rule 291 Stop and Proceed to Rule 292 Stop. Both signals were considered automatic when the station was closed. The panel also had indications to tell the operator is the reverse direction line segments were clear to the next interlocking. The electric locks for the crossovers were not explicitly controlled via the panel and were likely released by the signal lever position, a timer or some combination of the two.

Gantry mounted 4L Signal. Prior to 1961 this was the 569/570 automatic signal location.

2R mast signal added in 1961.

Looking inside the shelter we can see the work table and telecom equipment for the block phone that has lines to the adjacent towers and the dispatcher. I had assumed the control panel was in the cabinet above the desk, but upon visiting LEAMAN after its closure it appears that was just telecom wiring. A former operator mentioned that they had heard the control panel was plugged in when the TBS was active, which still begs the question of where it would be stored at other times.

LEAMAN interior while still in service c. 2007. Note the block phone.

LEAMAN interior  c.2020

LEAMAN interior westward c.2020

LEAMAN interior  eastward c.2020. Note the electric heater.

Into the Amtrak era LEAMAN was only opened for scheduled single track operation like for rail and tie replacement. At other times tactical use of LEAMAN, like for a broken down train, was generally impractical as calling in an operator to such an isolated signaling outpost could take hours. Around 2005 LEAMAN saw some intensive usage as the Harrisburg Line was upgraded with concrete ties and welded rail. LEAMAN itself got new spring frog crossovers although the electric locks were removed. Ultimately LEAMAN would close as a TBS around 2010 when its crossovers were integrated into the new LEAMAN interlocking.

Although the little shelter was built tough, it has continued to deteriorate since its closure with the windows now broken out and interior ransacked for anything of value. The Penn Central era LEAMAN station signs have also vanished into someone's collection. 

I can't say that LEAMAN was unique, like i said the PRR was fond of "gadgets" like these, but it is so far the only period example of a "Permanent" Temporary Block station I have found listed on a station page. 

From what I was told the pool of qualified operators was deliberately "arranged" to be as small as possible as shifts at LEAMAN had an uncanny habit of generating large amounts of bonus pay. An operator with a regular job could not only get a day of overtime and a remote location bonus, but often those "days" could be as short as 1-2 hours with the operator paid for 8 as per the union agreement. So you can see that for about 50 years LEAMAN really was The Place To Be.