Following up on the previous post regarding the new PORTAL bridge cutover, Amtrak I happened to catch a cab speed indication on the (New) PORTAL interlocking's westbound cantilever mast's 3W signal. With the new track #3 still very much under construction, crews were getting a jump on commissioning* the new interlockings associated with the project. Although this is a static image, the 3W was displaying a flashing green cab speed indication, which would be in line with the high density cab signaling in place between HUDSON and A interlocking at Penn Station.
That alone is interesting, but if you review the track and signal diagram from Bulletin Order establishing OLD PORTAL and OLD SWIFT interlockings you might notice that future PORTAL is intended to be laid out similarly to OLD PORTAL with center Track A merging into tracks 2 and 3. Instead in the photo we see a two track cantilever mast, or do we?
Amtrak is splitting the commissioning of the new Portal fixed bridge into two month-long work sessions spaced 6 months apart. The primary reason for this is that activating the new eastbound track #2 will require the prior removal of overhead catenary supports required for both existing tracks. A secondary reason is that the new track 2 will require partly burying the old track 3 and removing the westbound cantilever as you can see below.
If you look closely the end of the cantilever arm has some extra bits and the diagonal supports at the corner seem a bit flimsy. This is because that new signal structure is not a cantilever, but half of a three track signal gantry that will be completed once its southern foundation has something to sit on. I'd call this a "gantrylever", but that term is somewhat taken by gantry+cantilever combinations as seen at UNION and DUNTON.
In other news related to PORTAL's signaling the lower heads on the westbound signals are conforming to the new pattern established at LEGGETT interlocking on the Hellgate Line, replacing the central lunar white Stop and Proceed dot with a a lunar white Restricting \. However the eastbound signal masts retain the Stop and Proceed dot. This might be a quirk needing the shorter signal blocks around Secaucas transfer than the SWIFT connection.
Anyway. just though it was cool to catch the new temporary cantilever signal 3E under test, several weeks before the first revenue train would actually use the new bridge.
*Note: Amtrak would ultimately open track 3 for service two days ahead of schedule due to a problem that fouled track #2 during the morning rush.
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