tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45793308615800536582024-03-26T23:35:02.636-07:00The Position LightA blog devoted to explaining the ins and outs of North American railroad signaling, past, present and future. This blog seeks to preserve through photo documentation the great diversity and technical ingenuity of 20th century signaling and interlocking hardware and technology. Related topics cover interlocking towers and railroad communications infrastructure.
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Note, due to a web hosting failure some of the photos and links may be unavailable. Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.comBlogger645125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-59761541135969917662024-02-28T19:34:00.000-08:002024-03-24T20:02:17.911-07:00The NS Bridge Line PTC Adventure<p>For years concerns of PTC interoperability drove all manner of decision making at freight and passenger railroads. For example's CSX decision to isolate itself from SEPTA's Regional Rail network, NICTD choosing not using the cab signal codes present on its line because Metra Electric wanted to use the freight-centric ETMS and MARC dumping ACSES for reasons. However one common thread is that when push comes to shove, equipping locomotives with multiple PTC systems is not a big deal (although it certainly isn't free).</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupmVWEHRIYt0P_lD0e4CivFEgnDGqIuKp9qmRYze13OE3Bmgz-ytPI1ceS_-pnFX9d6a145nq5e-Zz6I1hxB4an3RGTVQDaYlAa3Xt65qWh5IT__lMOU1HrZ_hGpTEmOp6O9u6uteSH8LeV8wohZ5yFoxzp2DDPCFfHBzwShtk1n46kPFp8UpcRUvh6VG/s1500/NS_6954+4462+7569-Delanson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupmVWEHRIYt0P_lD0e4CivFEgnDGqIuKp9qmRYze13OE3Bmgz-ytPI1ceS_-pnFX9d6a145nq5e-Zz6I1hxB4an3RGTVQDaYlAa3Xt65qWh5IT__lMOU1HrZ_hGpTEmOp6O9u6uteSH8LeV8wohZ5yFoxzp2DDPCFfHBzwShtk1n46kPFp8UpcRUvh6VG/w640-h426/NS_6954+4462+7569-Delanson.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Case in point are the SD60E locomotives that are <b>always</b> leading certain Norfolk Southern intermodal and manifest trains traveling on its New England Bridge Route between Harrisburg and Ayer, Mass. Between Harrisburg and Sunbury its on ETMS, then its off PTC entirely all the way to Binghamton. Then it on CP's ETMS all the way to Mechanicville, NY. From there it hits the former Boston and Main which is again PTC-less, but at Wachussetts it enters MBTA territory which uses Rule 562 cab signals and ACSES the last few miles to Ayer. These SD60E's are dual equipped for PTC and ACSES and although less needed on the NEC due to Amtrak dual-installing ETMS, they found a new home on this run. If I ever get close to one I'll see if I can get a photo of the antenna. </p><p>Anyway, I heard that due to the shift of NS New Englande route internodal trains to the former Conrail Boston Line, this unique PTC situation will soon be obsolete as manifest freight might terminate at East Deerfield or something. If you're a fan of oddball leading equipment quirks, get your photos while you can.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-37084108864807121832024-02-18T11:38:00.000-08:002024-03-18T07:58:00.635-07:00Harrisburg Power Office Gets Up and Running<p>Since my last update on the status of the former Pennsylvania Railroad Harrisburg Power Director's Office a surprising amount of progress has been made to get the equipment functioning in its 1943 configuration. For those of you who might not be aware, the Harrisburg Power Office used a relay based SCADA system to remote control all of the 1937-39 westward extension of the 12kv 25hz electrification network that first began operation in 1915. The second phase of the PRR's electrification from New York to Boston had largely relied on tower operators to directly control the substation equipment via local control boards in the towers (although some substations may have been staffed 24/7 themselves). Although remote control SCADA equipment was installed in some towers and the Baltimore power office, the expansion of electrification west of Paoli, Morrisville and Perryville to Harrisburg and Enola would be under the purview of a single office in Harrisburg with a code based remote control system. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwI3dhPWommf9ocPnNp5LwiTf4t53pvv79d9e4Y2w_fg9haFMHyDo8YZrVAKFfcNAqZEcqqAE9rY6IfCS9I-bllZQZhuPg1zp1YAfaAnhoePG5miQLhE3jyeKdu2WgeHymTmvqIcJ0sIKX3dMrvEbnQ8f5P6Xm3NUFl-dPD9wWtzVxMpTDgNDwxx-bK9o/s1280/PRR_Harrisburg-PDO-podium+consoles-side+big-board-lit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwI3dhPWommf9ocPnNp5LwiTf4t53pvv79d9e4Y2w_fg9haFMHyDo8YZrVAKFfcNAqZEcqqAE9rY6IfCS9I-bllZQZhuPg1zp1YAfaAnhoePG5miQLhE3jyeKdu2WgeHymTmvqIcJ0sIKX3dMrvEbnQ8f5P6Xm3NUFl-dPD9wWtzVxMpTDgNDwxx-bK9o/w640-h480/PRR_Harrisburg-PDO-podium+consoles-side+big-board-lit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The office was in service using most of the same equipment from 1939 through to 2013. When the Harrisburg Chapter NRHS took over the space in 2022, it was still in roughly the same condition it had been in when the doors were locked 9 years before. Known for their preservation work at HARRIS tower, including a fully functional and completely interactive Model 14 interlocking machine, the Harrisburg Chapter had its work cut out to achieve a similar level of interactivity for the Power Director's office. Based on the amount of time it took to restore HARRIS, my own personal estimate was on the better part of a decade. Therefore you can imagine my surprise when I learned that a good chunk of the active equipment had already been restored to functionality in only 18 months. In fact the video below records the moment I learned that the office relay logic had been hooked up to an Arduino mimicking the field stations.</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gq9wzP1hpQk?si=uW6It3IWyvs4JPFR" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br /></p><p>Because the third phase of PRR electrification was financed with depression-era WPA loans, the PRR had to spread the wealth and contract half the system to Westinghouse and half the General Electric. Westinghouse and its Visicode scada system is the simpler of the two to reverse engineer and debug (one can send digits with a literal rotary phone) so currently it is the Westinghouse half of the equipment that has been wired up to modern digital logic simulating the field stations. The General Electric equipment uses a more complex protocol that requires another round of development, but that is not insurmountable. Interestingly the Westinghouse equipment was largely used on the low grade freight lines that last saw service in 1981 when Conrail discontinued its electrified operations. Therefore that equipment came back to life not after sitting idle for 10 years, but for 40 years!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPUWJzOqm5IuxOevmvl5i0d2jG6e1o9Sb24v3qWx7GsNQ06AlFGFBA8QZIkL6tsoY5_fEemxBTSo9_WYJKwTC15fsQdmis0Gw1f3QNUnOXkX1yasv1XxghXK7hbm-I7ttxniu1NlVzoxGQ26QF23zKDHxSnNdS62Be4o7ENHeveYGVALQle5LVwrwsYo/s1547/PRR_Harrisburg-PDO-console-Enola-panel-lit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPUWJzOqm5IuxOevmvl5i0d2jG6e1o9Sb24v3qWx7GsNQ06AlFGFBA8QZIkL6tsoY5_fEemxBTSo9_WYJKwTC15fsQdmis0Gw1f3QNUnOXkX1yasv1XxghXK7hbm-I7ttxniu1NlVzoxGQ26QF23zKDHxSnNdS62Be4o7ENHeveYGVALQle5LVwrwsYo/w414-h640/PRR_Harrisburg-PDO-console-Enola-panel-lit.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><p>The large display wall has also been restored to mostly full functionality, however compared to the SCADA consoles this functionality was somewhat limited. The indications on the display show switches being open (green) and closed (red), as well as the use of white lights to show de-energized track segments. These are wired to reflect the <i>position</i> of switches on the SCADA consoles or on the operator's consoles where remote operation is not in effect. Therefore the board is more of a visualization device than a real time status indicator. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmBUnc6aT0ALgpRsMFA89MVMMKv30b24u6r6H90UgrIo6-2WIRzZlUvmVLcdGDkIvZN5S_fnMMnN6uTKyVrBny6zYisrqmVoxHSSuDQgrIV9RaKGuarwj79l4OVr7bpNM5jUHYO8TbDY97uMmosQxBXrTLCPcbp3jgi9KdRpsHXmB89JnazxNjW0bJog/s1333/PRR_Harrisburg-PDO-big-board-Enola-WY24-white-lights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmBUnc6aT0ALgpRsMFA89MVMMKv30b24u6r6H90UgrIo6-2WIRzZlUvmVLcdGDkIvZN5S_fnMMnN6uTKyVrBny6zYisrqmVoxHSSuDQgrIV9RaKGuarwj79l4OVr7bpNM5jUHYO8TbDY97uMmosQxBXrTLCPcbp3jgi9KdRpsHXmB89JnazxNjW0bJog/w480-h640/PRR_Harrisburg-PDO-big-board-Enola-WY24-white-lights.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>The longer term plans for the office are still under consideration. The equipment is a bit less interactive than a railroad interlocking machine with active train movements, however there are quite a few scenarios that can be played out including routine operations, breaker trips, transmission line problems and current load issues. Whatever the case may be, I'll be sure to report on it here. <br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-38736252497961032482024-02-11T10:41:00.000-08:002024-03-11T06:29:47.073-07:00METRA Confronts Sticky Speeds<p>METRA <a href="https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/metra-project-underway-to-increase-speeds-on-electric-district/">recently announced</a> that they were looking to raise speeds on its electric division from the current 65mph to 80 or even 90mph. Typically this is the sort of project that justified a 8 or 9 figure capital spend with concrete ties and brand new signaling. However this announcement explained that management simply looked at the facts on the ground and concluded there wasn't actually anything precluding those faster speeds. Apparently the entire operational management of METRA has assumed that the 65mph figure was a fundamental limitation of the current ABS/CTC block signaling distances that were laid out with the electrification programme in 1926. In reality those speeds and signaling distances were tied to the braking profiles of Pullman-built heavy weight MU cars that were built for the "new" electrified service at the same time. Management had simply neglected to update its prior assumptions <b>both</b> time the IC/Metra Electric fleet was renewed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2SNV667roxn4fkNJNgst5v0l-TZDP589TGUmtIF6gD-G4pz7hSmMxpfnOywTtLVRXpvPPQ9crAhprqu23jkG2uQGUhP9pN8FC_E6fFtcDNN0hSUy8cmhr-Z7FtqxiRkvFYRCbtBzTidxf8EIQdg0hubfkAwHXFUKVBCPfbH6dRTSP-4prJUKEnXPCc0/s1280/METRA_Electric-Line-signal-0974-tk3-App+tk4-Clear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2SNV667roxn4fkNJNgst5v0l-TZDP589TGUmtIF6gD-G4pz7hSmMxpfnOywTtLVRXpvPPQ9crAhprqu23jkG2uQGUhP9pN8FC_E6fFtcDNN0hSUy8cmhr-Z7FtqxiRkvFYRCbtBzTidxf8EIQdg0hubfkAwHXFUKVBCPfbH6dRTSP-4prJUKEnXPCc0/w640-h480/METRA_Electric-Line-signal-0974-tk3-App+tk4-Clear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>To be fair to Metra, in 1972 a "stopping distance" related crash between heavyweight and Highliner stock killed 45 people probably made Illinois Central management less enthusiastic about making the line faster, especially when 1926 Pullman stock was still in South Shore Li8ne service. In 1983 when the last of the old cars were finally retired the IC Electric division was run under contract to the Chicago Regional Transportation District (later branded as Metra) with with Metra formally purchasing the line in 1987. The accident plus the delayed retirement of older equipment and topped by the contract operation and then change in ownership goes a long way to explain why the electric district speeds stayed unchanged through two equipment replacement cycles, however the problem of sticky speeds isn't unique to Metra and bedevils rail operations across the United States.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMJ_U8OWzDU8qjRojHGvk8ys_d6jYYThEP1nPNegWBPw64uINEgS98qjG2UMf5sZOdTv5-YfIIAWIUcfsypH4EVSZ94yvcPqM8Qto7No-cLgmiWpLHLrDk4U9I20-O0EMmTEbMOwY4HA8fRh3B3kttx6xRoIMgK1cvPXbRr8PyuhOfFOa20ISP2mt710/s1280/WB-old-3sw-CP+PSR-eb-zoom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMJ_U8OWzDU8qjRojHGvk8ys_d6jYYThEP1nPNegWBPw64uINEgS98qjG2UMf5sZOdTv5-YfIIAWIUcfsypH4EVSZ94yvcPqM8Qto7No-cLgmiWpLHLrDk4U9I20-O0EMmTEbMOwY4HA8fRh3B3kttx6xRoIMgK1cvPXbRr8PyuhOfFOa20ISP2mt710/w640-h480/WB-old-3sw-CP+PSR-eb-zoom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Back in the day railroad operating speeds were a somewhat nebulous concept. The number one limiting factor on how fast trains went was fast they <i>could</i> go. Often the timetables would only list restrictions with everything else left to the skill of the engineer because, except for a few crack passenger locomotive classes, in the age of steam trains just didn't go that fast (and the fastest trains had the most experienced crews). It was the 1948 ICC rule requiring ATS for speeds 80mph and higher that was the harbinger for the formalization of railroad speed limits that took place in the 1970's and 80's. Objective regulated standards replaced the judgement of railroad superintendents in areas of track geometry, signaling and, most recently, grade crossing warning time. Railroads tended to get a bit of pass on what was already in the rulebook or in service so they were ok as long as they didn't try to make anything faster. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9A4eoWwUq6K4AwNKsMdNemQS_0HsIsLezo1bd3JMVzZlSwFmUhL9QGTpcJNq41lnycfEYPa-Bm3zubZGbZRwRh5AArAs1FmxyG1-q0v70SlFV1egx0mOVN4VZopVjV9dOGLSvusnegn0bTQur3Rt-fVX07R-AARVfaMEWjQkN2KrzIUOoui-Vi00Qxo/s1280/CSX_RFP-Sub_sig-320-POLECAT-CREEK-nb-masts-tk3-App-Lim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9A4eoWwUq6K4AwNKsMdNemQS_0HsIsLezo1bd3JMVzZlSwFmUhL9QGTpcJNq41lnycfEYPa-Bm3zubZGbZRwRh5AArAs1FmxyG1-q0v70SlFV1egx0mOVN4VZopVjV9dOGLSvusnegn0bTQur3Rt-fVX07R-AARVfaMEWjQkN2KrzIUOoui-Vi00Qxo/w640-h480/CSX_RFP-Sub_sig-320-POLECAT-CREEK-nb-masts-tk3-App-Lim.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>This is now we have things like the old RF&P being a 70mph railroad while the adjacent "A-Line" is an 80mph railroad despite both being run by CSX to approximately the same standards. Raising those speeds require expensive consultants to dot all the i's and maintainer hours to adjust all the grade crossing equipment, all to say a few minutes for trains the freight owner doesn't run. Passenger operators like METRA are also not immune as the inevitable grade crossing or trespasser strike will have lawyers pouring over any recent decision to raise speeds. Long story short management will see little benefit from raising speed, but assume a great deal of professional and institutional risk. The exception lies in cases where significant amounts of money are available to rebuild a line to make the speed increase effectively free. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1270" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf2sl17Z8QUqIbSzFUlN6TRP106BrqZzGJHQRBSpoBveK1gUfUl_cKbdbKdSlwVWJ8HwYHxcx2Abj07DsSZPOm5LnI9iz83SlXga_lvtummXIr45BX7fZtbmmDAzceYbMgK_xWfhifjPTQdgK6aW1QcPJpWKjR20ZPsFOceVeDQsDdJ_380mgRvgEEaU/w640-h482/SEPTA_NESH-old-Rdg-gantry.jpg" style="color: #0000ee;" width="640" /></div><div><br />Fortunately as we have <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2018/12/speeds-finally-increasing-on-nyc-subway.html">seen with the NYC Subway</a> and now with METRA's electric division, transit management seems more willing to take on the risk to improve performance. SEPTA in particular is notorious for its 1930's vintage speeds set to match the performance of heavyweight AC MU cars.</div><p></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-86450696156872163922024-02-04T10:13:00.000-08:002024-02-27T13:36:35.229-08:00CTA Skokie Swift Smackup In November 2023 an inbound "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Skokie_Swift">Skokie Swift</a>" Chicago El train <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Chicago_train_crash">rear-ended</a> an MoW vehicle stopped on the track waiting for signal clearance into the Horward terminal interlocking complex. The impact took place at a speed of 26mph and the NSBT was quick to blame "outdated" signal stopping distances that were last set whenever cab signaling was installed on the line, likely in the 1970's or 80's. The result was a multi-month service suspension and a reduction in maximum authorized speed from 55mph to 35mph, which was achieved by disabling the 55mph cab signal code at ever block location. To the lay person this might seem open and shut, the CTA did something wrong and they fixed the problem. In reality this is a classic example of go slow safety scolds and risk averse CYA officials pushing people away from public transport. This case is especially ironic since when the Skokie Swift opened in 1964, it was a demonstration project on how rapid transit could be high tech, modern and <b>fast</b> compared with the "square cut gear" era equipment.<div><br /></div><div><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh5xfi3d3_dmlhnPGml1FJsQupGEoNqBOY9J9qObPHfxiy4qXzlNbc55WQi8aw8WArnC6XTHVVbO19mZHWaFe09EY9ixSaIvanD17heVPGbtghd_O8lBARvDO5JbtUG8dG1sb2Y5yWB8UvVK5I0fHBMwLfQA_l5JZOLS14RrxIXAgZrq2NNluG_5DZbE/w640-h480/CTA_Howard-Int-Skokie-Route-nb-winter.jpg" style="color: #0000ee; text-align: center;" width="640" /></div><div><div><br />
For background, the CTA uses a pretty standard audio frequency cab signaling system with automatic speed enforcement and speed codes for 15, 25, 35, 55 and 70mph. Lack of code is fail safe and registers 0 mph and it is standard practice on this type of system to have sufficient 0 code behind any train for fail safe stopping. While most of the Skokie Swift is straight and uncongested, allowing for 55mph operation, the the busy Howard terminal will frequently see Skokie trains encountering stop signals and thus need to reliably slow from 55mph to 0 starting at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0218671,-87.6838023,75m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu">a point</a> about 2500 feet from <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=42.0205253&lon=-87.6750169&z=21&l=0&m=s&v=9">Howard Interlocking's home signal</a>. This would be carried out by progressively slower cab signal codes, although it is not clear if the operator gets a 0mph code ahead of the wayside absolute signal or at it, where a physical trip stop is also provided. The following CTA produced head end video of an inbound Skokie Swift run shows how this progression from 55mph to stop is well within the vehicle's performance envelope. The 55 to 35mph code change point is encountered at <a href="https://youtu.be/WfvYEi9J3FU?t=476">7:55</a>. Code change points are identified by small black boxes, called impedance bonds, located between or adjacent to the rails. <br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WfvYEi9J3FU?si=hy43pEPF1AhVKBHC" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Feel free to judge for yourselves, but it appears that the first code drop is <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=42.0218671&lon=-87.6841966&z=21&l=0&m=s&v=9">just before the hand throw crossovers</a> about 2500 feet before the Howard absolute signal as stated in news reports and the last code drop is located under the overpasses at the final curve. It is not entirely clear if the final drop is to 0mph and the train takes the time shown to react and stop (likely) or if the operator chooses their stop point on a more favorable 15mph code (possible) or even if a timer that drops out the code mid-block is involved (unlikely). (Note: It's pretty trivial to determine how CTA trains get stopped before absolute signals by observing the cab signal display in the cab from the first car, I just haven't done so in a while so let me know if the comments.) The difference between normal operations and the day of the collision was the presence of an MoW snow melting vehicle on the inbound main track about 370 feet short of the Howard interlocking home signal. Had everything been working as intended, the train following the MoW vehicle should have gotten stopped before the final code change point under the overpasses.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0ZyLVlVt7rNcWPRiJ_IjozjJo497nC4m74eKyXgUzhcl82AmiGIBOSi6ylfCAB4hOxibr8GBAedxzGrsl2Q5jd1-g_f3lf_Xkd_GHw_1FhJNgJjy3K-6w9NBnvh7IVVWONuSYxIxnAz6oALOu2rLjRBxHqW5-w5Z9hPpV3khdTy6JG92QcgdJyuBDuc/s1272/CTA_Tower-18-new-USS-Wee-Z-bond.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1272" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0ZyLVlVt7rNcWPRiJ_IjozjJo497nC4m74eKyXgUzhcl82AmiGIBOSi6ylfCAB4hOxibr8GBAedxzGrsl2Q5jd1-g_f3lf_Xkd_GHw_1FhJNgJjy3K-6w9NBnvh7IVVWONuSYxIxnAz6oALOu2rLjRBxHqW5-w5Z9hPpV3khdTy6JG92QcgdJyuBDuc/w640-h468/CTA_Tower-18-new-USS-Wee-Z-bond.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>The NTSB's knee jerk assessment implied that the following train somehow <i>couldn't</i> get stopped in time. As in it got the proper speed codes, but the speeds and distances were calculated incorrectly and it ran into the snow melter. Given that the line has been operating without incident for 60 years this seems unlikely, however the train <i>was</i> a newer 5000 series car that has only been operating for 15 years so it is possible something like crushed leaves resulted in decreased braking that combined with a heavier vehicle <i>could</i> have resulted in the observed accident. Still, is there an alternative explanation?<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/CTA_Cab-signal-display.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="599" height="800" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/CTA_Cab-signal-display.jpg" width="599" /></a></div><br /><div>What stands out to me is the impact speed of 26mph. That's pretty much full speed approaching the final code change point. Typically when stopping distances have gotten out of sync with the equipment you see the rail equivalent of foot faults where the train can't quite get stopped in time. Remember in this case, if the block before Howard interlocking is occupied the <b>second to last</b> code change point should be giving a 0mph. It's almost like the train was approaching the MoW vehicle like it wasn't there. Moreover the operator indicated that the signal system commanded a speed reduction from 55 to 25 or 35 ~2100 feet from the equipment (or ~2500 feet from the Howard signal). If you refer to the video you can see the train begin to slow from 55mph at that same point, but again, that is for an <i>unobstructed</i> block before the Howard signal. If that block was occupied the inbound train should have gotten a signal drop one block before.</div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1709050715558!6m8!1m7!1sEy3kb7UAmMKcokZ7vIA-KQ!2m2!1d42.02186695187347!2d-87.68489736935915!3f89.19579077071594!4f-3.541409074404399!5f3.325193203789971" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>By this point I've already given away the twist. Maintenance of Way vehicles and other things the FRA likes to classify as "track cars" are known to not reliably shunt the track circuit and therefore need to be run with absolute block protection, especially to the rear and double especially when cab signals are involved. In cab signal territory if a track car fails to properly shunt the track circuit, not only will it not be detected by the signaling system, but favorable cab signal codes can also be transmitted to trains approaching from behind. Rail contamination like leaf debris only makes this problem worse.</div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvaraxGB1O8JJNKxkX5geaJj55wDqLy9iz-GpWkx9WgaBdYu5Ml-uC02jdCPElCEcY9kkc1qwDfTZDkRH_fx4Qzrwaf7agBEHghUs54zykd2-cKe6JAfgovpK0MC6D3Fdk62TpWFKDY3v6hn5kL6fS5hsWeCYh6wyHJFdsqEX8ETc4fXW0Gpi9m52aGQ/s1280/CTA_Blue-Line-California-Int-258sig-Clear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvaraxGB1O8JJNKxkX5geaJj55wDqLy9iz-GpWkx9WgaBdYu5Ml-uC02jdCPElCEcY9kkc1qwDfTZDkRH_fx4Qzrwaf7agBEHghUs54zykd2-cKe6JAfgovpK0MC6D3Fdk62TpWFKDY3v6hn5kL6fS5hsWeCYh6wyHJFdsqEX8ETc4fXW0Gpi9m52aGQ/w640-h480/CTA_Blue-Line-California-Int-258sig-Clear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
To be clear, I <i>have</i> heard stories of trains having braking issues and sliding past calculated stop points as a result. For example an Acela locking up its wheels approaching Trenton and sliding for over 2 miles allegedly resulted in an extra block of speed control being added. Still, every detail about the indecent matched up with a loss of track circuit shut involving a track car and an approaching Yellow Line train that received cab signals in the sequence expected for a stop at the Howard interlocking home signal. It's certainly possible that the signal design created some grossly unsafe condition as the NTSB is implying, but the decades of safe operation imply otherwise. Unfortunately signal distances are easy to calculate and in addition to using the worst possible braking performance and the worst possible rail condition, the NTSB might actually believe rail vehicles need to emergency brake short of any obstruction they encounter within the range of vision.<br /></div></div></div></div>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-89661615024324484572024-01-30T21:05:00.000-08:002024-02-22T21:06:06.156-08:00Amtrak's Post Road Puzzle<p>The Albany Port Road Branch, now under long term lease to Amtrak, has an interesting history. One of the few stretches of non-commuter North American main line track dedicated solely to passenger operation, the Post Road Branch represents the original route of the Boston and Albany before the construction of the Selkirk Cutoff that allowed New York Contrail freight trains to bypass the Albany terminal area in the 1920's. In the 1970's, Penn Central completely ripped up the track on the 12 mile branch as a cost cutting measure before being ordered to restore it by the ICC. Since then it has hosted exactly two regular trains per day, the Boston section of the east and westbound Lake Shore Limited and with an 80mph track speeds, it currently represents the fastest portion of the Boston to Albany route. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DdqMx6UDfrGbW4Bwph2q4V6EsyynJVIP8qlAM_ZbU0REcxmEQGKVUVo9OoN60Q1gt3TkhusMXwqcUEACW7kgxc6_-GV8aZYeljcWTVgZ80wDVTxNNKN4Q_1cw95mjFqPzUG3aSPDkJaLVwF2hck2GHgxg34bkew80-u5YHPEnmu3xGuH_EI1aRbi79o/s983/CSX_Post-Rd-Br-diagram.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="983" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DdqMx6UDfrGbW4Bwph2q4V6EsyynJVIP8qlAM_ZbU0REcxmEQGKVUVo9OoN60Q1gt3TkhusMXwqcUEACW7kgxc6_-GV8aZYeljcWTVgZ80wDVTxNNKN4Q_1cw95mjFqPzUG3aSPDkJaLVwF2hck2GHgxg34bkew80-u5YHPEnmu3xGuH_EI1aRbi79o/w640-h602/CSX_Post-Rd-Br-diagram.gif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Listed as operating under Rule 261 bi-directional signaling in the timetables of both Conrail and CSX one might assume that the line would have something on the order of 4 or 5 intermediate signal locations based on the typical North American main line block length of 2-3 miles. Riding the line I recall having trouble spotting these signal locations, but I assumed they were there. More recently I noticed that Boston Line CP-187 had been re-signaled by CSX and then used Google Earth to carefully scan the Post Road to see if Amtrak had used the opportunity to convert it to Rule 562 cab signals without wayside intermediates. I couldn't find the intermediates or their associated ACSES beacons, but there was also no evidence of cab signaling. It was only then I realized what Conrail had done. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1708664617756!6m8!1m7!1sK8RvBWTCOt5vhoxM1PyCMQ!2m2!1d42.49471960284904!2d-73.69874429336673!3f130.84955701697197!4f3.6343965012228665!5f1.5386335986925967" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p>In 2021 I reported on the <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2022/09/b-centralized-manual-block-worst-ctc.html">Boston and Maine's budget CTC</a> signaling on the Connecticut Valley route. Each CTC "block" of 6-8 miles in length might have only one intermediate signal, the distant two miles from the next CTC siding interlocking. Well when I saw the Milepost 188.8 intermediate above that governs only eastbound movements as they approach CP-187, it became clear that Conrail had done the same thing, just with a 10 mile long block.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-8GMYFVCixOcwsZsBxKjbu6WQggTrbrmn03DXega-cgidYKyHutCqcuHUUTib2wt_THN3gWA-TDpfZxvRo55JplNIjUMs5OlIxXrmKgWu7WpD4jdID6AJK3g63ODrGnaOaIN2yXGWj6Re4TAI9AP4fIM-p7RDcmWWY-zARfyhiiO0fQUUXWfeR3FVic/s1280/Amt_Post-Road-Br-sig-187E-rear+MP198-far.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1280" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-8GMYFVCixOcwsZsBxKjbu6WQggTrbrmn03DXega-cgidYKyHutCqcuHUUTib2wt_THN3gWA-TDpfZxvRo55JplNIjUMs5OlIxXrmKgWu7WpD4jdID6AJK3g63ODrGnaOaIN2yXGWj6Re4TAI9AP4fIM-p7RDcmWWY-zARfyhiiO0fQUUXWfeR3FVic/w640-h478/Amt_Post-Road-Br-sig-187E-rear+MP198-far.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Reviewing my archives I discovered a similar westbound only signal about 1-2 miles east of CP-141 at Albany confirming the use of a "superblock" type configuration. While this certainly matches the traffic levels of 2 trains per day and cuts down on some relay logic, it still means that a single faulty track circuit component can trigger up to 10 miles of Restricted speed operation, or possibly 10 miles of Approach. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rM5ghQIUapqfMw917l5X4LplFLGfGP6ORzZuqVrDsoLD_EOr9gcpKJ3egcFVSr4bZayu4GCn_bFw1Cx0M5XZJfK_R0OY8ctQ9c3R75IJ6dpQhYyqxbCFAqkOKZI1Tt6O-bCpDbn3QWvlDJD-x3dHikgEo4W_zrFul8XHbVQZKf5Cm3OZH-CESJoTaTY/s1280/CP-187-eb-masts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rM5ghQIUapqfMw917l5X4LplFLGfGP6ORzZuqVrDsoLD_EOr9gcpKJ3egcFVSr4bZayu4GCn_bFw1Cx0M5XZJfK_R0OY8ctQ9c3R75IJ6dpQhYyqxbCFAqkOKZI1Tt6O-bCpDbn3QWvlDJD-x3dHikgEo4W_zrFul8XHbVQZKf5Cm3OZH-CESJoTaTY/w640-h480/CP-187-eb-masts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>With the limited traffic it will be interesting if Amtrak extends the cab signaling to CP-187 and close the last remaining cab signal gap between Boston and Albany. It's not like there are not intermediate signaling hardware on the line since a block that long needs occasional repeaters for track circuit integrity.</p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-86646952727137568812024-01-21T06:51:00.000-08:002024-02-22T04:37:25.136-08:00Hoosac to Hudson: The State of Western B&M Signaling<p>For years the western end of the old Boston and Maine main line between the Hoosac Tunnel and Mechanicville, NY has been subjected to a highly inconsistent re-signaling programme by the NS-Guilford joint venture "Pan Am Southern". After a recent visitation and Google Earth survey I believe I have determined the exact disposition of B&M signaling between those two locations. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytOxsOGT0YutpVSCiAgEVkc1I8DN19s1oV6YtMzH6iVG_Dy0CdQ2VSPy55_lnMvFsXijHUss7qSLYdvc3iAmykDKdnrqIT_0n3aeoyAtJfftZa5WU9bmn0EqxBHvoVOn86jmewvlGvcSFFR2UxGs5C1QSo1sTu_JvOF1YAoA-a2BzUyJl2eSPWOZwK_8/s1184/GRS_EAST-PORTAL-east-masts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1184" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytOxsOGT0YutpVSCiAgEVkc1I8DN19s1oV6YtMzH6iVG_Dy0CdQ2VSPy55_lnMvFsXijHUss7qSLYdvc3iAmykDKdnrqIT_0n3aeoyAtJfftZa5WU9bmn0EqxBHvoVOn86jmewvlGvcSFFR2UxGs5C1QSo1sTu_JvOF1YAoA-a2BzUyJl2eSPWOZwK_8/w640-h482/GRS_EAST-PORTAL-east-masts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Starting at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosac_Tunnel">Hoosac Tunnel</a>, both CPF-414 and CPF-415 are retain their B&M signaling with tri-lamp searchlights and pulse-code based block state transmission. </p><p><br /></p><p>Inside the tunnel both ABS signal locations have had their signal heads replaced by modular square LED color lights, but appear to use the same mounting and relay infrastructure. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs81IwJsmAsltH715BIGes2YJ4XPSJt0IgGTy_3QVG84f6AkaAMUuWQJE05w2kJm5J7z9SV5giyBHxqLuZGZUBkzlXxUtQEwhXB_YIIPHQjKuAa9BFO9Pnmc-sQgC40MTCE2yVb6bqDzSrVlJ6IjlTdIaHBBdisKpPjSdMTujSUbiOWEL7iqf0-Ti5EhE/s1280/GRS_CPF-421-wb-mast+cabinet-side+pole-line-feed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs81IwJsmAsltH715BIGes2YJ4XPSJt0IgGTy_3QVG84f6AkaAMUuWQJE05w2kJm5J7z9SV5giyBHxqLuZGZUBkzlXxUtQEwhXB_YIIPHQjKuAa9BFO9Pnmc-sQgC40MTCE2yVb6bqDzSrVlJ6IjlTdIaHBBdisKpPjSdMTujSUbiOWEL7iqf0-Ti5EhE/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-421-wb-mast+cabinet-side+pole-line-feed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>At the west end of the tunnel CPF-421 is still searchlit and also features an old school intra-interlocking pole line cable bundle as CPF-421 appears to have been a larger pre-CTC interlocking plant. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0PfD0VYjV_MUJXMdgdlNCBmUoEDx-IW6y-da8RjNm-JAYtleyNuWUAezwhp_M5cgiux-_C-lp_9hOdLUBee-4GtVPrjXQyTq9Pha47wWZPh3yRTO-npP1cqtVFMfKdpqmNCYDl5HBolUR4fFdUe1SzrfU6-a0KKjRcfWJW7F516EN3BkuwtfER2sf04/s1280/GRS_CPF-423-eb-mast-top-rear-angle+old-gantry-obscured.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0PfD0VYjV_MUJXMdgdlNCBmUoEDx-IW6y-da8RjNm-JAYtleyNuWUAezwhp_M5cgiux-_C-lp_9hOdLUBee-4GtVPrjXQyTq9Pha47wWZPh3yRTO-npP1cqtVFMfKdpqmNCYDl5HBolUR4fFdUe1SzrfU6-a0KKjRcfWJW7F516EN3BkuwtfER2sf04/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-423-eb-mast-top-rear-angle+old-gantry-obscured.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>CPF-423 at the west end of the North Adams CTC siding was unfortunately re-signaled in 2022. This was part of a protracted re-signaling project that was probably cut short by the CSX purchase of the east end of Guilford and the uncertainty about the long term future of the west end. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2wAEC2pyFmvxMUXCfEcg81DjtuA6yu-PQjfuZVPWs0VrNWPQhXIeIB7TqmGGVetAkU6k2XjPUfNAKgV5Qjo9vNc1hUh3e9a3ixt87d32_1tQST9RUYq_7JSQHm74NC5LBGvx9ZlXoMyw1K-RuTs4tt5FtoCf8797JMdnS_lHVen69BCOvkv0bEFE084/s1280/GRS_Freight-Main-sig-425-wb-mast-Clear-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2wAEC2pyFmvxMUXCfEcg81DjtuA6yu-PQjfuZVPWs0VrNWPQhXIeIB7TqmGGVetAkU6k2XjPUfNAKgV5Qjo9vNc1hUh3e9a3ixt87d32_1tQST9RUYq_7JSQHm74NC5LBGvx9ZlXoMyw1K-RuTs4tt5FtoCf8797JMdnS_lHVen69BCOvkv0bEFE084/w640-h480/GRS_Freight-Main-sig-425-wb-mast-Clear-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The split intermediate signals at mileposts 424 and 425 (numbered 144 and 145) were removed and replaced by a single bi-directional mast at the Ashton Ave crossing near MP 425.44. Signal hardware is branded as GE, which is associated with the Landsay company that seems to have taken over the lines of GE/Harmon. The new 425 intermediate may have been intended to replace the holdout signal at CPF-428 as the westbound direction has a fixed lower red lamp, however someone may have thought better of this between when the signal was installed c. 2017 and when it went into service some 5 years later. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEci9etgJnmedSKh7ovCCG-Jb2FGKGOD1nFKmHRfQbq0349mQelp2BavdVTI4lDG1WsVU3GxHtS6xqZuPL9Et2H28iLfWdQVFb4iOB08lNMgDeNTrGuplou3Vfmo3sG3W3XA5Mzwqw_4ScvLGGLQp5RwZ0tyI8JBPItufIVyXsyf0QUBtS-Zucu1QRRU/s1280/GRS_Freight-Main-sig-150-eb-mast-Clear-wide-sunny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEci9etgJnmedSKh7ovCCG-Jb2FGKGOD1nFKmHRfQbq0349mQelp2BavdVTI4lDG1WsVU3GxHtS6xqZuPL9Et2H28iLfWdQVFb4iOB08lNMgDeNTrGuplou3Vfmo3sG3W3XA5Mzwqw_4ScvLGGLQp5RwZ0tyI8JBPItufIVyXsyf0QUBtS-Zucu1QRRU/w640-h480/GRS_Freight-Main-sig-150-eb-mast-Clear-wide-sunny.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP76bYGKs54UPAxO4mIzoy4XOQmHCVfz7DOSzojWlhH24dUlesWsRuDuk3wsCug6GjRAsrVetJzSHIGUXUnrQYQp7fyS80bR5Oy-fzbg1JQa0fUv2zhhds7i1mW_WrKJhkjCqCa8cjKOMUfa_HFGjuQCGhthJZiMW2EAswnNd36H0hGPOoyaG9gOTEq8/s1280/GRS_Freight-Main-431-new-wb-mast-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP76bYGKs54UPAxO4mIzoy4XOQmHCVfz7DOSzojWlhH24dUlesWsRuDuk3wsCug6GjRAsrVetJzSHIGUXUnrQYQp7fyS80bR5Oy-fzbg1JQa0fUv2zhhds7i1mW_WrKJhkjCqCa8cjKOMUfa_HFGjuQCGhthJZiMW2EAswnNd36H0hGPOoyaG9gOTEq8/w640-h480/GRS_Freight-Main-431-new-wb-mast-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The MP 430 intermediate at the old Taconic racetrack along with the MP 432 intermediate were both replaced by a single new mast around MP 431.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2Dzwmi_WZkJj7vSMxwsH6CXuHP00MwhvazsQKsgGAvh4wN-M3Kjr0DrG3a6JzLu_NhSCCBMGVWhkbtXwkx8tT-uV4kpXKz6JW5PwX7Ug2GkHaK4O7LAL3qCPizfTSXIReRbvZbOB61ZZ0nXIADddjnFpq2dEQZSSrzGQUdFg9AKTgEDj6DPY3dD9GiE/s1280/GRS_Freight-Main-sig-162-wb-mast-App-wide-snowing-zoom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2Dzwmi_WZkJj7vSMxwsH6CXuHP00MwhvazsQKsgGAvh4wN-M3Kjr0DrG3a6JzLu_NhSCCBMGVWhkbtXwkx8tT-uV4kpXKz6JW5PwX7Ug2GkHaK4O7LAL3qCPizfTSXIReRbvZbOB61ZZ0nXIADddjnFpq2dEQZSSrzGQUdFg9AKTgEDj6DPY3dD9GiE/w640-h480/GRS_Freight-Main-sig-162-wb-mast-App-wide-snowing-zoom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>This is where things get strange as the next 4 intermediate signal locations at mileposts 435, 438, 440 and 443, are are still B&M searchlit. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f3xB0gVAmp9s6mEyIzV2h7XDXqcf8-dyoTLRtBPx4k9D3b5N3Ha6UW8fJ5no9ZFnCHHy7hdz8k6nO7WHAMdWBGRWxpBwxt1VfQ4D8Fj6-sEJPQLZx1-Uys-ZUCtDndZAJ9DwqvQ5L3TDLeW-iCQ2ar3HF4N7X0rUxeFUKN3RhAwJXY0sPIVmiAMRDQA/s1280/GRS_CPF-445-wb-mast-angle+dwarf-snowing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f3xB0gVAmp9s6mEyIzV2h7XDXqcf8-dyoTLRtBPx4k9D3b5N3Ha6UW8fJ5no9ZFnCHHy7hdz8k6nO7WHAMdWBGRWxpBwxt1VfQ4D8Fj6-sEJPQLZx1-Uys-ZUCtDndZAJ9DwqvQ5L3TDLeW-iCQ2ar3HF4N7X0rUxeFUKN3RhAwJXY0sPIVmiAMRDQA/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-445-wb-mast-angle+dwarf-snowing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>At the CPF-445 junction with the Vermont Rail System, the interlocking has been re-signaled and B&M searchlights have been replaced with Unilens searchlights and a Safetran color light dwarf.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxLpwkoWwz0j9wmaPg4GzkNg9nDF_RzXvY7IQmR1QOMOMCcOrygOB7E-omxGT0SLZxKF5NBr8H66NcjN7gBIbeXpYghSRZkYnHhUjZSAVvPiX1rMnGO5CZ_uQuVus1-KTsrLcVpX4LfuhLbmRRCs9yUlVDI4VUKTTyfTdoQE9ThpIYY5yXZNAwF4aBB0/s1280/GRS_CPF-448-wb-bracket+old-gantry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxLpwkoWwz0j9wmaPg4GzkNg9nDF_RzXvY7IQmR1QOMOMCcOrygOB7E-omxGT0SLZxKF5NBr8H66NcjN7gBIbeXpYghSRZkYnHhUjZSAVvPiX1rMnGO5CZ_uQuVus1-KTsrLcVpX4LfuhLbmRRCs9yUlVDI4VUKTTyfTdoQE9ThpIYY5yXZNAwF4aBB0/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-448-wb-bracket+old-gantry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>However at CPF-448 in Eagle Bridge, the B&M searchlights and signal bridge were decommissioned in favor of LED color lights around 2017. Because the Guilford rail system's particular tastes the project included a westbound bracket mast although the B&M signal bridge was abandoned in place.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-CbRVBQX-Hlbc0NkDEHXJKGGodH5B0w1bqvjK_B4tg_VCeIapcyXC7i0GOeDRUtnrKaXDxS2x3yExRhMwB5UE01URgFQZJJA54ahV2MdU4Z4XryTy01Bh0B7SepUrhrIkkOiSCl0yA7k7c8U-_He1UzNx0dltyJwUaGQG0hDHJrIzQb_UygsB7EgvfA/s1280/GRS_CPF-464-eb-sigs-main-tk-Clear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-CbRVBQX-Hlbc0NkDEHXJKGGodH5B0w1bqvjK_B4tg_VCeIapcyXC7i0GOeDRUtnrKaXDxS2x3yExRhMwB5UE01URgFQZJJA54ahV2MdU4Z4XryTy01Bh0B7SepUrhrIkkOiSCl0yA7k7c8U-_He1UzNx0dltyJwUaGQG0hDHJrIzQb_UygsB7EgvfA/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-464-eb-sigs-main-tk-Clear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Between Eagle Bridge and CPF-464, all the B&M searchlights were removed around 2017 including locations at mileposts 450, 452, 455, 458 and 462. However CPF-464 remains in a 2-head searchlit configuration. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWc5Sqsqn7po4ixd9xNURPz1Yrzy7eg2NelDMHAOTFp0ajb3joF8dnj6C5Pb9Q5GsA2v8K7bHPwIDc4VqRr4JTOgwEmLf1wYnZzXDbZiNQYm2cE9vHKpQSin39fA3X-m7-3gk0mQZgo1KMJKj_1xrT2h_Mb5jKc_N677TABFUgoprYHFC5BIs1dRRfy_k/s1280/GRS_CPF-466-wb-mast-App-wide-snow+HCD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWc5Sqsqn7po4ixd9xNURPz1Yrzy7eg2NelDMHAOTFp0ajb3joF8dnj6C5Pb9Q5GsA2v8K7bHPwIDc4VqRr4JTOgwEmLf1wYnZzXDbZiNQYm2cE9vHKpQSin39fA3X-m7-3gk0mQZgo1KMJKj_1xrT2h_Mb5jKc_N677TABFUgoprYHFC5BIs1dRRfy_k/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-466-wb-mast-App-wide-snow+HCD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>At the other end of the siding CPF-466 also remains searchlit in a 2-head configuration, however the new holdout signal at CPF-467 consists of LED color light masts. At this point the Guilford main line hits the CP searchlights at CPF-468.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUb2QMxQ7RPfD9WHCgZPhcCCkkwAIXXPxjGg0axOACRilGkukeMoC9V3IrQEGRSN0ye08qHikqlzBbLpRxa99OB4rk9MPCSOEZoUKctGiijmSf6BKVHaLvOQRijxP2d5I54eydDl5FhohVXBuTeqFgHbhoyc64Fs3mqbnVzB6Pkvj3A30XNcYqzogEEc/s1280/GRS_CPF-467-eb-mast-App-Med-far-zoom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUb2QMxQ7RPfD9WHCgZPhcCCkkwAIXXPxjGg0axOACRilGkukeMoC9V3IrQEGRSN0ye08qHikqlzBbLpRxa99OB4rk9MPCSOEZoUKctGiijmSf6BKVHaLvOQRijxP2d5I54eydDl5FhohVXBuTeqFgHbhoyc64Fs3mqbnVzB6Pkvj3A30XNcYqzogEEc/w640-h480/GRS_CPF-467-eb-mast-App-Med-far-zoom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I hope this makes things a little clearer for those looking to explore the area. I am kicking myself for not conducting additional expeditions between 2017 when the new masts appeared between MP 423 and 435. I assumed that by 2018 the route would have been re-signaled and rather than risk a wasted road trip I diverted my attention to the Amtrak Hudson Line. This just goes to show that one should verify signal removals instead of mentally writing them off. </p><p><br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-49561744226441179292024-01-14T20:21:00.000-08:002024-02-06T20:54:27.622-08:00Velcorp Gems - A New Signal Supplier Enters the Fray<p>While out riding the new MBTA Green Line Extension I noticed a new corporate brand stenciled onto the back of a cheap looking transit type LED signal head. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXKvchZUhtsmpYbsh6OCgJNKuJkFYOsDEQjVXvzj1PvaseVxSqoEH6eIc8d77oamWkHIj8jaGOKZsRbTZXyPiTgKP2wq7hD0f4joG8HOToHSrjARBJYVmgt9cdQNQMykWB0Mz4B75Ee5F114CfyuCz3lKW9hllAheF7OlxVn3QojVYnwsP3r3AcJ5LNI/s1280/MTBA_Green-Line-Lechmere-Viaduct-Signal-701-head-Velcorp-GEMS-branding.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1280" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXKvchZUhtsmpYbsh6OCgJNKuJkFYOsDEQjVXvzj1PvaseVxSqoEH6eIc8d77oamWkHIj8jaGOKZsRbTZXyPiTgKP2wq7hD0f4joG8HOToHSrjARBJYVmgt9cdQNQMykWB0Mz4B75Ee5F114CfyuCz3lKW9hllAheF7OlxVn3QojVYnwsP3r3AcJ5LNI/w640-h478/MTBA_Green-Line-Lechmere-Viaduct-Signal-701-head-Velcorp-GEMS-branding.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>My original assessment that Velcorp is the company and GEMS is the brand name of their rail signaling equipment turned out to be incorrect as Velcorp was actually <a href="https://www.velcorpgems.com/about.html">Virginia Electronic & Lighting LLC</a> and GEMS was their subsidiary General Electronics Mechanical Services, which I guess does all the rail stuff? Anyway, as you can see below the product looks to be on the low end of the build quality scale with exposed nuts on the front, lots of hard angles and what appears to be a non-locking access door on the rear.<br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1pfMwd7nhparegw_AsUalzmct7CakWdtltjwJEDZ6WrwxxZPQlZJpynyuCV_VGmcuIBtp4cJ7fdbQtPhbLI5vMZTMtruEPMHxFwK7J1N9_1z_4fd5blCUSzKgAvOQHG58TJuiYYc1A49G9YyKUBdMDYQIq66VTHuhJxfHZ90XpHF598EfDScy7KO_QI/s1498/MTBA_Green-Line-Lechmere-Viaduct-Signal-701-App-angle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1pfMwd7nhparegw_AsUalzmct7CakWdtltjwJEDZ6WrwxxZPQlZJpynyuCV_VGmcuIBtp4cJ7fdbQtPhbLI5vMZTMtruEPMHxFwK7J1N9_1z_4fd5blCUSzKgAvOQHG58TJuiYYc1A49G9YyKUBdMDYQIq66VTHuhJxfHZ90XpHF598EfDScy7KO_QI/s16000/MTBA_Green-Line-Lechmere-Viaduct-Signal-701-App-angle.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippmyCzGaN9kALMZ9EU9uoYEXmWPLQA-Zwtq05hoovg0A1QulUC_BOxAA-UWLbX5HFFPIsuAk9-30r-RxjFqV4UKvPXj9O2sAT_5piDSQ2nmj9TFNV8WsZXf1Dhww0LD36HnuHw1cLhyphenhyphenKmCzc04-bqyNnV5RIPEsNRxKbQ5MK_SJaiPGioUlVEB3u5XNI/s1494/MTBA_Green-Line-Lechmere-Viaduct-Signal-701-rear-angle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippmyCzGaN9kALMZ9EU9uoYEXmWPLQA-Zwtq05hoovg0A1QulUC_BOxAA-UWLbX5HFFPIsuAk9-30r-RxjFqV4UKvPXj9O2sAT_5piDSQ2nmj9TFNV8WsZXf1Dhww0LD36HnuHw1cLhyphenhyphenKmCzc04-bqyNnV5RIPEsNRxKbQ5MK_SJaiPGioUlVEB3u5XNI/s16000/MTBA_Green-Line-Lechmere-Viaduct-Signal-701-rear-angle.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>The mounting equipment is branded as Harmon, which may be doing business under the <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2022/02/off-brand-signals-on-texrail.html">Landsay brand</a> now. Each signal also has a pair of mounting brackets on the top that look a bit like owl tufts. From Velcorp's website it looked like they had previously focused on LED modules before suddenly getting the contract for the GLX wayside signals. Velcorp isn't local so maybe its a Veteran owned small business or something. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoKa-4DZ6AV6c5CEMweYXPrxNxgQKYzebexX_a06LT1pByBQ3-W1lh36MtUHqVXmbO5AUI5Zlk4GDCDC7SGtz7t2yb7RhQ9QSp1Ff0ueWkI7bza80eFau-2VvjXU0z25nlNKeVR3bPi8B8KXWT0ipF-nwCzYG85Kn62BIXU3Ub5dQ2zuNlmMfy9nOC1s/s1280/MTBA_Green-Line-College-Ave-Int-2E+4E-Clear+xovers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoKa-4DZ6AV6c5CEMweYXPrxNxgQKYzebexX_a06LT1pByBQ3-W1lh36MtUHqVXmbO5AUI5Zlk4GDCDC7SGtz7t2yb7RhQ9QSp1Ff0ueWkI7bza80eFau-2VvjXU0z25nlNKeVR3bPi8B8KXWT0ipF-nwCzYG85Kn62BIXU3Ub5dQ2zuNlmMfy9nOC1s/w640-h480/MTBA_Green-Line-College-Ave-Int-2E+4E-Clear+xovers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Despite their appearance, the signals seemed to work well enough. Still, I have not encountered them on any other transit system. Velcorp is one of several <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4579330861580053658/2268300107125257931">entrants</a> into the rail signal space to have offered up products competing against the legacy brands of US&S and GRS (Alstom) who have the capability to make larger cast aluminum and iron housings.<br /><p><br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-1809497795090688842024-01-06T21:03:00.000-08:002024-02-04T21:31:09.989-08:001994 SUISUN BRIDGE Cabin Tour<p> Movable bridge cabins are the invisible step children of the interlocking tower scene, but its easy to forget that they have all the same stuff that regular towers have including the full compliment of electro+mechanical interlocking machines. While poking around YouTube I found this video of someone's 1994 tour of the Souther Pacific's SUISUN BRIDGE movable bridge cabin. This vertical lift drawbridge <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=38.0386133&lon=-122.1081123&z=15&l=0&m=s&v=9&show=/21130030/Southern-Pacific-Suisun-Railroad-Bridge">is a crossing of the Carquinez Strait</a>, which connects Suisun Bay with San Fransisco Bay and hosts Amtrak's Capitol Corridor, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr services.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oEIbtZf8pHe0ogtu4U18Mq60UyrcGiGQZUVkfzveiirzjqqU9qJ6LGNK4btYDUalMd1QFbP8KQd5BHe1zJUV8VqralX12wVLCjc76TXi3VvYmwt_Y3VEvUyYrnIFWofRAhNyMNc0tYjkAacrxzkYvrKG2ROm5ADbq9p3V1DC05aqPapAnHpjwlpBeoQ/s1280/SUISUN-BRIDGE-lower-level-close-wb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oEIbtZf8pHe0ogtu4U18Mq60UyrcGiGQZUVkfzveiirzjqqU9qJ6LGNK4btYDUalMd1QFbP8KQd5BHe1zJUV8VqralX12wVLCjc76TXi3VvYmwt_Y3VEvUyYrnIFWofRAhNyMNc0tYjkAacrxzkYvrKG2ROm5ADbq9p3V1DC05aqPapAnHpjwlpBeoQ/w640-h480/SUISUN-BRIDGE-lower-level-close-wb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>As far as I am aware it is still a staffed interlocking station, although I am not sure if it retains the US&S Model 14 machine and panel seen throughout the video (specifically 10:30). In the video you can also hear the sound of a signature US&S pneumatic switch machine at 4:00 as it locks down the lift span under the control of a Model 14 lever.<br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1eDQCChmi9k?si=UgxH2rMnEZsf5rA4" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></p><p>Based on intro and outro clips of ABS searchlight signals on the south bank, I suspect this pre-dated the era of SP style tri-light signals that remain at the bridge today and therefore implies that the Mode 14 was replaced by a panel or VDU. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cqr_eHZSvnSbGTZMntDCp547DMTJqHOdUMK7Cnv3Wn7klAID_sRgA88VolI0Xev_SKQK1MJZ9uObEmXpiGyJoB3WWpqLIXaI33VZwbBmgXYdl2A_X6Ek4zLPj-0KActBzWYcgjxpR7XsFbJpbKAAx9slk6M7zrFXGvKaGoVN1fn6Kke50jc-gr4KxmU/s1280/SUISUN-BRIDGE-wb-masts-tk2-Adv-App.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cqr_eHZSvnSbGTZMntDCp547DMTJqHOdUMK7Cnv3Wn7klAID_sRgA88VolI0Xev_SKQK1MJZ9uObEmXpiGyJoB3WWpqLIXaI33VZwbBmgXYdl2A_X6Ek4zLPj-0KActBzWYcgjxpR7XsFbJpbKAAx9slk6M7zrFXGvKaGoVN1fn6Kke50jc-gr4KxmU/w640-h480/SUISUN-BRIDGE-wb-masts-tk2-Adv-App.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westbound home signals SUISUN BRIDGE<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The panel shown at various points in the video also lacks the VISTA crossover immediately west of the eastbound signals. <br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbf1aA7LbHZQG3bvJuEE1TinomM7XXRQwi4pGmBDruHufhhTFRnY8R0yw6LEgnynpQXU_7fU6Qm-q5vhHQFyxmLOb2PLbLE5nlrr5r7LMRk6glPMSwQFiWs7KC-yjKds5U_uTvqCGPYw4FoBOzZC2hlkddQNiU78ianKuX098cbOFMQd4NanzoVYzWy3A/s1280/UP_Martinez-Sub-VISTA-wb-masts+tk2-App+MP33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbf1aA7LbHZQG3bvJuEE1TinomM7XXRQwi4pGmBDruHufhhTFRnY8R0yw6LEgnynpQXU_7fU6Qm-q5vhHQFyxmLOb2PLbLE5nlrr5r7LMRk6glPMSwQFiWs7KC-yjKds5U_uTvqCGPYw4FoBOzZC2hlkddQNiU78ianKuX098cbOFMQd4NanzoVYzWy3A/w640-h480/UP_Martinez-Sub-VISTA-wb-masts+tk2-App+MP33.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westbound home signals VISTA interlocking with eastbound home signals SUISUN BAY<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>So it looks like the "Southern Pacific" style re-signaling was going on quite a bit later than I had figured what with the mid-90's Union Pacific merger.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-21550751949137678322023-12-31T20:35:00.000-08:002024-01-30T21:27:16.916-08:002023 Searchlight News<p> For the last post of 2023 I'm going to go through my backlog of searchlight related news items. First up is the Florida East Coast where we are all aware of the re-signaling in the Brightline Zone, but it appears that the remaining searchlights on the north end are also on the way out. The <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=30.1104667&lon=-81.485368&z=20&l=0&m=s&v=9">Bayard siding</a>, just south of Jacksonville, had no evidence of signal replacement in Feb 2023, but new masts were in place by September.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/5/8/8/5588.1695840739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="800" height="546" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/5/8/8/5588.1695840739.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p></p><p>Up on the former B&M Main Line east of the CSX zone in Ayer, there was been a good deal of searchlight attrition, but this has been a piecemeal process and at milepost 425 near the VT/NY state line the MP 435 searchlight was still standing as of may 2023.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/9/5/5/4955.1699145279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="800" height="474" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/9/5/5/4955.1699145279.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>East of Ayer CSX hasn't quite had enough time to start re-signaling projects as they are still trying to rebuild the connector from Warcester to Ayer. Getting out to the two searchlit interlockings between the Lowell and Fitchburg MBTA zones are high on my list.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/0/7/8/2078.1679259826.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="800" height="414" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/0/7/8/2078.1679259826.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Up on the former Montana Rail Link the searchlight replacement is ongoing with new signals up around <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=45.6731938&lon=-110.9969922&z=19&l=0&m=s&v=9">EAST BOZEMAN</a>.<br /> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/9/7/9/6979.1688788786.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="800" height="434" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/9/7/9/6979.1688788786.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Unfortunately around 2019-2022 many remaining searchlights on the BNSF San Bernardino Sub lost its ATSF vintage searchlights except for a few around the Riverside Station.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/5/2/9/7529.1659072099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="800" height="434" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/5/2/9/7529.1659072099.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Finally on the UP/BNSF Joint Line south of Denver, an interesting situation has developed where CTC has been added to one of the two former single direction ABS tracks and the other has been left as ABS with no PTC due to a lack of need. This has at least temporarily saved a number of searchlights, including the mast at Milepost 226.8 just of US 85 <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=39.430598&lon=-104.9227297&z=20&l=0&m=s&v=9">north of Castle Rock</a>, which has had a replacement hovering over it since 2018. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/7/5/8/8758.1679538528.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="800" height="581" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/7/5/8/8758.1679538528.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p></p><p>That's all for now. Remember there's no time like the present to get out and get your photos. I'll be doing a followup piece on re-signaling on the New England Central line in the CT River Valley in a few months.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-28048427753331737092023-12-22T19:53:00.000-08:002024-01-25T21:19:50.877-08:00The Last N&W CPL Dwarfs?<p>It's sometimes easy to forget that the PRR position light dwarf signal was also used by PRR ally Norfolk and Western Railway in addition to the regularly sized position lights. Their PL dwarf was even <a href="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/NW02.jpg">included</a> in the 1959 N&W program to partly colorize their signals resulting in something that gave off definite UK "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_railway_signalling#Position_light_signals">ground signal</a>" vibes, albeit with the ability to display green.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/dwarf1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="536" height="320" src="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/dwarf1.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/dwarf2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="628" height="320" src="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/dwarf2.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><p>Although the old N&W has been ravaged by re-signaling projects over the last decade, there are still a number of well preserved lines deep in the Appalachian coal country and Virginia. However the same cannot be said for the N&W CPL dwarf as the N&W had color light dwarf alternatives in its rulebook <a href="https://railroadsignals.us/rulebooks/N&W61/index.htm">as early as 1961</a>. Therefore the N&W had a multi-decade head start on replacing its PL dwarfs at the point where NS started to get involved. As of the time of this post, it has been reported that there are only 4 N&W PL dwarf signals remaining in active service at three locations. The first location is <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=37.4607307&lon=-81.8174312&z=20&l=0&m=s&v=9">Iaeger, WV</a>, the second <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=36.9446001&lon=-82.4699373&z=20&l=0&m=s&v=9">Coeburn, VA</a> and the third, with two CPL dwarfs, is <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=37.367655&lon=-79.9020127&z=20&l=0&m=s&v=9">Cloverdale, VA</a>.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1706156808219!6m8!1m7!1sJBJRrPoKUruxXmBWy44bJA!2m2!1d37.46057920269588!2d-81.81742116002914!3f2.945952648140515!4f-0.4994618957354362!5f1.8807269821467036" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br /></p><p>The <a href="https://www.railpictures.net/photo/823168/">Iaeger example</a> is immediately adjacent to state route 80 just east of the Tug Fork bridge at IAEGER interlocking, just past the west end of Auville yard on the <a href="https://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/NS/NS%20ETTs/NS%20Pocahontas%20Div%20ETT%20%231%208-4-2008.pdf">Pocahontas Division</a> Dry Fork Branch near the village of Hull where the three track N&W position lit full crossover used to be.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.railpictures.net/photo/846915/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="800" height="434" src="https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/4/4/3/9443.1702170765.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The Cloverdale pair are located at the east end of the Cloverdale Branch on the Roanoke District's CLOVERDALE interlocking about 8 miles north of the Roanoke Terminal in Roanoke, VA. The first governs <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/tmjiaUt4F1ajfXPK8">the end</a> of a long industrial track that serves a concrete plant and <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/8kcABrPCCk8KAU2a8">the second</a> serves as the exit signal for the Cloverdale siding. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/otree38/status/1750394911969485269" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="800" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEqm5JcbsAA2htR?format=jpg&name=medium" width="533" /></a></div><p>The final <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/GcSxuXbuKeyLpjL88">location</a> is actually an automatic distant signal on the otherwise unsignaled Toms Creek Branch for COEBURN interlocking on the Pocahontas Division Clint Valley District. It is located just off Tate Ave, a few blocks from the VA state route 158 and the central business district. All three locations are in the vicinity of recent re-signaling efforts and can be considered highly endangered as a couple of other known examples, including another isolated automatic distant in North Carolina, were recently lost.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/IMG_0425a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="336" src="https://railroadsignals.us/signals/nwcpl/IMG_0425a.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><p>Of course rare signal types have always popped up before and I'm just reporting on the results of a forum discussion so if you are aware of an N&W CPL dwarf that has been missed please let me know in the comments! The first draft of this post actually missed the Coeburn dwarf so thank you Oakley for pointing it out.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-41060248519287731672023-12-17T18:40:00.000-08:002024-01-15T19:35:22.928-08:00BNSF CTC Replacing Union Pacific Julesburg Sub ABS/TWC<p>Just a heads up that about 24 miles of ABS/TWS (aka Rule 271) on the Union Pacific Julesburg Sub in northern Colorado is being converted to CTC as BNSF takes over maintenance of the entire Bush Sub/Julesburg Sub corridor between Union and Sterling, CO. This line represents one of those dual operating arrangements where as traffic levels dropped, two competing railroads turned their parallel lines into a single joint. In the case of the Bush and Julesburg Subs, the division point was the small <a href="https://railpictures.net/photo/844808/">railroad location of UNION</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GTSaLYC8hS9ufkeA161rVMGnUlweB4Ow0t8Q_J3Xd53QgKIyUbV1ua3KUQcNH4ujaOBX4wBrMCWNiAB-GHvhtR7SkfukEaFl6TEEcv-sY8X79gbTf1lP-wUw3CMiGJj-efe0lsFePpV9nN6J1nZJHkVbw8c-02BbFJVVMoRbxgj67IOhsxgS-luPn3o/s396/UP_Julesburg-Sub-ETT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="396" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GTSaLYC8hS9ufkeA161rVMGnUlweB4Ow0t8Q_J3Xd53QgKIyUbV1ua3KUQcNH4ujaOBX4wBrMCWNiAB-GHvhtR7SkfukEaFl6TEEcv-sY8X79gbTf1lP-wUw3CMiGJj-efe0lsFePpV9nN6J1nZJHkVbw8c-02BbFJVVMoRbxgj67IOhsxgS-luPn3o/s320/UP_Julesburg-Sub-ETT.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Over the last decade or so BNSF upgraded their side of the line and, as their traffic levels increase, they gained more control and have decided to apply CTC to the Union Pacific portion of bi-directional ABS. Although Union Pacific ABS signaling had eliminated use of the pole line and installed PTC, it also made use of short mile long signal blocks with US&S N type color lights at mileposts <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/UWwPWr6JokS6AYmm6">77</a>, <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/XvP7ynnVgik9iDR38">70</a>, <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/Aj9AZmwD1jKYjEa77">69</a>, <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/UaN3af5h5byaxpw38">67</a>, <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/kTx1mfMmrRBSzFDc7">66</a> and <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/7uBat8jYQi49Wv5i9">65</a> in addition to fairly uncommon late model US&S modular color lights at mileposts 71, <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/GXJoMfYwmgAUjBf98">72</a>, For example the CTC interlocking replacing the <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/cHhxsZk1epBjm5zJ9">ABS hand throw siding end</a> at MP 58.8 in Sterling will have its distant at the <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/MZcGEiV1oWqZsuKA7">MP </a><a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/MZcGEiV1oWqZsuKA7">61</a> signal location. Union Pacific appears to have already been reducing the block length with 2 mile jump to a new Safetran signal at <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/xsrVExxdh8mndDDD9">MP 63</a>. The project will also include new interlockings and the currently hand throw searchlit ABS siding between <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/QttHZ5gX7JvpqPBs7">WE</a> and <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/z6FaK3oU27GEGCyc7">EE</a> MESSEX and two new intermediate signals at mileposts <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/4jcMFDvSEVuPQCh6A">79</a> and <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/bKugTKscjBSm2Xv39">78</a> between MESSEX and UNION. </p><p> <iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1705372752244!6m8!1m7!1s3Qr2ijOBpnggtCq5Y8ypdA!2m2!1d40.37560646611387!2d-103.5021280236369!3f359.7872229834162!4f10.636906947941796!5f1.368590214491137" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p>It remains to be seen if BNSF will remove/replace all of the old UP intermediates or just those directly adjacent to one of the new interlockings, but for anyone in the area all of the existing signals are easily accessible from public highways including US 6 and County Rd 178.</p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-6082410901885109852023-12-09T21:36:00.000-08:002024-01-10T21:41:00.156-08:00Results of FRA PTC Braking Algorithm Study <p>I recently discovered the results of the FRA's <a href="https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/71920">Positive Train Control Passenger Braking Algorithm Enhancement project dated September 2023</a>. As regular readers are aware I have been a frequent critic of the overly conservative braking algorithms used by various PTC systems and vastly under perform the performance capabilities of the rail vehicles. While this FRA study was confined to the entirely wireless ETMS system used outside the northeast, it might still offer meaningful improvements to these systems in general. Long story short don't get your hopes up. In fact the results of this study might make things even worse.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXhONPJ9KesWDp8HeJmvWzPd8TSog8mdH3Wy_lRG6Z2oit5MqTtXRdD4TKRDPPYCrzzgtvdfmCRFzK9qBOLjnOgDrJEWDv-LwD-qrBuTumfRWQePcRyHsTZHNm7LuFDx-pXILnPrbxDNbdxlmIFJArAwUaRhfedvBYe5hOgaLUjNAhxJynXuqcTqUSvY/s1498/SEPTA_SL-V-CDU-App-Med-BROAD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXhONPJ9KesWDp8HeJmvWzPd8TSog8mdH3Wy_lRG6Z2oit5MqTtXRdD4TKRDPPYCrzzgtvdfmCRFzK9qBOLjnOgDrJEWDv-LwD-qrBuTumfRWQePcRyHsTZHNm7LuFDx-pXILnPrbxDNbdxlmIFJArAwUaRhfedvBYe5hOgaLUjNAhxJynXuqcTqUSvY/w428-h640/SEPTA_SL-V-CDU-App-Med-BROAD.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><p>So I encourage everyone to try and work their way through the <a href="https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/71920">linked paper</a> (<a href="https://www.redoveryellow.com/position-light/Blog/FRA-PTC-Algo-Study-dot_71920_DS1.pdf">mirror here</a>), but in my quest to add value I will provide a summary of the key points. The study examined four potential algorithm enhancements, Target Approach Management (TAM), specified consist length trains, tuned train types, and adaptive braking. TAM is for low speed (5-10mph) approach to stop signals while the other three are general purpose braking algorithms that better take into consideration various quirks of passenger train and EMU/DMU operation. The study was almost entirely carried out via computer simulation where real world variables like train consist, rail adhesion and brake pipe latency were tested in tens of thousands of combinations to estimate real world performance. There also appeared to be real world tests carried out on a test track. <br /><br />The first important takeaway is that the performance baseline for defining an "undershoot", as in PTC stops the train too quickly is 500 feet for speeds under 30mph and 1200 feet for speed over 30mph. Under the baseline scenario these limits were exceeded 20-25% of the time. The PTC braking algorithms calculate a stop point probability distribution and then add a safety factor. Higher speeds mean more uncertainty so the typical stop point for 25mph might be a couple hundred feet short of the signal, the stop point for 90mph could be multiple thousands of feet short. This is why PTC forces so much aggressive braking at line speed. <br /><br />As for the results of the study the good news was that the new TAM algorithm improved low speed undershoots (defined as more than 100 feet) from nearly 50% under the current proprietary EMTS implementation to a fraction of a %. Unfortunately that's all the good news you are going to get as the other "improved" general purpose algorithms blew up undershoots in the simulated runs. Specified Consist undershoots increased between 9 and 17% with some passenger train consists undershooting up to 40% of the time. Tuned Train Type saw mixed results with some equipment having less undershoots and some more. Adaptive showed no change for the commuter type equipment while undershoots for passenger type equipment went up from 20 to 30%. The gain for this drop in performance was an improvement in meeting the stop target from 98 to 99%. The real life tests resulted in a mixed bag of performance gains and losses, however unlike the costless simulations far fewer real life tests could be carried out and under much more limited conditions. <br /><br />The problem with the study is that it ultimately treats a safety overlay system like autonomous operation. PTC isn't what has to stop a train before it hits something. That's the job of a skilled locomotive engineer. PTC is what should step in when the Engineer is clearly going to be doing something unsafe. Even unsafe conditions rarely lead to physical impacts at which point the crash safety system prevent potential injury or death. PTC preventable accidents of all types were already rare and PTC should eliminate at least 98% of those. Meanwhile poor train performance is pushing riders onto the roads where they'll die in car accidents. Celebrating a 1% improvement in PTC effectiveness at the cost of yet more performance isn't the win the FRA thinks it is. The infuriating part is that over on those highways self-professed self driving cars are blowing throw stop signs left and right and Federal regulators do nothing.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-57025352779010558982023-12-02T22:38:00.000-08:002024-01-06T23:18:52.492-08:00Caught on Camera: CSX's Gonzo Distant Signals<p>Distant signals, as defined as those that appear in otherwise unsignaled territory to warn train movements of an upcoming absolute signal (ie an interlocking), are seen in two flavors in the North American scene, fixed and dynamic. Many year's ago I <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4579330861580053658/7919442473837643763">discussed the use of dynamic distant signals</a> on some Conrail Shared Assets lines in Southern New Jersey and although fixed distant signals are far more common, dynamic distants aren't remarkably rare. Today, most signaling systems make use of two possible distant signal rules. Approach the next signal prepared to stop and approach the next signal expecting a proceed indication of a type defined by route knowledge. As these appear in unsignaled territory neither of these conveys track occupancy information between itself and the absolute signal. CSX on the other hand defined its distant signals by a marker plate that, <a href="https://xkcd.com/1813/">like the vomiting emoji</a>, can be applied to <i>any</i> signal.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81MPfhh87aMmgXfgkH2eshF-7mXxw09LVm3maInM0v73mEuiAc4fDUQ9o9X10-oIokWsMFbsHrVTtFHX0x6GKRln2AjGCwlJ1pXTNLQi-XX3yfHbuw8_LJZQ3vbhxCGh81dXq6NREoQqDFFSO6nULbu94R6fWuqUDbrQos0gLXbxvW0KZBf1fncKJH1Q/s828/CSX_Rule-1295.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="828" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81MPfhh87aMmgXfgkH2eshF-7mXxw09LVm3maInM0v73mEuiAc4fDUQ9o9X10-oIokWsMFbsHrVTtFHX0x6GKRln2AjGCwlJ1pXTNLQi-XX3yfHbuw8_LJZQ3vbhxCGh81dXq6NREoQqDFFSO6nULbu94R6fWuqUDbrQos0gLXbxvW0KZBf1fncKJH1Q/w640-h228/CSX_Rule-1295.gif" width="640" /></a></div><p>In practice the CSX App Marker would only be applied to Clear, Approach, Approach Limited, Approach Medium, Approach Slow and Restricted Proceed/Restricting. Basically anything that would normally appear on an automatic signal before an interlocking. Now of course this wouldn't be a "Caught on Camera" post if I didn't find an exceptional example of this system. In Cartersville, GA the unsignaled Cartersville Sub approaches the W&A sub <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@34.189359,-84.8238662,526m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-US&entry=ttu">at a wye interlocking designed BOWEN</a>. At some point after 2012 CSX re-signaled the W&A sub and installed a new App marked distant signal right off Sugar Valley Road, seen below.<br /></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1704610919808!6m8!1m7!1svrMvamel3QzbEXrHNGx2lQ!2m2!1d34.18334119177372!2d-84.82798235210925!3f348.5905491038205!4f-0.7017911296304362!5f1.8000699182162485" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br /></p><p>Unlike the typical dynamic distant with two lamps, yellow and green, this example has 5 lamps including a fixed yellow in the uppermost head. This was because the west apex of the wye was interlocked and could give a slow speed route and a medium speed route. Therefore the Sugar Valley Road distant can display Y/R/R Approach for a stop or restricting, Y/G/R Approach Medium for the medium speed route and Y/R/G Approach Slow for the slow speed route. Of course because it doesn't reflect track occupancy the most restrictive indication is Y/R/R Approach <a href="https://railpictures.net/photo/848577/">as seen here</a> next to an approaching train movement. Ironically, the approach lit distant signal is indirectly reflecting the occupied nature of the block by being lit so at some level, the App Marker lies 😅.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-35055616573109557282023-11-29T21:16:00.000-08:002024-01-01T21:43:00.804-08:00Mazda Cab Signals are the PTC Solution We Needed<p>While driving in a brand new rental Mazda sport wagon in Colorado I noticed something interesting on the instrument cluster.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzu4cXwJQKflYcO2TC5F1AP062YuhvCER3VIgnG0Kkmp2wOVzJfWmtfw29JrrhccjK_UT3n3UkB-TVGNacRYIS1h5PJoT4TqpSSw_3kgzYNJRaOaUq8aWgXjkU6G_s68a_sEbZIhnOyH_6q_6UjbT13XCnVHGdp3_15PGwyCacLJJQ96WkliV39ej-r8/s2817/CO_Mazda-cab-signal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="2817" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzu4cXwJQKflYcO2TC5F1AP062YuhvCER3VIgnG0Kkmp2wOVzJfWmtfw29JrrhccjK_UT3n3UkB-TVGNacRYIS1h5PJoT4TqpSSw_3kgzYNJRaOaUq8aWgXjkU6G_s68a_sEbZIhnOyH_6q_6UjbT13XCnVHGdp3_15PGwyCacLJJQ96WkliV39ej-r8/w640-h480/CO_Mazda-cab-signal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>There was a dynamic speed limit indication accompanied by a red tick on the speedometer indicating the currently detected speed limit. Now this sort of information has been available in Waze for some time, accurately using smart phone grade GPS to pull a road segments speed limit from a crowd sourced database and displaying it on the interface. Using something like Android Auto this could be displayed to he driver in any number of ways.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhSHxqqChrHhFs4VFFJS37bEfN1B8LoYY2tAU0XWDKnt2LjqE3En7X19gvHllG5yQtG4ETEqURzoIK5diV4GnD6n-APZu9rzicGK2Ab4yX_vkpWZllVQpnx3L6DYAWXud1UlA9lsGfRrUSdibac5K-2gwXI-BjtPbsLWnxK3wM41ApHYKL_zVVdv-2q4/s1280/CA_9-Park-County-65mph-nb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhSHxqqChrHhFs4VFFJS37bEfN1B8LoYY2tAU0XWDKnt2LjqE3En7X19gvHllG5yQtG4ETEqURzoIK5diV4GnD6n-APZu9rzicGK2Ab4yX_vkpWZllVQpnx3L6DYAWXud1UlA9lsGfRrUSdibac5K-2gwXI-BjtPbsLWnxK3wM41ApHYKL_zVVdv-2q4/w640-h480/CA_9-Park-County-65mph-nb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The cybersecurity implications of this aside, I noticed an interesting Mazda party trick that Waze could not perform and that was the seeming ability to detect temporary speed restrictions, aka work zone speed limits. Waze explicitly rejects trying to track TSR's, even for long term work zones. Although achievable through traditional data collection methods, I was aware that the vehicle was equipped with forward facing cameras for its lane-assist feature (or MCAS) and if on-board systems could keep track of lanes, they could also recognize wayside speed limit signs and display them on cab signal, possibly augmented by a Waze style database.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMo9CIRzpw2b6cABaoxzSL0XukPf82f8i0w0FQzCfgrHlo3Cu5zLznCwRxa59dcuSGhf9Y0EO8DkVVEXWuI-i6VmNpGP5GPPiPsznS3EDMA9X795w1ci7BOndJjl5WMnQIhWvHjLeeheeOqudg2rAy-8tKT6DNwrswllC36lMOft2WywUIphs553zp1s/s1280/Amt_Hudson-Line-MP-163.9-Scotia-DED+ee-TSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMo9CIRzpw2b6cABaoxzSL0XukPf82f8i0w0FQzCfgrHlo3Cu5zLznCwRxa59dcuSGhf9Y0EO8DkVVEXWuI-i6VmNpGP5GPPiPsznS3EDMA9X795w1ci7BOndJjl5WMnQIhWvHjLeeheeOqudg2rAy-8tKT6DNwrswllC36lMOft2WywUIphs553zp1s/w640-h480/Amt_Hudson-Line-MP-163.9-Scotia-DED+ee-TSR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The current national Class 1 PTC standard, ETMS, relies on wireless data and GPS to track a trains position and compare is, Waze style, to a database of authorized speed limits. The problem this creates are clunky data networks that result in slow setup time and en-route loss of connectivity as well as occasional mass outages that can halt traffic across a railroad's entire network. The preferable solution has been evident in the field of vehicle automation for over a decade now. Computer vision systems just look at wayside signs (and/or signals) the same way the human engineer does. To the extent that wayside signs are vulnerable to impairment computer vision doesn't have to replace the current "Waze" type system, but in case ETMS suffers a failure, the backup solution isn't halt all traffic (or god forbid just let the crews do their job), but fall back to wayside sinage detected by computer vision and enforced by the on board apparatus <br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-73645469118619038222023-11-19T20:18:00.000-08:002024-01-06T22:38:01.290-08:00NS D&H Re-Signaling Hits Afton, NY<p>In yet more fallout from the NS purchase of the former D&H Main Line, the re-signaling ax <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10233059571413707&set=pcb.10160036351671033">has hit the siding in Afton, NY</a> after randomly bouncing around the line between Schenectady and Sunbury, PA. The real shame was that at least the north end of the siding, <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=42.2197018&lon=-75.5292896&z=19&l=0&m=s&v=9">CPF-587</a>, was on track to stay searchlit under CP ownership. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1703996776656!6m8!1m7!1stvR2nFaVfzzpGzpg8Ziymw!2m2!1d42.21885877488604!2d-75.52984116650674!3f55.62727639657239!4f1.0230409080987641!5f1.5738313336213858" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p>As of 2014 CPF-587 had two CP type GRA SA searchlight masts on the south end that replaced a D&H style searchlight bracket at some point between then and 2008.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1703996923889!6m8!1m7!1s9Axfk71YV_Ij9_Vp-SuMpw!2m2!1d42.22033883103909!2d-75.52929162356915!3f156.61280144104026!4f4.028218720549745!5f1.669782634121252" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p>CPF-587 also had a D&H vintage single track cantilever mast at the north end that remained untouched until the summer of 2022(!) when a Canadian Pacific in-house type searchlight mast went up.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1703997138079!6m8!1m7!1sK_mQPW-nijDLzqciyEO80g!2m2!1d42.22034319107851!2d-75.5292870921638!3f152.28411792477226!4f0.09678780545823429!5f1.5337438505075918" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p>It is unclear if this was part of a long term Canadian Pacific plan that NS management later nixed or just something NS scraped together as a temporary measure, but by fall 2023 both the out of service bracket and active cantilevers were gone with Darth Vaders and a new relay hut in place.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/396265931_10233059581653963_3109589665387484705_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c42490&_nc_ohc=EF0lW2mMO0MAX8uhMaB&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfD22lwXNES5AHxUDfBzm-0Y5P9Evxy0Nq3hWTpq5tHIRg&oe=659E63C8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/396265931_10233059581653963_3109589665387484705_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c42490&_nc_ohc=EF0lW2mMO0MAX8uhMaB&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfD22lwXNES5AHxUDfBzm-0Y5P9Evxy0Nq3hWTpq5tHIRg&oe=659E63C8" width="640" /></a></div><p>Although this was always to be expected and CP was in the midst of its own scattershot re-signaling of the D&H line. It is a major shame to lose one of the best preserved interlockings on the route in so short a space of time. Unfortunately the D&H route is well off the beaten path and I my best efforts have only allowed me to nibble at the ends. If you live in the I-88 corridor please do your best to get some photos at those interlockings that remain. <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /></p>
Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-6418237293955858452023-11-11T22:01:00.000-08:002023-12-23T22:12:55.009-08:00The Ultimate Cutover - SEPTA 90TH ST JCT SOUTH <p>Typically when one discusses a signal cutover one is cutting new signal logic over to control new or existing signals or interlocking appliances. Sometimes one will cut new signals or interlocking appliances into existing signal logic. However in 2014 when SEPTA wanted to relocate <a href="http://old.wikimapia.org/#lat=39.879488&lon=-75.2570307&z=17&l=0&m=s&v=9">90TH ST JCT SOUTH interlocking 2000 feet to the north</a> to expand a Conrail SAO industrial siding they took things a step further and relocated the entire signaling bungalow.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1703397701039!6m8!1m7!1syEzCQSUXMNC6tubAKX-zJA!2m2!1d39.87719578874893!2d-75.2597682764302!3f331.3553740637378!4f-0.903384221601172!5f1.8022969275375886" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p></p><p>Above is a street view of the original location in 2014. Below is the new location in 2015. SEPTA didn't even bother to clean the graffiti off the relay hut. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1703398028046!6m8!1m7!1sB0ywVhUyT6NnVHtbE7vQZw!2m2!1d39.88097827859698!2d-75.25403197474965!3f296.50683217922796!4f-3.0832123008860606!5f1.8072947151053902" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></p><p>Part of the penny pinching shown here is due to 90TH ST JCT SOUTH being solely the domain of Conrail freight movements before they hit the SEPTA Airport Line at 90TH ST JCT NORTH. Without a Federal or State grant to pay for the capital improvement, there was no incentive to pad things out and create more jobs and with traffic being pretty minimal there wasn't a cost incentive to minimize down time due to testing. This just goes to show when the costs align, railroads will save money on signaling. <br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-56680645255365037002023-11-05T11:20:00.000-08:002023-12-13T11:37:49.821-08:00Southern Pacific Cantilever Zapped by Caltrain Electrification<p>In a completely predicable turn of events, the iconic Southern Pacific cantilever mast that has guarded the southern approach to the 4th and Kin St terminal in San Francisco has met its demise sometime between <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/mSeCJFENvJ19jbfw7">March</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/rqZ_y2OwroU?t=3944">October</a> of 2023, likely in conjunction with the erection of overhead electrification wires. It has been replaced by three LED searchlight dwarfs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ENXvUrdV6i9T-cZfIGDZzgYBJF99q7w8hdFaC_OQJakdPinbKcc2PuW0Y6tY_pIlADWusal8YFJm_DdbflwOLNBpHvPtOcpoym8i3iRhiqIsOpBTxteGRHI19fwg5LZBPtmHg-SrB-NXYz5O3IL1EGZk4NnVMSJNrRCQfa0LPqPwVl0CTo2YEwPV8U4/s1280/4TH-ST-nb-tk3-dwarf-Slow-Clear+sb-tk3-exit-dwarf-rear+canti+facing-dslips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ENXvUrdV6i9T-cZfIGDZzgYBJF99q7w8hdFaC_OQJakdPinbKcc2PuW0Y6tY_pIlADWusal8YFJm_DdbflwOLNBpHvPtOcpoym8i3iRhiqIsOpBTxteGRHI19fwg5LZBPtmHg-SrB-NXYz5O3IL1EGZk4NnVMSJNrRCQfa0LPqPwVl0CTo2YEwPV8U4/w640-h640/4TH-ST-nb-tk3-dwarf-Slow-Clear+sb-tk3-exit-dwarf-rear+canti+facing-dslips.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I've noticed that starting with Amtrak's New Haven to Boston electrification. recent North American electrification projects have included far more overhead clutter than those seen in Europe. Specifically the use of solid overhead beams to mount the wire brackets as opposed to cable spans. Cable spans don't tend to block signal sight lines as much, allowing existing signal placements to remain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ACImn-LHd8B7HIIwVfL-ooVOyw2gixRP0rPBZmbvXiUhDIVSbjo4LZnRCxOi-3B9LfbAomvsdXogBiRMoltCLq4EgQtkO039LP3mnDmcrGKJpYyLvDYrvYL8vCY2xUKa0SLN9-K44jAeNvukWQaTmwAy4IuzseH0ygfOzEmJ2oDbRGCkqm39ERFkIKQ/s1280/4TH-ST-nb-canti-upper-cloudy-zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1280" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ACImn-LHd8B7HIIwVfL-ooVOyw2gixRP0rPBZmbvXiUhDIVSbjo4LZnRCxOi-3B9LfbAomvsdXogBiRMoltCLq4EgQtkO039LP3mnDmcrGKJpYyLvDYrvYL8vCY2xUKa0SLN9-K44jAeNvukWQaTmwAy4IuzseH0ygfOzEmJ2oDbRGCkqm39ERFkIKQ/w640-h482/4TH-ST-nb-canti-upper-cloudy-zoom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Anyway, I'm not sure if the 4TH ST cantilever was scrapped or donated to a museum, but as one of the last of its type in daily service, its loss is significant. <br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-67468232925553606562023-10-31T20:00:00.000-07:002023-12-10T20:09:52.683-08:00ALTO Tower Preservation Plans At Risk<div dir="ltr">It has been a decade since <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2019/07/alto-one-tower-four-roads.html"><span class="il">ALTO</span>
tower</a> in Altoona, PA <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2012/06/rip-alto-1915-2012.html">closed</a> and after a conversation with persons
directly involved in the process I have come to learn that the
likelihood of its preservation seems increasingly remote. The good news
is that there are currently no plans to demolish the tower by Norfolk
Southern, however the previously touted move the tower in its entirety
to the Railroaders Museum about a half mile to the east are unlikely to
ever come to fruition due to the structural condition of <span class="il">ALTO</span> tower itself. </div><div dir="ltr"> </div><div dir="ltr"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJQ678Q0Ezy_SC6fQjnGEIttM4uFzQpvvbl_sFvqB371KwuYmcXW0mdBJcQlir09cD8BYjmgDTtFQikVhQ0SZ1FY3wdDMG3i9vANYYUM9EI_5_NY3CZivStClKCHYdKXoyfI1vxDaSiri2JoBn_YDR1Mm4anWYIRWlzkYxZHVCyBVgy3mstvhHaQC_5k/s1280/ALTO-wb-angle-foggy-wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJQ678Q0Ezy_SC6fQjnGEIttM4uFzQpvvbl_sFvqB371KwuYmcXW0mdBJcQlir09cD8BYjmgDTtFQikVhQ0SZ1FY3wdDMG3i9vANYYUM9EI_5_NY3CZivStClKCHYdKXoyfI1vxDaSiri2JoBn_YDR1Mm4anWYIRWlzkYxZHVCyBVgy3mstvhHaQC_5k/w640-h480/ALTO-wb-angle-foggy-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Immediately
after the tower's closure there were two competing plans about how to
preserve it. The first was to move the tower in its entirety in a
similar process to the recent move of WB tower in Brunswick, MD. The
second plan was to gut the tower of all internal components, strip off
all of the architectural ornamentation and then reconstruct the tower
from scratch. One of the advocates for the second plan expressed that
his motivation to sacrifice the 1915 structure was due to it being
fatally compromised by termites and requiring asbestos remediation. All
up, full preservation and relocation of the 1915 structure would cost
multiple times construction of a duplicate fitted out with the internal
components and external ornamentation. It would also <a href="https://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/photos/mo-tower-demo-cresson-pa-12-7-1998">avoid the fate</a> of
MO tower about 10 miles down the Main Line in Cresson, PA that literally
fell apart during a late 1990's effort to relocate the structure to a
nearby railfan park due to compromise of the 100 year old wooden
structure. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://northamericaninterlockings.com/images/moPAsyme6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="538" height="640" src="http://northamericaninterlockings.com/images/moPAsyme6.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><br />Nevertheless, higher-ups at the Altoona Railroadsers
Museum decided on the full preservation plan and drew up a phone book
sized document about the tower and the process (with more than a few of
my photos included I might add). At this point the sizable cost of the
preservation plan became a barrier to implementation along with whatever
roadblocks NS would be inclined to throw up. In the following decade
the tower has started to lose interior items to theft with the bank of
glass timers being an early casualty. Although it is more secure than
some of its peers, the wooden structure remains vulnerable to vandalism
and fire. BTW I attempted to gain a PDF digital copy of the preservation
document from the the individual I was speaking to, but he never
followed up after I gave him my contact information. Hopefully he will
become aware of my interest and reach out.</div><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkRjQ3ySgCG2DrKpOU4fpKxNVBvgcbrtE5bJPIwAXa_YRO7F0tMyTZxp-w5-NILJf8QrMiPVz0ApcfNrgrLL8AVCAlN2cX6aQ0S72T_O75PEI7Ar2j6HuKMcVchkNCp1mbRKYz7SgRGzv4XCngLP3GBRGmB3pehl9mWqZ_dFyc6B2wF3_iOJwuqQS9bg/s1282/ALTO-eb-side-2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkRjQ3ySgCG2DrKpOU4fpKxNVBvgcbrtE5bJPIwAXa_YRO7F0tMyTZxp-w5-NILJf8QrMiPVz0ApcfNrgrLL8AVCAlN2cX6aQ0S72T_O75PEI7Ar2j6HuKMcVchkNCp1mbRKYz7SgRGzv4XCngLP3GBRGmB3pehl9mWqZ_dFyc6B2wF3_iOJwuqQS9bg/w640-h640/ALTO-eb-side-2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div dir="ltr"><br />Let me be clear. I am not saying that <span class="il">ALTO</span>
tower is doomed to demolition or fire. It is immediately adjacent to a
major roadway and could still be saved according to the 2012 plan. The
point of this report is to provide the community with an
update/explanation after the well known preservation plans seemed to go
nowhere. I don't have independent verification of the claims expressed
to me or independent analysis regarding the best course of action. The
better option is absolutely relocation of the 1915 structure, but we
should all be clear eyed about that not being possible. It's also
unfortunate that the ideal option of preserving <span class="il">ALTO</span> in situ appears to have never been on the table due to NS and liability paranoia.<br /></div>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-32896250392785952812023-10-21T05:22:00.000-07:002023-11-29T05:47:25.037-08:00A New Source for Railfan Window Videos<p>While trying to gather information for my recent <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2023/10/septa-sours-on-unilens-dwarfs.html">SEPTA Unilens post</a>, I discovered a newish railfan video channel with a large amount of up to date of front facing video content that can help with signaling research. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@3985uprr/videos">Retired Railfan Horn Guy</a> has been crisscrossing the country shooting a mix of front window and standard videos with special emphasis on SEPTA and, more recently, Caltrain. The latter is particularly useful given the impending demise of forward facing views on that line.</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zXVurrPXbh0?si=woeuxlKaGn0ex_XP" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="369" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0UuDEXh66k4?si=Cwn_McushM7pxoR9" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><p>The guy is based on Long Island so naturally there is LIRR content, but he doesn't seem to have the same level of access as some of the other LIRR specific video channels that I suspect have insider access. Anyway, its a fantastic channel and good resource to bookmark.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-15654300740603964552023-10-14T10:12:00.000-07:002023-11-23T13:52:02.461-08:00SEPTA Sours on Unilens Dwarfs<p>In yet another chapter of the rail industry's love-hate relationship with the Safetran Unilens signal, over the last few years SEPTA has been systemically replacing its Unilens signals with L&W LED searchlights similar to those being employed by Amtrak in the Chicago, New Orleans and Albany terminal areas. Although I am in the Philly area and perform various SEPTA excursions I only just noticed the change since they were limited to the former Reading Company lines I haven't ridden lately. Below is an example of a compact Unilens "high" mast at JENKIN interlocking since 2006 that was converted from Unilens to LED searchlight at some point over the last 2 years.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnH00YlwSCsQLZ_iZ8xeyhPHKM_DUUAai_ZRL7Ygk6ftytuIVXit_t4q5izIXjyK521tIxp17i6YjYfC7d4XWhOe6GvuAZf1wh2U8-aPkmQCFoDoiXPN_LFCsL83bTGct6RMXwLvILxXdi7mBODh8ctU6uShqurBBjHpK5YiYxNrIzQ66GTXO2zgwfI0/s2048/F_joIgSXAAATtiq.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnH00YlwSCsQLZ_iZ8xeyhPHKM_DUUAai_ZRL7Ygk6ftytuIVXit_t4q5izIXjyK521tIxp17i6YjYfC7d4XWhOe6GvuAZf1wh2U8-aPkmQCFoDoiXPN_LFCsL83bTGct6RMXwLvILxXdi7mBODh8ctU6uShqurBBjHpK5YiYxNrIzQ66GTXO2zgwfI0/w480-h640/F_joIgSXAAATtiq.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Track 2 LED searchlight high dwarf at JENKIN in 2003<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC40Aaz0JpEIS1kdA6xFb1DvkzUwKmeE-CxiHEjlzSJxkIUFci3ZRhCtzdGH4b1LMn0J500Xul8NC6L7dZMITOUxYmjNb_FTWEHQNzSGBR-nrocnehiagQFV6kT-CvdDww25XyNiqJQxJwZuLVdqhVGIKH_hy_MroB5Po2bd2PfudDGVAs7Kse-amn4S0/s1290/JENKIN-new-compact-mast+fence.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC40Aaz0JpEIS1kdA6xFb1DvkzUwKmeE-CxiHEjlzSJxkIUFci3ZRhCtzdGH4b1LMn0J500Xul8NC6L7dZMITOUxYmjNb_FTWEHQNzSGBR-nrocnehiagQFV6kT-CvdDww25XyNiqJQxJwZuLVdqhVGIKH_hy_MroB5Po2bd2PfudDGVAs7Kse-amn4S0/w480-h640/JENKIN-new-compact-mast+fence.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Track 2 LED searchlight high dwarf at JENKIN in 2010</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Combing through some SEPTA territory <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@3985uprr/videos">railfan window videos</a> I can confirm that the majority of Unilens signals have now been replaced by LED searchlights. including those at NEWTOWN JCT, TABOR JCT, the Fox Chase sidings and Norristown Elm St. Because of SEPTA's use of reduced aspect signals, new searchlights won't get much opportunity to demonstrate their full rage of colors and the clipped flashing might be a little irritating while displaying "cab speed" indications.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGKNBYQZp4bOOkHT8ixugDnrPbjoHRYtdcLghLVp7lSq8dozfRGW7osHTstuN-c5sA0OxUXGpFO5EakZ6yhKpM1k0Ni8zUMJjOlaE9Uk_AG8r6KsIGZfq0XeywZ9cpS1d9T75NAGLDSgAc06rzfYXNgRbqYm9ctWXFN_QNL4zIpdG-CyVxQSN9fkWGXo/s1329/Amt_Hudson-Line-CP-142-1S-Clear+2S-slight-angle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGKNBYQZp4bOOkHT8ixugDnrPbjoHRYtdcLghLVp7lSq8dozfRGW7osHTstuN-c5sA0OxUXGpFO5EakZ6yhKpM1k0Ni8zUMJjOlaE9Uk_AG8r6KsIGZfq0XeywZ9cpS1d9T75NAGLDSgAc06rzfYXNgRbqYm9ctWXFN_QNL4zIpdG-CyVxQSN9fkWGXo/w482-h640/Amt_Hudson-Line-CP-142-1S-Clear+2S-slight-angle.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LED Searchlights at Albany Union Station<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>For those of you who might be encountering the Unilens saga for the first time, the Unilens was created as a solid state replacement for the traditional electro-mechanical searchlight. It makes use of plastic light pipes (think big fiber optics) to deliver light from up to 4 lamps to a single lens assembly. While this might sound like a great solution, apparently the product suffers from expensive propritary incandescent bulbs and degradation of the light pipe that reduces output over time as well as giving green indications a yellow cast. While some of SEPTA's Unilens dwarfs were approaching 20 years in service, some, like those at Norristown, had been installed less than 10 years ago. It's entirely possible that the long term costs of operating the type became just too much. It will be interesting to see if LED searchlight technology migrates to the Class 1's, which still seem wedded to the Unilens for restricted clearance applications. <br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-37631307062549012582023-10-07T12:32:00.000-07:002023-11-21T13:06:04.490-08:00Steppin' Out - PRR Stepped PL Mountings<p> The typical view of Pennsylvania Railroad position light signals mounted on a steel angle iron signal bridge is one where two heads are mounted on a short pole that is in turn attached to the signal bridge structure. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIP2qx6yVhGTWzgKnt6P0iMcdVu5woB6UQpvmOJAfPYeliis7dbtqh_u0A1OTJVg1suq4bCNeUtLEOvLzeOZKVDNw7X2pUONKTiX_OACEQTN-MfOL2s_6ku29Ue1xR2AjoEmslykdjwt1oZwZZ5DS1Zerj18nf3eoDN5rNbEFKZxML6I_LdmYDSZnwWA/s1280/CP-PENN-2W+4W-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIP2qx6yVhGTWzgKnt6P0iMcdVu5woB6UQpvmOJAfPYeliis7dbtqh_u0A1OTJVg1suq4bCNeUtLEOvLzeOZKVDNw7X2pUONKTiX_OACEQTN-MfOL2s_6ku29Ue1xR2AjoEmslykdjwt1oZwZZ5DS1Zerj18nf3eoDN5rNbEFKZxML6I_LdmYDSZnwWA/w640-h480/CP-PENN-2W+4W-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>But what if I were to turn this view...about its vertical axis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNanfebAIOMpO_XxFEY_6DE2Zm5d3Cma_I9LnIgDAJlBMkMLxsqLweMdku_Fzsglt-8nNqHbN4XOYzS6EWUVF-WnC841hitwCbmvdyyrCCxF60LxzKc_AWtkL6TUmx1NntppQD49u8HI-HJb2-JW4XXtKkaUQlPWC36uVIWNVOm4I3OsppDkUMm4LRsak/s1280/CP-PENN-wb-gantry-angle-obscured.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNanfebAIOMpO_XxFEY_6DE2Zm5d3Cma_I9LnIgDAJlBMkMLxsqLweMdku_Fzsglt-8nNqHbN4XOYzS6EWUVF-WnC841hitwCbmvdyyrCCxF60LxzKc_AWtkL6TUmx1NntppQD49u8HI-HJb2-JW4XXtKkaUQlPWC36uVIWNVOm4I3OsppDkUMm4LRsak/w640-h480/CP-PENN-wb-gantry-angle-obscured.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Do you see it yet? How about now...<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz8q2wKX6ElLJDcd461mAeYfH6bNMFji39HfQQsqJMPj2ntgbHoEXNnFtv-Hsxo8Uwm6iTQWfdebrT58GUg-AbTIttvt2fglzSnLPcMuGebhNY8xJmTHQ9CcQrC0I8PCbunMqk8YgpLx0_maeTO5uL6ll7yOfu7YrTSJg0uKlxnQ8N-gafXCbGbZE1yI/s1503/CP-PENN-wb-sigs-side-angle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz8q2wKX6ElLJDcd461mAeYfH6bNMFji39HfQQsqJMPj2ntgbHoEXNnFtv-Hsxo8Uwm6iTQWfdebrT58GUg-AbTIttvt2fglzSnLPcMuGebhNY8xJmTHQ9CcQrC0I8PCbunMqk8YgpLx0_maeTO5uL6ll7yOfu7YrTSJg0uKlxnQ8N-gafXCbGbZE1yI/w426-h640/CP-PENN-wb-sigs-side-angle.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p>As is now obvious, the original PRR concept for mounting the then new position light signals was to place the lower head on its own little mounting mast, forward of the upper head. In the above example at the late CP-PENN, this provides all around maintainer access to the both signal heads to replace bulbs or clean the lenses, although period signal bridges would have afforded this access only to the upper head. As time went on, the more common single pole mounting became standard. Still, the earlier step-mounted position lights were left in place.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4p2tkQPkbJx7dOugfYbY09t7dkXVlT05VY4-5rmwVatIwzxTGVVsbA0F8dfnt9DlS6eW9OMRqyI4nMVKbsfg8OrrzKjRF0_toS9IW13ZAs5fazxGheJdOD1cVGRh6acsG3xbX7kVvBmN42F9orLakkqpagYkc5RmF1dXaNLYSadcxqLTk8jJAFnIgpg/s1500/CP-GRAY-eb-gantry-sigs-close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4p2tkQPkbJx7dOugfYbY09t7dkXVlT05VY4-5rmwVatIwzxTGVVsbA0F8dfnt9DlS6eW9OMRqyI4nMVKbsfg8OrrzKjRF0_toS9IW13ZAs5fazxGheJdOD1cVGRh6acsG3xbX7kVvBmN42F9orLakkqpagYkc5RmF1dXaNLYSadcxqLTk8jJAFnIgpg/w640-h426/CP-GRAY-eb-gantry-sigs-close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Above we can see the eastbound signals at the late CP-GRAY with an original configuration step mounted PL in the center, a modified step mounted signal with a Safetran lower head on the right and a standard mount PL on the left.This reflects the PRR Main Line 2x2 Rule 251 configuration that was later altered by Conrail to double track Rule 261.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPSdYVHKWK7H3bkUiHz2s5zFA5SWW2iqtdmWgjiC5atiZhNAN1GeMqd_2SMRHaMizZkVLa-UDy8A1Za5H4dgL5q70TBtZkT-5NsjcMz-4g0mDOiHkeY87so86bZAVdUVt0hyO-bVdqLcGq10NDAGGuFdN7JIzbj8SAgQAHaIKg8P0VPB54-qVoYR3Xo4/s1280/HOOK-nb-sigs-2N+1N-2xClear-angle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPSdYVHKWK7H3bkUiHz2s5zFA5SWW2iqtdmWgjiC5atiZhNAN1GeMqd_2SMRHaMizZkVLa-UDy8A1Za5H4dgL5q70TBtZkT-5NsjcMz-4g0mDOiHkeY87so86bZAVdUVt0hyO-bVdqLcGq10NDAGGuFdN7JIzbj8SAgQAHaIKg8P0VPB54-qVoYR3Xo4/w640-h480/HOOK-nb-sigs-2N+1N-2xClear-angle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>With most of the PRR position lights now removed from Class 1 service, the best place to catch stepped position lights is on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor between Philadelphia and Wilmington. The above example are the northbound signals at HOOK interlocking in Macrus Hook, PA. The stepped signals seen below are the southbound signals at BALDWIN interlocking in Eddystone, PA.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLVN77kqOqY0IoZVP91LH8yUJaBYi-wvbmLPp3lfaFZeti3ezQSkiwB__uvIoDkbo8HazDRNlKPlJehARgMWeFFrdlx9QYUolObRVIuIbB2lFVhOXDYv4oKY67vT4M8pc-gs0VDydff2hraBW8p4jAf1BDm7HREq_fpNYyWLipKziYEhooXntriNOtoo/s1280/Amt_BALDWIN-sb-sigs-angle-bright.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLVN77kqOqY0IoZVP91LH8yUJaBYi-wvbmLPp3lfaFZeti3ezQSkiwB__uvIoDkbo8HazDRNlKPlJehARgMWeFFrdlx9QYUolObRVIuIbB2lFVhOXDYv4oKY67vT4M8pc-gs0VDydff2hraBW8p4jAf1BDm7HREq_fpNYyWLipKziYEhooXntriNOtoo/w640-h480/Amt_BALDWIN-sb-sigs-angle-bright.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Like the previously discussed <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2023/09/suck-it-in-prr-compact-position-lights.html">compact position light</a> mounting, the stepped mounting is another one of those things you might never have noticed until it was pointed out.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-46947288520957444032023-09-30T20:57:00.000-07:002023-11-21T12:32:36.873-08:00LIRR VALLEY Tower Closes and Other News<p>I just got an unfortunate report that the famed <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2013/07/photos-lirr-valley-interlocking-and.html">LIRR VALLEY tower</a> was closed for good after surviving nearly 2 decades after it was re-signaled. <br /></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">VALLEY Tower has closed—and then there was one... <a href="https://t.co/HOlN5oHAvL">https://t.co/HOlN5oHAvL</a> <a href="https://t.co/nDktyBTJhF">pic.twitter.com/nDktyBTJhF</a></p>— The LIRR Today (@TheLIRRToday) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLIRRToday/status/1710970204161733012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Although I did not get confirmation about where the control was passed to, I suspect that it will follow <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2020/01/queens-tower-closes.html">QUEENS</a>, and <a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2022/07/nassau-tower-gone-and-possibly-forgotten.html">NASSAU</a> with the territories being remote to the dispatch center at the Jamaica offices. It is unknown if installed panel or VDU interface was removed or if they remain available for emergency restoration. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UHvQnOW7RBPdh7GJDKoQasIG2DQPCA_51XGIEEuYlNwm-WEaBBXpJzlFRPcrxBUxbkEdr4IWi8UsAvEbp-xwBxLXvb6GTN2it4s__w2TgDeMY52pjPtOStUnM9wZxQIuob6Q0vqPb_hb_U8fbAc7ZJsL_WJwcuDEMlHkyb32aR8URIRbb1mYI1gHh-A/s1280/VALLEY+diamond+2-2E-Clear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UHvQnOW7RBPdh7GJDKoQasIG2DQPCA_51XGIEEuYlNwm-WEaBBXpJzlFRPcrxBUxbkEdr4IWi8UsAvEbp-xwBxLXvb6GTN2it4s__w2TgDeMY52pjPtOStUnM9wZxQIuob6Q0vqPb_hb_U8fbAc7ZJsL_WJwcuDEMlHkyb32aR8URIRbb1mYI1gHh-A/w640-h480/VALLEY+diamond+2-2E-Clear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>In addition to the closure of VALLEY, I was informed that BABYLON and BROOK previously saw their operators relocated to nearby yard offices and DIVIDE was also closed in 2021 in conjunction with the opening of the Main Line Third Track. This means that VALLEY was the last full time, stand alone interlocking tower on the LIRR with LEAD technically being in the bridge cabin format. It seems that the LIRR has just witnesses the same collapse of interlocking stations that SEPTA saw in 2003.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMT6a6m0y0TN4aXOI7jMqNLYqIfRqcig839JhKlKAV49p8dBVV2bhOBJ4aDmkrAhwzrThw2bThyphenhyphenlQxQJIn-U0roSJ1571lTYXHsz37IlZFCddXCxVUy_I0SB3MrLcoCGbHH3cFKB1io0E0YFjrFmCibjs49cwatq7uz7tf549BbgK-DNpnHMF7ll_lCCM/s1502/LIRR_ROCKY-new-2E-ped-rear-angle+bond+gantry-siouth-upright.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMT6a6m0y0TN4aXOI7jMqNLYqIfRqcig839JhKlKAV49p8dBVV2bhOBJ4aDmkrAhwzrThw2bThyphenhyphenlQxQJIn-U0roSJ1571lTYXHsz37IlZFCddXCxVUy_I0SB3MrLcoCGbHH3cFKB1io0E0YFjrFmCibjs49cwatq7uz7tf549BbgK-DNpnHMF7ll_lCCM/w384-h640/LIRR_ROCKY-new-2E-ped-rear-angle+bond+gantry-siouth-upright.jpg" width="384" /></a></div><p></p><p>In other news, L&W brand PRR pedestal signals have appeared at ROCKY interlocking on the Babylon Branch, Rocky is the last remaining position lit crossover on the branch and the LIRR uses pedestals as a precursor to re-signaling events, however the move to reduced aspect signals have made this progression less necessary and the use of new peds could be permanent in order to decommission the aging signal gantries.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhVzEjrrOvEIzCMEwBetC1Nk6CERAmGPlVLNzjDuNpUJ-1hIYEzA_aDAW-I-glYFTrf9krssA9ivpqKmE6bjWujSG9-vhPSz0vqW-F7Gt_WgINlvKU2UPhlu74mLs58U5Vo0nYfh6v_JDmLNWEXMJGsYsicUGIfA8P_KwCsIkMPQJnu24Fddg9kwVXds/s1280/M-CABIN-wb-angle-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhVzEjrrOvEIzCMEwBetC1Nk6CERAmGPlVLNzjDuNpUJ-1hIYEzA_aDAW-I-glYFTrf9krssA9ivpqKmE6bjWujSG9-vhPSz0vqW-F7Gt_WgINlvKU2UPhlu74mLs58U5Vo0nYfh6v_JDmLNWEXMJGsYsicUGIfA8P_KwCsIkMPQJnu24Fddg9kwVXds/w640-h480/M-CABIN-wb-angle-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I also had the opportunity to visit M CABIN that controlled the Main Line Cutoff drawbridge over the Dutch Kills in Queens. Unfortunately the cabin has been gutted of any interlocking hardware by local scrappers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-izeCu1NDIVsUUdH8sgsZU8fjSo1hZi0R4yJ55PokFplMefxDgfQkRRhnzn7vZ0fm-ckWZhyBvVBPJ9BLsRLavYL4IQHVU_rWlnkff9nRNfeGVf2jkGmDJdhaUCkWWncK3i5q3yH4DgAilu-5xteINepHvBQ_fOTiH_MNthzUxSZOdTLK8RG9FRjMgk/s1333/M-CABIN-inside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-izeCu1NDIVsUUdH8sgsZU8fjSo1hZi0R4yJ55PokFplMefxDgfQkRRhnzn7vZ0fm-ckWZhyBvVBPJ9BLsRLavYL4IQHVU_rWlnkff9nRNfeGVf2jkGmDJdhaUCkWWncK3i5q3yH4DgAilu-5xteINepHvBQ_fOTiH_MNthzUxSZOdTLK8RG9FRjMgk/w480-h640/M-CABIN-inside.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />The LIRR has a number of zombie towers such as this like BLISS and HAROLD and I'll try to get definitive answers on more of them.Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-23186640784929700032023-09-24T20:22:00.001-07:002023-10-30T21:27:51.688-07:00Suck It In! - PRR Compact Position Lights<p> When the Pennsylvania Railroad needed a reduced clearance version of their brand new position light signal, they made a position light version of the semaphore dwarf signal. About a decade later when the PRR needed a compact signal that could also display the full range of signal indications they invented the pedestal. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UEGHxYVZZCf2igQ-rmDhqhqxuSU-AKEeReacWlPvpfKQP48FFjdpp20-tUF9N1vx99IxD41Ikk8vURDWNIpaaiqBJHgrXaapQ7hvcOqGjIUmZoRFsxUkAWEt6HKuSLcLYR7GAi5yTJUAwjsHKDIlexecX87KWm-L0Bqi-Wx798nsm3M99VFBw3qilQY/s1280/BROAD-64L-Med-Clear+58L+44L-upper-Clear-far-zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1280" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UEGHxYVZZCf2igQ-rmDhqhqxuSU-AKEeReacWlPvpfKQP48FFjdpp20-tUF9N1vx99IxD41Ikk8vURDWNIpaaiqBJHgrXaapQ7hvcOqGjIUmZoRFsxUkAWEt6HKuSLcLYR7GAi5yTJUAwjsHKDIlexecX87KWm-L0Bqi-Wx798nsm3M99VFBw3qilQY/w640-h478/BROAD-64L-Med-Clear+58L+44L-upper-Clear-far-zoom.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p>But what if you are worried that pedestals with their pairs of plain white lamps just weren't visible enough in fog or smoke at main line speeds? Well you might need a compact position light. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYGo1aJEWlVbLXNAacRrZP4PpuVltm0d5osIaQCjRBhICIJAAGNowEm_Pf50y_SzBsGP8AeQ2FDMp4nSefwaHvuWSUZRFQlPpgv5W056-X1XvTAi7s2mSz5OaOVcOQYTBvme6rgEM8Lz1hOiilwKVt27TyLuTJO2ZkQf8vcfYVyS-MC40YEUQS-_YyqQ/s1333/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-46-tk4-upper-head-rear-angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYGo1aJEWlVbLXNAacRrZP4PpuVltm0d5osIaQCjRBhICIJAAGNowEm_Pf50y_SzBsGP8AeQ2FDMp4nSefwaHvuWSUZRFQlPpgv5W056-X1XvTAi7s2mSz5OaOVcOQYTBvme6rgEM8Lz1hOiilwKVt27TyLuTJO2ZkQf8vcfYVyS-MC40YEUQS-_YyqQ/w480-h640/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-46-tk4-upper-head-rear-angle.jpg" width="480"></a></div><p>If one looks at the back of a Union Switch and Signal position light setup, one will see the lamp modules are mounted on the ends of metal tubes extending out from a central tub. The backing plate, if present, is then affixed to the ends if the tubes. However you might realize that there is nothing in this setup that physically requires the lamp modules be mounted where they are mounted. They can be placed at any point along the tube. As long as there is a hole for the wire they could even be placed directly against eachother! Which is exactly what the PRR did when it needed a reduced clearance PL format.<br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BqJ6BUgv7pqciXbBMG_0fvMi7nYF-WT708ld5YXeQMu9OECL5F1DZTq8O-T-KSPlu8ddz752V7TnYC7J6-sY1WWgH6DyJ2krAsFCQyYIc7FevW-H9D9tlUhyphenhyphenGj_8Tor88B4gJjWRq0fES0SIOKMF3UPyB-duVaoxvFlO7J71QDuU8Nan1qTNCKsZG_4/s1285/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-76-tk4-App-Med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BqJ6BUgv7pqciXbBMG_0fvMi7nYF-WT708ld5YXeQMu9OECL5F1DZTq8O-T-KSPlu8ddz752V7TnYC7J6-sY1WWgH6DyJ2krAsFCQyYIc7FevW-H9D9tlUhyphenhyphenGj_8Tor88B4gJjWRq0fES0SIOKMF3UPyB-duVaoxvFlO7J71QDuU8Nan1qTNCKsZG_4/w638-h640/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-76-tk4-App-Med.jpg" width="638"></a></div><p>Don't let the square targets fool you. These signals on the LIRR Main Line are completely ordinary US&S position lights, just shoved together. The compact format for the Milepost 7.6 automatics was chosen to be visible underneath an overbuild just south of the Kew Gardens station.<br> <br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ68-ztvG7z9bOu0mRraytlxc95EO-abPJw-U076EXHhF_TGQZASJ3SsUyFqaa27EWm2VMZlx4Mjyv6gwdzJW05LB-pCdKYZtD6T07taqYZa0DTXxQD4mBJ0FrmDubJSm4ZU7HUX8Rhn3JsOvz0OzBHrHcJqgVCPjOx6KdAZC4xyj2nsMX4fhc9bmO0UQ/s1280/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-76-tk2+tk4-rear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ68-ztvG7z9bOu0mRraytlxc95EO-abPJw-U076EXHhF_TGQZASJ3SsUyFqaa27EWm2VMZlx4Mjyv6gwdzJW05LB-pCdKYZtD6T07taqYZa0DTXxQD4mBJ0FrmDubJSm4ZU7HUX8Rhn3JsOvz0OzBHrHcJqgVCPjOx6KdAZC4xyj2nsMX4fhc9bmO0UQ/w640-h480/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-76-tk2+tk4-rear.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p></p><p>You can see the size difference in comparison with the full size signals on the opposite side of the signal gantry.<br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecKNqidiSeYtLQI20VopQsuxjJEdBxVEBAF2EvcF1Z61JNsNEc9a5RQcjpDxVIFPB5XgElhR5oyOUEqYtmpehZOI0bJ5G-XyDih6UGfIQr2e9LEC1Ckoewde806SWLvJcGwa162b1ORwHhxPleT8GIFQn-aek375hs6OLN4UFbYQQ87FJOA7WXR359lg/s1280/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-76-eb-gantry-tk2-App+tk1-App-Med+hut+bonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1280" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecKNqidiSeYtLQI20VopQsuxjJEdBxVEBAF2EvcF1Z61JNsNEc9a5RQcjpDxVIFPB5XgElhR5oyOUEqYtmpehZOI0bJ5G-XyDih6UGfIQr2e9LEC1Ckoewde806SWLvJcGwa162b1ORwHhxPleT8GIFQn-aek375hs6OLN4UFbYQQ87FJOA7WXR359lg/w640-h482/LIRR_Main-Line-Signal-76-eb-gantry-tk2-App+tk1-App-Med+hut+bonds.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p></p><p>While these LIRR square backed compact PL's are now likely unique due to the HAROLD interlocking re-signaling project, compact PLs in general still exist in several others locations with the most accessible being DOCK interlocking in Newark, New Jersey, on Amtrak's NEC.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_3MZRtjDcE5efpXI159gbKScIn5hu5q5Y3Lhha8wA2y1vtxQgulb73DQoq1X-Rx2xzOdQC-7Dc2c8af-DaGsSJsRjiH0V9IricU98EkZc6ZV9HD7A6OtJ2J_9LTJUsI3YJv0g1W5bvPwn_kRmCT2rIEhHI70Jm4Y5q3izJaVVZ-UzeuVT_gyThNn7KY/s1262/DOCK-90LA-Approach+90LB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1262" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_3MZRtjDcE5efpXI159gbKScIn5hu5q5Y3Lhha8wA2y1vtxQgulb73DQoq1X-Rx2xzOdQC-7Dc2c8af-DaGsSJsRjiH0V9IricU98EkZc6ZV9HD7A6OtJ2J_9LTJUsI3YJv0g1W5bvPwn_kRmCT2rIEhHI70Jm4Y5q3izJaVVZ-UzeuVT_gyThNn7KY/w640-h496/DOCK-90LA-Approach+90LB.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p></p><p>At the east end of the station on tracks 1 and A, the 90LA and 90LB signals were both in compact formats of varying degrees of compactness. The 90LA on track #1 even had different geometries for the upper and lower head given the unique clearance requirements.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4MvQ78zw_i3oxvI3c9dwR_J0_-M0iOuQzPNZeCJoS-LSlGUVyHJp-5P18QLcDIMEW16G6pcGk7ypveh5co5fUhg-SeKA5AEo2dcdhUJ1xn10hjXMqYJd_ChfOgeog1DQnDsfTNHk7ZtcZAXWITonjacn2rSwcNqe-0QSYRuCR7cCa5qA6Hxzx9uhksU/s1280/DOCK-90L-App-Med-wide-dim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4MvQ78zw_i3oxvI3c9dwR_J0_-M0iOuQzPNZeCJoS-LSlGUVyHJp-5P18QLcDIMEW16G6pcGk7ypveh5co5fUhg-SeKA5AEo2dcdhUJ1xn10hjXMqYJd_ChfOgeog1DQnDsfTNHk7ZtcZAXWITonjacn2rSwcNqe-0QSYRuCR7cCa5qA6Hxzx9uhksU/w640-h480/DOCK-90L-App-Med-wide-dim.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p><span></span></p><a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2023/09/suck-it-in-prr-compact-position-lights.html#more">Read more »</a>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-59054038752426417002023-09-16T19:10:00.003-07:002023-10-26T19:28:24.301-07:00Go No Go: Cab Signaled Transit Wayside Dialects<p>In the late 1960's a new crop of "Space Aged" rapid transit systems began to take shape in North America making use of the new materials and electronics developed since the end of World War 2. In particular was a push to replace wayside signals and trip-stops with cab signals which would enable both automated operation and a reduction in wayside hardware. Of course this forced the question about contingency operations in case of cab signal or related failure. Railroad explorations of wayside elimination in the 1930's and 40's had retained wayside signals at interlockings and other controlled points and rapid transit followed suit with the further innovation of reduced aspect signals displaying Stop and Proceed aspects with the occasional Diverge and Absolute Block. Also like railroads, the rapid transit systems adopted a mix of "<a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2014/01/north-american-signaling-dialects.html">dialects</a>" for their reduced aspect signals that I hope to categorize below.<br /><br />Lunar White - The Granddaddy of them all, the Lunar White proceed
indication can be considered the "default" rapid transit proceed signal
aspect. First appearing on the PATCO Speedline in South Jersey (at least
as far as I can tell), lunar proceed was later adopted by systems
including DC Metro, SEPTA MFL and Route 100, HBLR, Cleveland Rapid
Transit and Baltimore Metro (as built). The rationale was to be distinct
from the existing ABS signal aspects using Green and Yellow and present
as a railroad Restricting style aspect for non-cab signal equipped
movements. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1Ysonh-Khlv0nolql3VybKtkXHpkyvDJpOG8MrViLHcGC1FMEsFvHCqlQQubFvAICQcSR5gVbJ5i7nXU-_Cdwrb20plV6PnoQXS_cbXTmJV_p3Im-JA6bGEvX6udx5LY9a7TyDcrAwWGSYUyFViEY52tKkOQe5qHWTqt80OFTqiQuba1Lj9xG82Zic4/s1333/PATCO_14R-cab-speed+bond+DED.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1Ysonh-Khlv0nolql3VybKtkXHpkyvDJpOG8MrViLHcGC1FMEsFvHCqlQQubFvAICQcSR5gVbJ5i7nXU-_Cdwrb20plV6PnoQXS_cbXTmJV_p3Im-JA6bGEvX6udx5LY9a7TyDcrAwWGSYUyFViEY52tKkOQe5qHWTqt80OFTqiQuba1Lj9xG82Zic4/w480-h640/PATCO_14R-cab-speed+bond+DED.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PATCO Lunar White Cab Speed<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Steady Green - Considered the "obvious" solution since Green means Go, use of Green in place of Lunar White has been gaining in popularity with newer systems as any perceived need to be distinct from older ABS systems has faded. Notably appearing on DC Metro peer system BART in 1972 it was also adopted by Maimi MetroRail, St Louis Metrolink, Baltimore Light Rail and the Baltimore Subway as modified. Some systems will use flashing green to indicate a diverging route, others yellow. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDpZhiJofNg7HfT0mI3OCAhZJ8dab4B6wAgg-vZmdHI61njOlfie-g6wxxH-ImltOThMrf4bfMJY8H0_QwIJoQ9Ue3jcIjTuBvc_YIHUgDuXRUSPmM3upOECof9mSK2YTRSwT4HPWk8HOVseYqxqAqfvqpVW9OiRN9s4aqRPSS2EyRdkYM4IX560yjKY/s1336/MTAM_JHMI-Int-2sig-Cab-Speed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDpZhiJofNg7HfT0mI3OCAhZJ8dab4B6wAgg-vZmdHI61njOlfie-g6wxxH-ImltOThMrf4bfMJY8H0_QwIJoQ9Ue3jcIjTuBvc_YIHUgDuXRUSPmM3upOECof9mSK2YTRSwT4HPWk8HOVseYqxqAqfvqpVW9OiRN9s4aqRPSS2EyRdkYM4IX560yjKY/w480-h640/MTAM_JHMI-Int-2sig-Cab-Speed.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baltimore Metro Steady Green Cab Speed<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Flashing Green - Taking another page from the railroad playbook, flashing has made a few appearances to indicate a proceed indication on rapid transit systems. On the New York city subway flashing green straight up means Cab Speed for both straight and diverging movements under the control of the CBTC system. On Atlanta's MARTA, flashing green is the default proceed signal with steady green indicating a diverging route. </p><p></p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4BB5pyqGzUo?si=WapkuIt8dhX6AIVW" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><p>Yellow - Similar to lunar white, this substitutes lunar for yellow similar to that dialect of railroad Restricting indications. This is most prominently used in Boston with Y/R for straight routes and R/Y for diverging. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDYkcx2wOBrfvJ5m_9ECiteOrpgff9tiw_ho0qiihO8tTRwG2CgxY1YN1RBNtTVR5gBo6b_wzSSt87wz7gH00zJIJPJ5EOTdaGgiw7lqfoY_xsOlsUzsT9FNfhtgmvlHhiRlxwCHLwT8rT8Puu9coisIRs1nGFLS2aqWWLUC0TX7E6tDmSbZBk28th4M/s1280/MTBA_Orange-Line-North-Sta-Int-10-5Nsig-Cab-Speed-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDYkcx2wOBrfvJ5m_9ECiteOrpgff9tiw_ho0qiihO8tTRwG2CgxY1YN1RBNtTVR5gBo6b_wzSSt87wz7gH00zJIJPJ5EOTdaGgiw7lqfoY_xsOlsUzsT9FNfhtgmvlHhiRlxwCHLwT8rT8Puu9coisIRs1nGFLS2aqWWLUC0TX7E6tDmSbZBk28th4M/w640-h480/MTBA_Orange-Line-North-Sta-Int-10-5Nsig-Cab-Speed-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MBTA Y/R Cab Speed<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Green Arrows - This most prominently appears on the cab signaled portions of the Dallas DART system to differentiate from the ABS signals and avoid the use of flashing. <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDgKOIsIAyY3oROek5VpbwpbyukNPF-QY4ywA9ViAABHwE1kT2fd3fBzvWNwU7ZJKoZdChtZkhXN1m0uwlSRP_m3vG-r3y-1da_AzR6FP1WJ3CfoLIUnVNjPsz17nKGtNe9Y-NvoRdC0viQVuHY2SJnUjUZOms50j43Jdxvt9W4-MJ5C85OhtkkMWZDg/s1280/DART_TX-2S-zoom-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1280" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDgKOIsIAyY3oROek5VpbwpbyukNPF-QY4ywA9ViAABHwE1kT2fd3fBzvWNwU7ZJKoZdChtZkhXN1m0uwlSRP_m3vG-r3y-1da_AzR6FP1WJ3CfoLIUnVNjPsz17nKGtNe9Y-NvoRdC0viQVuHY2SJnUjUZOms50j43Jdxvt9W4-MJ5C85OhtkkMWZDg/w640-h482/DART_TX-2S-zoom-wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DART arrow signals, not illuminated.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLVXMWfQ78bS5upfnKb1jzbM0HlfI0FNihm-DwOPz7Froau6CTSQjbr3xggd2-UpNEfLTOir8qWXqBfVylW1WibKAQdVYpuqwqzU0v6TfOlDhXNb3Gmdq1FIxXnHWSQkQ8JkK-ecZMYD8vEZeMUUkbDVgwRIT1eM2LD-hbH33T5-LqPiXBkscYB_15nA/s1503/DART_NW-Int-6N-upper-Proceed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLVXMWfQ78bS5upfnKb1jzbM0HlfI0FNihm-DwOPz7Froau6CTSQjbr3xggd2-UpNEfLTOir8qWXqBfVylW1WibKAQdVYpuqwqzU0v6TfOlDhXNb3Gmdq1FIxXnHWSQkQ8JkK-ecZMYD8vEZeMUUkbDVgwRIT1eM2LD-hbH33T5-LqPiXBkscYB_15nA/s16000/DART_NW-Int-6N-upper-Proceed.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DART arrow signals, illuminated.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />White Arrows - Like the green arrows above, but using either lunar or plain white. This is popular with airport people movers including the JFK AirTrain but also in use on the Sound Transit light rail with stylized direction indicators.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6g3w9Pq5T-21k7EDrchP3aH8aXhJCA51ZjotLbvst-LFcAjFhAAQ5r-BEGZW2tl60KQg2DK-iHOJbWr11jePybqdg5o0J_Bah7PDceXIB7wkauxgZ4v1v6wV_vWrjobl1IqIbouhX_s1-Hitytzynu1SMZ-Ii-tqjK94ID4Swb43VXaBvyl8milMeT3E/s1500/SoundTransit_International-Blvd-Int-4N-Clear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6g3w9Pq5T-21k7EDrchP3aH8aXhJCA51ZjotLbvst-LFcAjFhAAQ5r-BEGZW2tl60KQg2DK-iHOJbWr11jePybqdg5o0J_Bah7PDceXIB7wkauxgZ4v1v6wV_vWrjobl1IqIbouhX_s1-Hitytzynu1SMZ-Ii-tqjK94ID4Swb43VXaBvyl8milMeT3E/w384-h640/SoundTransit_International-Blvd-Int-4N-Clear.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sound Transit stylized arrow.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>ABS - Currently used on Chicago, this method of go-no-go signaling takes a cue from the cab signal state to display a Green if the cab speed is "clear" (55/70mph) and a yellow if it is "restricted" (35/25/15mph). The cab signals can be from either block state or due to civil speed restrictions.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsl41K1jxNrKv0Ns4dww8FjVsy7NLujg8Yr7TLPyDMVgRLSNGYSVNdhTaosaT7VNI4wW6bbo0siTNQh22P_QD2PBWsDw2RQfmrT1qjVaHAjIYxtltlB4R93uXo0Sl6Mdjqz0rjhgwhZgBtxw2C4InBsDQddB2q-WYJCAepI7hTGmRfPtq6FFQnVqVQOY/s1280/CTA_Blue-Line-California-Int-258sig-Clear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsl41K1jxNrKv0Ns4dww8FjVsy7NLujg8Yr7TLPyDMVgRLSNGYSVNdhTaosaT7VNI4wW6bbo0siTNQh22P_QD2PBWsDw2RQfmrT1qjVaHAjIYxtltlB4R93uXo0Sl6Mdjqz0rjhgwhZgBtxw2C4InBsDQddB2q-WYJCAepI7hTGmRfPtq6FFQnVqVQOY/w640-h480/CTA_Blue-Line-California-Int-258sig-Clear.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CTA Proceed Clear<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzCANMQteXWPvYUuyAjuygMa1oFkuo29vaeeUbk7NqkbyII2AM7M3fPn5YskrLYiXAIHDgn0-Re5cW413Wiztr0Yl2dSodaqO9q2maXTJnhxpEXc1SGWzeQSa91Q8FsIRaPsp1_bVVZWKtSU49kaWtT_VrXekpdZfNJQL8-AatznxhuAFHduZFfQg8lY/s1280/CTA_CALIFORNIA-258sig-proceed-restricted+256sig-wb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzCANMQteXWPvYUuyAjuygMa1oFkuo29vaeeUbk7NqkbyII2AM7M3fPn5YskrLYiXAIHDgn0-Re5cW413Wiztr0Yl2dSodaqO9q2maXTJnhxpEXc1SGWzeQSa91Q8FsIRaPsp1_bVVZWKtSU49kaWtT_VrXekpdZfNJQL8-AatznxhuAFHduZFfQg8lY/w640-h480/CTA_CALIFORNIA-258sig-proceed-restricted+256sig-wb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CTA Proceed Restricted<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>This is my best shot at a taxonomy. I'm sure I've forgotten about a few systems or corner cases so if you, the reader, can think of any, please let me know in the comments. Please make sure that the line is actually cab signaled as there are quite a few ABS signaled light and heavy rail transit systems in North America.<br /></p>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579330861580053658.post-27911908657005109012023-09-08T21:37:00.002-07:002023-10-15T22:17:04.659-07:00PHOTOS: CORK Interlocking<p>Over the first century of its existence the vaunted Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg suffered from a significant design flaw around the city of Lancaster. Despite all of the grade separation and curve elimination, trains still had to navigate through Lancaster's downtown grid because when the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad was being built in 1834, the Lancaster establishment lobbied for the route to pass through downtown to better support the local economy. As the decades passed this little detour became unwieldy. A cutoff was constructed north of the city in 1888, but the vast majority of passenger trains still had to take the old route through town because that was there the station was. Finally in the 1920's the PRR had the money and opportunity to construct a state of the art station on the bypass route along with a modern interlocking plant to control the terminal area and PRR Columbia Branch junction. This would be come known as CORK interlocking, after an adjacent Crown Cork and Seal plant and is the next in my deep dives into PRR Main Line interlocking towers.<br>
<br>Opening at the same time as the station in 1929, CORK was a rare, for North America, direct wire area interlocking with an end-to-end length of 3.3 miles. For comparison the sprawling ZOO interlocking in Philadelphia is only about 1.7 miles between its extreme points. Controlled from a relatively modest 67 lever US&S Model 14 interlocking machine, the CORK plant consisted of 4 distinct sections. From east to west there was the "Conestoga" section where 4 tracks converged into 2 and the old line downtown diverged, the east end of the station, the west end of the and Columbia Branch junction, the diamond crossing of the Reading Lancaster Branch over the PRR Columbia Branch and finally the crossing of the same over the PRR Main Line proper. Additionally, CORK had a plethora of interlocked hand throw switches serving local industry scattered along its length. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEPhbZHTxSqDol8yyTvNhImJJxCbVIyaJLXToLlZX-l9nay0VXPF71pibqvlzEpbZ-yFjnm5T_-ara7EGZd6KVnMlWmbZpfSkE5hlGqpqMEuhhMQhzcBFjKE_41EW3wchwyCHVMm0wEEOPJOJDAoOmu_Ppy7bA-nemRknMJafFx8C9t_H2RLuJdyreLI/s6839/CORK-model-board-restoration-wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1487" data-original-width="6839" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEPhbZHTxSqDol8yyTvNhImJJxCbVIyaJLXToLlZX-l9nay0VXPF71pibqvlzEpbZ-yFjnm5T_-ara7EGZd6KVnMlWmbZpfSkE5hlGqpqMEuhhMQhzcBFjKE_41EW3wchwyCHVMm0wEEOPJOJDAoOmu_Ppy7bA-nemRknMJafFx8C9t_H2RLuJdyreLI/w640-h140/CORK-model-board-restoration-wide.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p>CORK went through four distinct phases in its layout. The initial 1929 configuration, pictured above, had 4 main track to the east, 4 main tracks in the station area and the full compliment of station support tracks. On or after 1948, track #3 to the east was removed and this marks the second configuration.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO5EkuTNbXkgoQjM_wKA06QrhpfVaXdlXgju0OGK86JF8ofMjJZtvwZkdjE-PsqpO5CnrZv9aTujUa3PcpAE8dv7rH3NE0WhbogP1obXHU5G3K1XBkIztlMExwOXtKLxnQvaQg6f6Gra5XV2I7V7rW96aSrhUFOtDig4m0ppgZvKQrXlQpNgLewnYyQA/s5752/cork.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="5752" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO5EkuTNbXkgoQjM_wKA06QrhpfVaXdlXgju0OGK86JF8ofMjJZtvwZkdjE-PsqpO5CnrZv9aTujUa3PcpAE8dv7rH3NE0WhbogP1obXHU5G3K1XBkIztlMExwOXtKLxnQvaQg6f6Gra5XV2I7V7rW96aSrhUFOtDig4m0ppgZvKQrXlQpNgLewnYyQA/w640-h116/cork.gif" width="640"></a></div><p>Sometime around 1960, as seen above, the PRR implemented a significant rationalization with track #2 to the east also being removed and significant cuts being made to the station terminal support tracks. The final Amtrak era configuration, seen below, saw the end of through/electrified freight operations along with the Reading Lancaster branch and resulted in the removal of Columbia Branch portion of the interlocking plant.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYK1UuqmcYaUnGzTKlbSEgknQO5I9YWx52KCCLVKENUuo-20YuJlsKLVfqSus_UMbeILjuuadAi04txMEqxhn65tm0yrX0TxV5G3fT4YAOIT92njAXJmQHeTpmjUv8JXV0_EUO8nSaQEV_DJiKXW5GXS8a1lUTkqs0jCSsvvAL1LiWS43hQows7tYRvk/s1200/C-12.GIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYK1UuqmcYaUnGzTKlbSEgknQO5I9YWx52KCCLVKENUuo-20YuJlsKLVfqSus_UMbeILjuuadAi04txMEqxhn65tm0yrX0TxV5G3fT4YAOIT92njAXJmQHeTpmjUv8JXV0_EUO8nSaQEV_DJiKXW5GXS8a1lUTkqs0jCSsvvAL1LiWS43hQows7tYRvk/w640-h480/C-12.GIF" width="640"></a></div><br>
Starting at <a href="https://www.redoveryellow.com/position-light/Towers/CORK/CORK-model-board-left-oos.jpg">the extreme eastern end of the territory</a> we find the Conestoga section, likely named for an earlier tower covering the New Holland Branch and the squeeze from quad to double track to pass over the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conestoga_Creek_Viaduct">Conestoga Creek viaduct</a> that the <a href="https://www.redoveryellow.com/position-light/09-05-09_PRR_MAIN_LINE_SURVEY_09/PRR_Main-Line-MP-66.5-Conestoga-bridge.jpg">PRR never bothered to widen</a>. The Main Line was 4-track to this point until 1948 when tracks 2 and 3 were removed as most through freight could be accommodated on the A&S Low Grade Line branching off at Parkesburg. The Main Line at this point was ABS Rule 251 so all reverse direction movements would be provided with dwarf signals. The old 4-track beam gantry carries the remaining 2R signal with the 4R dwarf on the ground. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecoi_XnYc1c8_tXSyQkdjc4aLgPAnYB2qYjLL4YNvZQgezvbKjnQ73wX1JZ_bBfI7AEIzIDyMvLYSez-Cw-T_LpqY1oZgT1isxNKyMkdqX85JiQedpAvhT7IKSJQlK71_uAhaHByoP2mx35X481WlgCHx5FAOxo_PV36AXOov4uCsYuLiSt_DZ_Ee74A/s1281/CORK-2R+4R-rear+16-replacement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1281" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecoi_XnYc1c8_tXSyQkdjc4aLgPAnYB2qYjLL4YNvZQgezvbKjnQ73wX1JZ_bBfI7AEIzIDyMvLYSez-Cw-T_LpqY1oZgT1isxNKyMkdqX85JiQedpAvhT7IKSJQlK71_uAhaHByoP2mx35X481WlgCHx5FAOxo_PV36AXOov4uCsYuLiSt_DZ_Ee74A/w640-h480/CORK-2R+4R-rear+16-replacement.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p>
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The ~1960 reconfigured Conestoga section saw the addition of a trailing point crossover set adjacent to the lever 16 locked New Holland Branch connection. Possibly intended to reduce delay from single tracking in a lower speed area, the #1 crossover was not very useful in the Amtrak era with both a lot of rust and the overhead catenary removed. The "hacked" nature of the #1 crossover is evident from the dual level westbound dwarf signal that is cleared by the 4R with #1 normal and 2R with #1 reverse. When CORK was rebuilt, the New Holland Branch switch was upgraded to power operation, which would have required additional modifications to the CORK Model 14's logic in the 2007 time frame.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LB9EQtWGkosGCUuCoA8aR9KdPSspPKz9AFLyIZTna_pdEroJYXExzrPfY5LlyX96weMkENX5CObtsaqHh8YkswYJDVQd5IdfeyKv0zWXT8Wem4g3urhGQ2j7i0hB2VJSRX8C5DHeCl75BND_CmsRxuxoy0irOpbu9bKDilWVSiQ_uWXynzg2pEgAwq0/s1183/CORK-16sw+1Wsw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1183" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LB9EQtWGkosGCUuCoA8aR9KdPSspPKz9AFLyIZTna_pdEroJYXExzrPfY5LlyX96weMkENX5CObtsaqHh8YkswYJDVQd5IdfeyKv0zWXT8Wem4g3urhGQ2j7i0hB2VJSRX8C5DHeCl75BND_CmsRxuxoy0irOpbu9bKDilWVSiQ_uWXynzg2pEgAwq0/w640-h480/CORK-16sw+1Wsw.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p>The west end of the Conestoga section is located west of the viaduct at the point where the old alignment would veer south towards the downtown. In the 1929 configuration this would be the east end of a second stretch of 4-track main line running from the Conestoga section through the Lancaster Station proper with tracks 1 and 4 having interlocked hand throw industrial leads. The intent appears to minimize the conflicts between freight and passenger trains east of the station. After 1960 the need for 4 main tracks in this area was eliminated so both tracks 1 and 4 west of Conestoga were relabeled as Ewd and Wwd Station Tracks with the eastern 5700 feet of the old track #4/Wwd Station converted into an industrial lead and the #5 switch removed. <br></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5IGS1b0zGRw3_IZ7v6brYVyb4jqH0DL8_-ViZsbnqOGDYWYGJtFaitL9vd6QYZadzxRIaPlnFSn20qvCS5Lle5QVD4LNMfMnegCzzt8HO4l_k5YIFFL7SMFN-ZAfFr3brWIL5g0sqGdjH__jpVciifwYFFijiPQ8NeAJNgA3vPU6PuP5N9hW7LbThy4/s3150/CORK-model-board-left-oos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3150" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5IGS1b0zGRw3_IZ7v6brYVyb4jqH0DL8_-ViZsbnqOGDYWYGJtFaitL9vd6QYZadzxRIaPlnFSn20qvCS5Lle5QVD4LNMfMnegCzzt8HO4l_k5YIFFL7SMFN-ZAfFr3brWIL5g0sqGdjH__jpVciifwYFFijiPQ8NeAJNgA3vPU6PuP5N9hW7LbThy4/w640-h426/CORK-model-board-left-oos.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p>
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Although labeled a "station track", the eastern part of the old #1 track to the 20L still had up to 8 hand throw industrial spurs locked by the 30 lever so trains stopping at Lancaster would likely return immediately to track #1 via the #11 crossover. Later, the <a href="https://www.redoveryellow.com/position-light/08-11-08_PRR_MAIN_LINE_SURVEY_08/CORK-7derail+7sw-A5s.jpg">#7 switch</a> would be reduced to slow speed operation as evidenced by the lack of medium speed route on the 20L on the far right of the signal bridge shown below. Entrance into the Conestoga section was governed by the 6L high signal on the post-1948 track #1 and the 2L dwarf on post-1948 track #2. <br></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgLcF3xu0AzyWbYfbQEgZVYD-9iN1RritXUtG4sUXS6nXdbpcW6UszE1juQwYoKcOUan8CncOvaOO7Huz0pUwnLFrjh6c2FlHeuxtoPWWlGkh4eo3W9xs1LX_hxSJU-RnuUnqUJO3Drlk4TsEid1y47YkqBH5gvJ3Itzglc7yT9pq_D7cYBx83y5Tm80/s1229/CORK-6L+20L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1229" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgLcF3xu0AzyWbYfbQEgZVYD-9iN1RritXUtG4sUXS6nXdbpcW6UszE1juQwYoKcOUan8CncOvaOO7Huz0pUwnLFrjh6c2FlHeuxtoPWWlGkh4eo3W9xs1LX_hxSJU-RnuUnqUJO3Drlk4TsEid1y47YkqBH5gvJ3Itzglc7yT9pq_D7cYBx83y5Tm80/w640-h480/CORK-6L+20L.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p><br>
A mile to the west we encounter the station terminal area. As a clean sheet modern design, the Lancaster station was equipped with high level platforms that avoided issues with freight clearance via the provision of two non-platformed through tracks like Trenton and North Philadelphia. In the 1929 configuration each island platform supported 2 tracks, a main track and an additional station track numbered A and B. On the southern side of the station and additional through freight track numbered 0 could carry eastbound Columbia Branch freights and a further Express Track served Lancaster Station's dedicated high level mail and express platform. A further mail/express/engine stub track was built into the west end of the westbound platform.<br> <br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVDJ_YT9MN3oFHkArJFWVA2ZVvLIR7pw0hyKzvhEfFlrXWP66SCEATf_xa3EvkycDdVr6Dh5mIsEc9tvyiu3MIi6Zm-5DjhqcFDL4y9c3IEYcEyEFFcRl9U9eV0UBgFjNdm5wZdDREbQCI_C2qnwqX8XEtGGd7TuU6RBQlDC1nbvF1Jk5hSXiGkz-in8/s3150/CORK-model-board-center-oos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3150" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVDJ_YT9MN3oFHkArJFWVA2ZVvLIR7pw0hyKzvhEfFlrXWP66SCEATf_xa3EvkycDdVr6Dh5mIsEc9tvyiu3MIi6Zm-5DjhqcFDL4y9c3IEYcEyEFFcRl9U9eV0UBgFjNdm5wZdDREbQCI_C2qnwqX8XEtGGd7TuU6RBQlDC1nbvF1Jk5hSXiGkz-in8/w640-h426/CORK-model-board-center-oos.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p>
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After the 1950's both tracks A and B were removed along with the westbound stub track. From then on the east station section of CORK featured the #15 switch from track #2 onto the westward station track and a facing point ladder from track #2, through track #1 to access the eastward station track and #0 express track. Westbound movements were governed by the 10R high signal and the 12R and 14R dwarfs.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeLcu-LbT3dcW_pk1qLPWwxnkWwMuU-5fB-sXSXLbSNSwYg2m_p1N8C4uv_RVEIcJAANeMDxi8GoZ6sQrWF0EQ5pWAhMOIY5f_g0XBJu9bG4vmBA9E_jVfe7A5bpjScbtyAASOdh0GYWyLOftChAxwVRAYbyg3GEyru0x8JsRLNiA7lbxu_lGrhxiV88/s1163/CORK-new-9sw+10R-rear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="921" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeLcu-LbT3dcW_pk1qLPWwxnkWwMuU-5fB-sXSXLbSNSwYg2m_p1N8C4uv_RVEIcJAANeMDxi8GoZ6sQrWF0EQ5pWAhMOIY5f_g0XBJu9bG4vmBA9E_jVfe7A5bpjScbtyAASOdh0GYWyLOftChAxwVRAYbyg3GEyru0x8JsRLNiA7lbxu_lGrhxiV88/w506-h640/CORK-new-9sw+10R-rear.jpg" width="506"></a></div><p>
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Starting in 2005, the east end of the station would be reconfigured for the final time with a full crossover in conjunction with the removal of both station tracks. Here in this 2005 photo from the east end of the westbound platform you can still get the jist of the PRR layout.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0bEMuKWqVnjJxj_-U0Teycd6fl3apVD0WXmo3VKD-iYzyXYJ5ufCtCuyDZgxtSlyE4I2f2DgH6bC_r1Yx1agHbjv-MZ4ILe_g_WZrG7Ax_U6pRDQEJWKDbOnf9JTdoNJ8osmyO5iM1HbBtITUbGUaTGzGiRyGSldR7_rkCNGrmdIQalC6nCtf6YgLeU/s1280/CORK-US222-Br+int-eb+10L-far.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0bEMuKWqVnjJxj_-U0Teycd6fl3apVD0WXmo3VKD-iYzyXYJ5ufCtCuyDZgxtSlyE4I2f2DgH6bC_r1Yx1agHbjv-MZ4ILe_g_WZrG7Ax_U6pRDQEJWKDbOnf9JTdoNJ8osmyO5iM1HbBtITUbGUaTGzGiRyGSldR7_rkCNGrmdIQalC6nCtf6YgLeU/w640-h480/CORK-US222-Br+int-eb+10L-far.jpg" width="640"></a></div><p><br>Eastbound trains on the old station track would be governed by the 14L high signal that also allowed for straight routes to the extension. With the end of through freight, the center track #1 and #2 saw little use in the late Amtrak era and when the Harrisburg Line was reconstructed in the 2000's the station tracks were removed and the main tracks ultimately relocated to serve the high level platforms. </p><span></span><a href="https://position-light.blogspot.com/2023/09/photos-cork-interlocking.html#more">Read more »</a>Jersey Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.com0