Caught on Camera: Phantom Indication @ DAVIS?

 Was processing photos from a visit to DAVIS interlocking at Newark, Delaware on Amtrak's NEC and I caught what looked like a phantom or improperly displayed signal indication on the 2N position light signal.  The upper head is displaying Clear in the normal manner, but the lower head appears to have the 12 o'clock (green) lamp lit.  Normally this is used as part of the lower | Medium Clear indications, but today is making up half of an NY Central style double green clear. 

I can't tell if this is a trick of the light or indication of stray current in the signaling hardware. 🤔 Argue in the comments ;-)

Nelson Searchlights Doomed by UP Geneva Sub Re-Signaling

 I can confirm that the Union Pacific Geneva Sub (ex-Chicago Northwestern) re-signaling project that I previously reported on is looking ready to doom the the iconic searchlight complex at Nelson, IL.

 Known for its 4-track CNW main line coaling tower and signal bridges, the Nelson searchlight complex had a chance to escape the 2010's signal replacement ax due to late model age (80's/90's) of the CNW signaling.  While some of the signal bridges are vintage, others are tubular aluminum. 

Unfortunately this is well beyond my territory, but hopefully there is someone local able to perform a through documentation including some video of the searchlight wobble. In an additional bummer, Nelson is likely the best example of CNW oval backed US&S searchlights with at least one 4-track signal bridge entirely comprised of 3 headed signals.

PHOTOS: Inside LEBANON VALLEY JCT Tower

The Reading Railroad was small in size, but rich in revenue due to its dominant positions in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania. As such it was able to punch far above its weight in the area of technical investment be it electrification, locomotive manufacture or signaling technology. A very early adopter of automatic signaling in the late 19th century with the Hall disc signal, when the Reading was confronted with plummeting demand for their premium coal product, their response was technical innovation to cut costs and increase competitiveness. 

Once again the Reading turned to signaling and was an early adopter of the area interlocking concept that allowed for the closure of many manned interlocking stations, even in areas of high traffic density. Covered previously in my piece on North American Panel Towers, VALLEY JCT (officially LEBANON VALLEY JCT) tower was part of this technical overhaul that still stand to this day. Since I managed to come into possession of some interior photos I figured I might as well cover it in its own article. 

The VALLEY JCT we all know today appears in the form of a squat, 1 story brick cabin adjacent to the Lebanon Valley bridge over the Schuylkill River that today carries part of the NS Harrisburg Line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. However if you look at it from another angle, it is actually a multi-story tower facing the Reading Belt Line that passes under the Lebanon Valley Branch at that point. In fact there is no interlocking on the Lebanon Valley Branch at Valley Junction. The interlocking is actually on the Belt Line, hence the name Lebanon Valley Jct (as the Lebanon Valley Branch doesn't junction with itself). The reason for this misconception is that the operator's floor is more accessible to rail photographers.

VALLEY JCT was built in 1951, towards the end of the standalone interlocking tower era in North America. It had direct wire control of the aforementioned VALLEY JCT on the Reading Belt Line as well as the nearby Wyomissing Jct and less nearby Klapperthal Jct (CP-TITUS) , Cumru, Tuplehocken Bridge (CP-TULP) and Belt Line Jct (CP-BELT). As CTC projects went this was not exactly pioneering, but was still a good 5-10 years ahead of the curve.



It's local interlocking under direct wire control consists of a simple crossover that allows Belt Line trains to choose a ramp to the Valley Branch at Wyomissing Jct or continue on to coal country and/or Allentown via Belt Jct.



VALLEY JCT was built with a General Railway Signal Style K unit lever machine with sequential numbering starting at CP-TITUS and increasing to CP-BELT. It eventually gained an independent panel to control WALL interlocking in Lebanon, PA in 1968.





VALLEY JCT's CTC territory was in service up until the late 90's/early 2000's when a combined Conrail/Norfolk Southern re-signaling project updated CP-BELT, CP-TULP, CP-WALL and CP-WYOMISSING JCT. CP-CUMRU would be re-signaled around 2010 with CP-TITUS surviving until 2018 as it was targeted for removal and replacement instead of reconstruction. The original 1951 relay hut is still in place at CP-WYOMISSING JCT, complete with its Reading Company herald. 

The NTSB's Sound of Silence

 From about 2005 until 2018 every time there was a serious passenger train or freight derailment, the NTSB would always make some remark about how the trains involved lacked PTC and/or how PTC could prevent accidents like the ones in question.  It was almost like such remarks were included in their press release template.  Well here we are in 2021, billions of dollars have been spent, average trains speeds and capacities have come down and yet trains are still derailing in pretty much the same ways they did before. 

BNSF Hi-Line Near Joplin, MT

After Amtrak Train 8 derailed near Joplin, MT, killing three, the revised NTSB press release simply notes that PTC was installed and the train was operating below (of course) the same 79mph speed limit.  I guess it would be inconvenient for them to point out that 97% of accidents are not PTC preventable.  Or maybe credit the robust build quality of the Amtrak Superliner equipment for saving lives in a more cost effective manner than a fancy new technology. 

We are now in the PTC era, trains are still derailing, speeds are the same or slower and the best defense in an accident is equipment that won't rip open or turn into confetti when your train rams into a low bow trailer carrying an excavator.

Vermonter Route Signaling Report

I recently completed a trip on Amtrak's Vermonter all the way to White River Junction, which covers all of the signaling on the route.  The Vermonter passes through three signaling regions each with their own unique features, the Amtrak Springfield Line, the Boston and Maine CT River Line and the New Englande Central main line.

 

HAYDEN interlocking northbound.  Start of Rule 261 territory.

The Amtrak Springfield Line has made headlines with a recent 110mph upgrade programme and support of the Hartford Commuter Rail line.  This involved restoration of the double track south of Hartford and Rule 562 signaling (cab signals w/o wayside signals).  However one might not know that the Rule 562 only extends to HAYDEN interlocking about 6 miles north of Hartford where beyond that trains still run under Rule 261/CSS.

New Unilens signals at CP-98

At the Springfield the signaling is much the same since I was last there, but I can confirm that the US&S 3 lamp modular and N-2 dwarfs are still in place at SPRING interlocking.  On the former Conrail Boston Line, CSX has indeed replaced all of the SA searchlight dwarfs at CP-98 with Unilens dwarfs.  CP-97 was previously re-signaled with 3 and 4 stack Safetran modular dwarfs.

New and classic signals at CPF-385

On the CT River Main Line, which was rebuilt and re-signaled around 2014, standard modern Guilford signaling applies with 3-head home signals and offset heads on two head intermediate signals.  Single Green clear is in use as opposed to double green.  The one exception is at the junction with the east-west freight main line at CPF-385 where the Freight Main Line signals remain B&M searchlights.

Budget bracket mast at Putney.

On the New Englande Central part of the line things get a bit odd. Leaving the CT River Main and its CTC at East Northfield, the line is run under TWC through Brattleboro to the siding at Putney where CTC begins. North of Putney all controlled siding and diamond crossing interlockings are equipped with searchlight signals except for the south end of the Putney siding that has Vader type color lights and a strange budget southbound bracket bast. Much of the block signaling south of Windsor is still searchlight, but the blocks seem very long with some stretching the entire distance between sidings with a single direction distant mast.  North of Windsor the CTC was a recent TWC upgrade with color light masts and what felt like 3 mile blocks.

TLDR the important thing is the searchlight interlockings on the NECR.  Safe from the Guilford sale to CSX, but still targets for potential infrastructure spending.  If you are in the area, check them out and take photos.

NS Withdraws Most Signal Abandonments

While I don't have specific details, NS has reportedly withdrawn most of its recently planned signal abandonments, including the former D&H main line to Sunbury.  Not sure if there was regulatory pushback or the recent supply chain crisis made NS thing twice about permanent capacity reductions. Unfortunately NS can't let us have nice things and an eagle eyed viewer spotted new NS masts all lined up by the Reading and Northern yard in Pittston on the former D&H at the 6:50 mark in the Youtube video below. Looks like I won't be canceling my Scranton trip after all.

ARSENAL Re-Signaling Underway & PENN Interlocking News

As I previously reported Rule 562 signaling is going up at ARSENAL interlocking and I made an effort to actually get a photo of the offending signal that you can seen below.

Unfortunately SEPTA is also moving forward on the replacement of the northbound PL signals for movements coming from PHIL interlocking.  At this point the track #2 signal (rightmost) had already been replaced by a color light temporarily displaying a full range of indications. I suspect that the southbound LED Amber PL's and the Northbound West Chester PLs will remain until the new interlockings are cut over as those signals are completely redundant in the new configuration. 

File Photo

In other Philly news the Ersatz L&W brand PRR pedestal signals seen in SEPTA's BROAD interlocking complex have migrated to Amtrak's PENN interlocking on the north side.  I wasn't able to get a photo at this point, but I'll try in the future. In other news PENN interlocking was down for at least 3 weeks following Hurricane Ida with all points immobilized and all signals set to Stop and Proceed.

Operations were running as follows.  Northbounds on 4, Southbounds on 5. Harrisburg Line Inbound lined to 9, Harrisburg Line Outbound lined to 7. NJTs & Keystones running via No. 3 Berry, so it looks like ZOO tower got to save the day 😏