The Sounds of Non-PRR Signaling

So I was about to post a second volume of PRR Signaling Sounds to highlight the importance of preserving both audio and visual history, but then I realized that I had a couple of non-PRR clips sitting on the back burner that deserved to see the light of day.



The first two were captured at some former Boston and Maine intermediate signal locations (BM mileposts 162 and 150) on the current Guilford Rail System Freight Main Line.  To the untrained ear they might sound a lot like the PRR signaling sound samples of cab signal code generators, and you would be right.  However why would cab signal code generators be used on non-cab signaled territory?  Well while the trains might not have been equipped with cab signal apparatus, the signaling department would use the 75, 120 and 180ppm codes sent through the rails as way to replace signal state wires on wayside poles.

When a signal location "heard" an Approach from the location ahead, it would know to display an Approach and transmit Clear.  When it "heard an approach medium it would display approach medium and transmit Clear and when it "heard" a clear it would display Clear and transmit Clear.  Hearing nothing would of course mean to display Stop and Proceed and transmit Approach. Later this technique would be updated with audio frequency signals instead of pulses of power frequency current, but at the time it was a clever way to use catalogue parts to eliminate costly pole lines.



Next we have a flashing Approach Limited signal at the 1950's vintage CP-LAUREL on the former Reading railroad Belt Line extension. A visit to the relay cabinet reveals a sound pulsing in rhythm to the flash of the signal, which of course indicates of an electro-mechanical flashing relay.  nothing super fancy, but it is a lot more reliable than what one might have to blink their Christmas lights on and off.  

Well, that's the extent of the non-PRR signaling sounds I have collected.  Don't worry all your PRR fans.  I'll be back soon with a second volume ;-)

Former Conrail Territory News

Over the last couple of weeks I have taken two trips to the PRR Main Line in Central and Western PA and have also gotten some other NS signaling updates on the Philly to Chicago rail corridor. At this point the Pittsburgh Line re-signaling project has stripped all pneumatic point machines between Harrisburg and Johnstown, with CP-MO and CP-AR/CP-UN having been converted since July.

Going, going, gone.

 However from Johnstown westward, interlockings including CP-C, CP-CONPIT, CP-RADE, CP-TRAFF, CP-WING and CP-HOME, are still pneumatic. No word on cut-over timelines, but the west slope is going to lose a lot of iconic signaling locations including those at Lilly, Portage, Cassandra and Summerhill so get your photos ASAP.

CP-CONPIT, still holding on.

On the Connemaugh Line, the Rule 562 expansion has taken place with all ABS signals between CP-KISKI and CP-ETNA being removed. One note is that the Penn Central signal bridge in Tarentum is still intact even if the pair of PL signals have been taken off. No word on the PRR signaled interlockings on the classic portion of the Conemaugh line.

Alas, I was too late :-(

 The new signaling has been cut over on the eastern end of the Harrisburg Line. This removed the Rule 251 operation between CP-ROCK and also saw a number of re-configurations. This includes the removal of classic Reading interlocking CP-TITUS, which was replaced by a more traditional crossover called CP-LORAINE about 2 miles to the east. Also CP-PHOENIX was cut back to the east end of the tunnel with a new CP-CROMBY appearing about 2 miles from the west end of the old limits of CP-PHOENIX. CP-CROMBY takes the form of a double crossover to accomidate a "new" siding that takes the place of the second main track . This lengthens the single track bottleneck by about two miles. I am not aware of any other new crossovers, except for one or two at CP-BIRD.
 

Finally, new signals are going up on the western portion of the Fort Wayne Line past alliance at least as far as CP-MANCE.

Central Buffalo Line Re-Signaling Due Soon

If you wanted a photo of the unique compact PRR position lights at CP-NORRY or just some run of the mill pics of the "downtown" PL's at CP-SF in Sunbury, now is the time to jump into the car and start driving because the word is that the Darth Vaders will be cut in sometime within the next week or so. 

Next Stop Ebay!

 Although the new signals only went up within the last few months, it looks like NS had put the pedal to the metal to get the project finished instead of letting it drag on for some number of years.  I don't know if the cut-over will extend all the way to CP-WYE at Rockville or just around the Sunbury area, but this is likely your last chance to get photos of some very accessible PRR PL signals, including the famous roadside ones at North Miller.

I did my photo surveys of the entire line last year, but the more photos the better.  get your ass out there before it all goes away!

For Good Signaling References Try Google Books

While doing some research I was reminded that a lot of really informative books and technical journals are fully indexed and available free on Google Books.  Typically, niche railroad signaling books are only to be found at train shows and have steep prices.  Google Books lack the tactile element, but have all the information as well as a better index.

For example, when searching for information on GRS's "Dynamic Indication" I found it discussed in this volume of  Railway Signaling and Communications.  Moreover, when researching Switch-Signal protections, I found information on that and a lot more in the book Railroad Signaling and railroad Operation.

NS Harrisburg Terminal Re-Signaled

So it appears that my prediction from two weeks ago was exactly flip-flopped.  Despite the 5-track signal bridge for CP-HARRISBURG remaining on the ground as of Labour Day weekend, it was the Harrisburg Terminal and not the old Middle Division that saw the new signaling cut over on the weekend of September 9th and 10th.  The affected interlockings are CP-HARRISBURG, CP-ROCKVILLE, CP-WYE, CP-HIP and CP-MARY.  CP-BANKS and CP-CANNON will be cut over in the next few weeks.

Ha ha, fooled me.

Coincidentally I just completed processing a photo set I compiled last October that documents CP-HIP and CP-HARRIS.  So click the link and take yourself back in time to August 2018 ;-)

Here is an official listing of the changes at CP-HARRISBURG, CP-ROCKVILLE and CP-MARY.  in addition the MP 107 automatic signals were removed from service due to the Rule 562 operation. 

1960's British Branch Line Cab Ride Films

So while this is a rail signaling blog and not a railfan video blog, sometime I like to highlight sets of videos that really show off the signaling.  Recently YouTube suggested a number of grainy 8 or 16mm film film compilations taken out the front of old school British DMU's running on long since defunct branch lines.

The videos were posted by the appropriately British sounding Alen Snowdon and were narrated by his wife.  Due to the limitations of old school home film recording, the clips are all about 3-5 seconds long and show only a fraction of the route.  However this fraction contains a large proportion of the signalboxes and signaling apparatus that the train passes.  It's sort of like one of those low frame rate fast motion videos, only the frames are a few seconds of every passing semaphore signals.



Not all of the videos are cab rides or even rail related, but the ones that are, are a wonderfun time capsule showing the anachronistic state of the British rail network in the 1960's.  Thanks to two World Wars even the main lines were stuck in he Victorian era, with very little power signaling and steam hauled trains galore.  Just before the infamous Beeching Cuts, the branch line infrastructure is absolutely decrepit, sort of like how the Amtrak Harrisburg Line and Conrail in general looked in the 1970's and 80's. 



Also worth noting is the astonishing level of employees needing to keep these old branch lines in operation with both signalmen and station agents working every 1-3 miles along the line.  It is interesting that instead of cuts British Rail didn't simply try massive cost reductions like CTC or even ABS!



There's even a little main line action out of london, although one would never know it due to the state of disrepair. Also note the high quality railfan view despite a full width cab. Anyway, enjoy the videos, they aren't hours long and the archive isn't intimidating.

NS Pittsburgh Line Cut Over This Weekend?

The scuttlebutt is that NS will be cutting over the new signaling and attendant Rule 562 operation on the Pittsburgh Line between Harrisburg and...somewhere.  There are two 12 hour outages scheduled for September 9th and 10th, or so I have heard.  However when I visited in person over Labour Day the new signal bridges at CP-BANKS and CP-HARRIS were still sitting trackside there I had seen them over a year ago. 

File Photo

Because the BANKS to HARRIS segment started being worked on after the CP-CANNON to CP-ANTIS segment, I suspect that the Middle Division is what will be cut over with the Harrisburg island to follow and the Altoona to Pittsburgh portion coming after that.  No matter what is happening, get your photos in ASAP. Tune back because I have some feelers out and hope to have the exact information about what is being cut over in a few days.


Also in other news NS is also planning to do some Chicago Line re-signaling sometime in October.