Pantograph protocol

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All,
Here's a question for which I've not been able to find a
definative answer. On squareheads and EL2b's, was there any protocol
for which two pantagraphs were used? Several different suggestions
have been expressed in other forums, but I was wondering if some of the
VGN vets, especially west end, would know. A lot of photos show the
lead pantograph down and it was surmised that this facilitated rescue
in the event of a catenary snag or as a reacher beyond the end of wire
on sidings. It was also suggested that this enabled electrics to use
unpowered crossovers. I don't know if the VGN even had any. Still,
other photos show the lead pantograph up. After the N&W merger,
rectifiers were mu'd in three's with the middle pantagraph down.
If this thread has been through here before, I apologize for
redundancy, I've never been able to determine what the rules were.
Thanks for your thoughts. Don Corbin