9 light PL arm

[NW Mailing List]

Larry Evans posted on this mailing list the photo used in my revised book 
and I can only add this to the previous discussion.

The photo is an N&W Photo numbered 30421, dated 28 June 1943, and the 
inscription on the back said [in effect] a westbound tank car train west of 
Shaffers Crossing.

Maybe the archives has some additional information about the photo from 1943 
and the signal aspects may need 1943 documentation about what they 
indicated.

Bud Jeffries

            ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 11:22 PM
Subject: Re: 9 light PL arm



> Let me correct something I sent earlier...

>

> In my time at Roanoke (1960s-1970s,) there was a switching signal just 

> west of 24th St, but it was color light and not position light.  In my 

> time, all of the switching signals were color light.

>

> Matter of fact, there were two such signals controlled off the same 

> conductor's box.  One was on the bank, north of the westbound main line, 

> just east of the water softener tanks.  The other was on the north side of 

> the westbound main line down around the old Kroeger warehouse on 

> Shenandoah Ave.

>

> To the best of my memory, here is a list of the "switching signals" at 

> Roanoke:

>

> 1.)  At the Pull Up Yard, 16th St.  See attached 1961 photos.  Control was 

> in the conductor's box which is visible between the T-6 engine and 16th St 

> Yard Office building of the attached photo.  Used for giving signals to 

> the Pull Up Engineer when he made a long pull west on the Tail Track.

>

> 2.)  At east end of Empty Side Yard, as mentioned below.

>

> 3.) At 672, a.k.a. The Pull In.  Located in very small shanty in the 

> middle of the yard tracks, at west end of Eastbound Running Track. 

> Controlled switching signals west of 672.  Used by crews switching at 672 

> and making long pulls west on the Westbound R.T.

>

> 4.)  At "new" WB.  Control box was on a pole at west end of Empty Side 

> yard and south of the Westbound Main Line.  Used for the West End Engine 

> while switching at west end of Empty Side Yard.

>

> 5.)  At west end of South Roanoke Yard.  I can't remember where the 

> control was... it may have been in the AG scale house... I can't remember. 

> Someone should ask Tom Victory.

>

> 6.)  There may have been one at east end of South Roanoke Yard, too, for 

> the "A" Crew while switching the head end of trains at the east end of 

> South Yard.  I just can't remember.  Someone should ask Tom Victory about 

> this, too.

>

> 7.)  And, of course, there were the Hump Signals at SX, which worked the 

> very same way.  One set of signals for South Side of Receiving Yard, 

> another set for North Side of Receiving Yard.  There were signals at the 

> crest of the hump and, I think, two more (which gave identical 

> indications) back in the Receiving Yard.

>

> 8.)  Oh, there was also a set at 15th St.  Control was in a little 

> enclosure at the south end of the foot bridge over the yard (which was 

> moved there from 16th St sometime around 1963.)  Signal was mounted right 

> on the foot bridge.  Was usually used by the 1040 Crew when switching coal 

> on the long tracks (#50 - #57.)  The conductor would use it to relay his 

> brakeman's lantern signals to the engineman, who was "around the curve and 

> down the hill."

>

> I hope you don't mind me copying in some others who might have better 

> recollections on these matters.

>

> -- abram burnett

>

> -------------- Original message --------------

> It's probably a switching signal.  No way it is a block signal or 

> interlocking signal.  It's even on the wrong side of the track !!! for a 

> block or interlocking signal.  The fact that it is up on the bank 

> indicates it is a switching signal... put up high for visibility sake. 

> There used to be one of these just west of the 24th St Underpass at SX; 

> the control box for it, containing a large four- or five-position rotary 

> switch, was down on the Empty Side ladder and the Empty Side Conductor 

> used it to give signals to the engineer for long switching moves where the 

> engine disappeared from his sight.  There was also one at the Radford 

> Division Pull In (a.k.a. "the Stock Pen" or "672") at the west end of the 

> Receiving Yard, at the location of old WB, and there was another one at 

> the very west end of the yard, "new" WB. Radios make such switching 

> signals redundant.

>

>

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