Signals: What I don't know . . .

[NW Mailing List]

     On the Roanoke District we had three sidings, Sampson, Lynnwood & 
Elkton, that had spring switches, on the south end, that had to be 
manually thrown in order to enter the siding. This is in CTC territory. 
If the dispatcher wanted to a northbound train to enter the siding, he 
set up his code. Out in the field, we would get and approach signal, 
then a stop signal at the siding switch and there was also a lunar 
light. If it was flashing "Take Siding", you had permission to line the 
switch into the siding.When the switch was lined for the siding the 
signal would turn to "Diverging Approach". If the lunar light was not 
flashing, you had to call the dispatcher on the phone and he would 
instruct you as to which way to go.
     Going south in the sidings at Elkton and Stuart's Draft, there was 
a switch to take you straight into storage or spur tracks. The signals 
at the south end of these sidings would indicate Stop. The switches had 
electric locks on them and you had to talk to the dispatcher to get him 
to unlock the switch. When the switch was lined for the spur, the signal 
would turn to Restricting and you could pass the signal. Stuart's Draft 
is still like that today. Sampson & Lynnwood now have power switches and 
of course Elkton has been taken up.

Jimmy Lisle

On 8/6/2013 11:24 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:

>

>

>

>

> Any other "block" signal aspects, special circumstances/situations?  

> I'll start on interlocking signals in a later message

> *Jim:

> There were three aspects not shown in the Operating Rulesin effect 

> during the 60's  and 70's:

> Rule 286 A   Name: Block Approach  (Red over Flashing Yellow) Proceed 

> onmain track to

> stop at next signal at end of siding. If exceeding medium speed 

> immediately

> take action to reduce to that speed.

>

> Rule 295 - Name: Take Siding Signal. (Red over Flashing Red)  

> Indication: Movements governed

> by this signal will proceed into the siding at restricted speed when 

> the switch is

> properly lined.

>

> Rule 296 Name: Line Switch.  (Flashing lunar) Indication: Stop; line 

> switch preparing to leave.

>

>

>

> *These indications were still being used in the 70's on the Moberly 

> Division's so-called Manual Block-

> RemoteControl territory.  In railroad lingo, it became known as 

> hermaphrodite traffic control.  It had

> beenthe Wabash way of eliminating train orders.  The dispatcher 

> controlled the signals, but the train

> crews had to line the switches. Indications appeared in Moberly 

> Division timetables and I believe

> the former P&WVbetween Rook and Connellsville used the same method. It 

> had its drawbacks,

> but certainly was an improvement on predicting where trains should 

> meet, issuing a train order, then

> waitng only to find one train had been delayed. Sidings on the 

> Hannibal District was 12-15 miles apart

> WITH NO INTERMEDIATE SIGNALS.  So a follow-up move found it 

> time-saving to wait until the lead

> train had cleared the approach signal to the next siding rather than 

> drag 12-15 miles at restricted speed.

> Harry Bundy

>

>

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