N&W Had 1 Mile of Automatic Block in 1901... But Where ?

[NW Mailing List]

A word search for "signal" on the CD  of N&W annual reports, available from the NWHS Commisary (hint, hint to all who do not already have the CD) reveals the following in the 1900 annual report:

Automatic signals put in at Kenova Bridge.

Considering that the original Kenova bridge was single track when built in 1882, that it was not double tracked until 1913 and that it is somewhat close to a mile in length, this is likely the location of the first automatic block system on the N&W.

Gordon Hamilton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:38 PM
  Subject: N&W Had 1 Mile of Automatic Block in 1901... But Where ?


  GoogleBooks has digitized an interesting 1901 book by Brahman Blanchard Adams, titled The Block System of Signaling on American Railroads.

  In a chart on page 170, Adams tabulates the miles of track operated by larger railroads, counting miles operated as "Automatic" and miles operated as "Manual."

  Interestingly, he shows the Norfolk & Western as having 1 miled of track operated under automatic block signal system, 876 miles operated as manual block signal system, for a total of 877 miles.

  So now the question is, where was this one mile of automatic block territory on the N&W in 1901?

  Back in the advertising section of the book (page 248,) the Hall Signal Company gives a list of railroads using the Hall system, and the Norfolk & Western is listed.

  Any takers on this one?  Perhaps someone with old annual reports covering that time period.

  To get the book off the Internet, go to http://books.google.com/books?id=ywtLAAAAMAAJ&dq=%25&jtp=1
  At first the book will come up as an .html file.  To see it in a much more readable PDF file, click the button at the upper right corner of the screen "Download PDF."  (Warning:  The numbers printed on the pages of the book do not line up with the page numbers of the PDF file, as Google also scans the front and back covers and all end papers, and these blank scans throw the pagination off a bit.)

  -- abram burnett




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