More on signal "roolz"

[NW Mailing List]

If I've got anything wrong, maybe Mr. H.W. Bundy can straighten meout.
Ben:
I don't know that you have anything wrong.  Just been sitting and reading about
the changes over the years.  Like Jimmy Lisle, I can tell you of an instance where
a signal with the capability to display a "diverging clear" was changed.  In a
discussion several months ago, you explained that equalateral (if that's how it's
spelled) turnouts were being replaced because of high maintenance costs.

 These turnouts had been installed following the VGN merger where single track
was turned into double track sections.  It was possible to get a "clear" if proceeding
to the track on the right, or a "diverging clear" if proceeding to the left-hand track.
Maximum authorized speed thru the turnout ? 50 MPH, later reduced to 35 MPH
(after a well-known VP and Gen'l Manager's cocktail overturned as his business car
threaded through the interlocking so the story goes).  At all interlockings,  it was
"CLEAR" for the right-hand track and "DIVERGING CLEAR" for the left hand track
EXCEPT AT MP N-239 east of Montvale.  After it was brought to the attention of
Henry Nase (Manager of Rules) that MP N-239 was the exception, the signal at
MP N-239 was changed so that  "CLEAR" was the aspect for proceeding to
the right-hand track and "DIVERGING CLEAR" was the aspect for moving to the
left-hand track.

Don't know that it ever applied to sidings on the old N&W because N&W didn't
do things the cheap way, but on the former W&LE, there were non-bonded
sidings. The dispatcher could line a train up to enter a siding and the signal would
display "RESTRICTING".  It was possible to enter the siding at 15 MPH only to
find a crew had set a "cripple" off just beyond the clearance point. H.Bundy 

  


   

    
 
 



 
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