electrified location

[NW Mailing List]

Jim,

The shot is looking west at the US 52 grade crossing in Iaeger near the 
western end of the electrified territory. The controlled signals 
governed diverging movements over two main crossovers ahead, plus the 
Hull Middle Track and the east leg of the wye onto the Dry Fork Branch 
into Auville Yard. Post-1954 (thanks, Dave), auxiliary tenders had been 
in service, so the lack of one indicates this is likely an Elkhorn crew 
out of Bluefield returning with Dry Fork east coal, likely 160 loads and 
a Pocahontas Pusher (also out of Bluefield).

All N&W signals were either automatic or controlled. Eastward automatics 
were numbered according to the nearest even tenth of a milepost, 
westward nearest odd tenth. Controlled signals were numbered according 
to the signal lever number and throw direction, (L)eft or (R)ight. 
Iaeger Tower faced north, so levers were thrown left to line westward 
signals, right to line eastward. The signal levers had even numbers and 
the switch levers had odd numbers, both in no particular order.

All N&W signals were either "Stop and Stay" or "Stop and Proceed" 
signals. To be safe and sure, the "S" plate served as a permanent, fixed 
aspect (immune to mechanical or electrical failure) to designate a "Stop 
and Stay" signal. "S" plates were still in the 1960 signal diagrams, but 
a rule change by the 1980's (when?) replaced them with "the absence of 
number plates."

Grant Carpenter

On 1/17/2017 2:42 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:
> FWIW, the car in the foreground is a 1954 Mercury.
>
> Dave Stephenson
On 1/15/2017 6:51 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:
> Can anyone help identify the location of this photo currently on Ebay:
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-NEGATIVE-Neg-A740-1950s-N-W-Norfolk-Western-Articulated-Steam-Coal-/272519614252?hash=item3f736f4f2c:g:HScAAOSwnHZYd6rk
>
> Note the grade crossing with road paralleling the tracks to the rear 
> of the train.  Catenary support with "stop and stay" signals would 
> seem to indicate sidings to the rear of the train.
> The "38L/S" and "40L/S" labels under the signals, I believe had 
> something to do with corresponding "levers" in a switch tower or by 
> this time electric switches on the control panel used to select a 
> specific route through and interlocking plant.  Did the "S" refer to a 
> switch?  I would welcome all information on these designations from 
> you signal guys out there, especially gospodeen Abe.
> Jim Cochran
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20170118/1c40400a/attachment.html>