Barytes, East of Bristol

[NW Mailing List]

That excellent description of what Yard Limits really means leads to a story. I only spent a couple of years with N&W having started in a management training program and then being sent to Sandusky, Ohio as an Asst. Trainmaster.

At that time (1980-81), the main track leading to Sandusky was CTC controlled by the Operator at Bellevue (by TT, it was WB from Columbus through Bellevue to Sandusky). CTC ended about 1/4 mile from the first yard switch (which divided the receiving and departure sides of the yard). The last 1/4 mile had a “dumb” automatic governing it WB (showed Restricting if the track was clear, Stop and Proceed if it wasn't) and nothing EB as you headed out of the yard towards the CTC home signal. Unfortunately, as we discovered one night, the signal system and Rule 93 weren’t quite in sync.

On the evening in question, the Yardmaster needed to get a yard engine from one side to the other and sent them out on that 1/4 mile of main to do so. Perfectly legal per Rule 93 (note however that within CTC territory or interlocking limits, permission was still required to use a main track). Unfortunately this night, the operator at Bellevue had lined up a WB move towards Sandusky very early even though the train was a good 30 minutes or more away from Bellevue. Crew made their move and a few minutes later, the phone rang with the Bellevue Trainmaster on the line. “Pull that crew out of service. They must have gone by a red signal and knock the WB signals down.” “Not so fast” said I. I knew that thanks to that “dumb” automatic, there was block detection on that 1/4 mile of track and having seen the model board at Bellevue, thought it would show there but it never occurred to me it would know the CTC signals down since it was outside CTC limit. Calmed him down, had him ask the operator if ever saw the block light east of the CTC home signal on (he hadn’t), explained my theory that the signal system, seeing a train enter that 1/4 mile of single track, protected against it despite it being legal, and he finally agreed nothing really happened requiring action and that the signals weren’t quite right for that situation. 

I was surprised this hadn’t happened before but it was pretty rare to send a yard crew from one side to the other out there (and would never be done if we had a WB coming that was already past Bellevue) and couple that with the Operator clearing the signals WB well in advance, it was just the intersection of two rare events.

-- 
Larry Stone
lstone19 at stonejongleux.com





> On Dec 14, 2017, at 10:20 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> Thanks, Mr. King, for your reply.
> 
> 
> 
> What brought Barytes to mine was running across it in T.T. No. 35, April 20, 1930.  Page R-22 lists the location of Yard Limit boards, and this entry is found there:  "On north side of main track at Barytes - protects trains through Bristol Yard."
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> 
> It is interesting how the use of Yard Limits became almost meaningless after the advent of Automatic Block.  The original intent, in pre-Automatic Block days, was that a train or engine could use the main track between Yard Limit boards without a "work extra" Train Order as its authority to occupy the main track, clearing the time of First Class trains, and (generally) not protecting.  Any train other than a First Class train was required to operate between the Yard Limit boards at what is now called "Restricted Speed," expecting the main track to be occupied.  After the advent of Automatic Block, the rule was revised to read something like, "Trains other than First Class trains using a main track within Yard Limits must be prepared to stop [i.e. "operate at Restricted Speed,"]  unless the track is known to be clear by signal indication."   
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> The root of the mental foggery about the intent of Yard Limits generally stemmed from people's failure to understand that Rule 93 Yarde Limits  >> ONLY <<  apply to main tracks, and have nothing to do with tracks other than main tracks between the Yard Limit Boards.  Another element of the foggery was that the term "Yard Limits" came to be a Labor Relations concept, e.g. things certain crews could by contract do within "Yard Limits" without a penalty payment.  By the time I came around, and in the places I worked,  about the only thing "Yard Limits" meant was the point at which your Final Terminal Delay time started, which you entered on your time card and on your delay report.
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> Of course, if you work in "dark territory" (non-signalled main track,) then you better have a dern good understanding of Rule 93 Yard Limits !!!
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> And, no, I did not understand Yard Limits, either, back then.  There was no instruction.  A new man learned "by osmosis" from the bad practices of the older employees.
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> 
> -- abram burnett,
> 
> superannuated old brakesman
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> 
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