Subject: Virginian Railway Tonnage Ratings

[NW Mailing List]

Herr Comrade Zacharias Negaard doth inquire about speed restrictions,
esp. those on the VGN.

1.  Speed LIMITS are the PERMANENT maximum speeds for the class of
service (freight, passenger, work train, wire train, trains handling
ditchers, Jordan Spreaders and suchlike)  are listed in the Time
Table. Many published speed limits are curvature related.  There were
also speed limits published for town and city ordinances, and for a
few bridges.  (If you go looking, don't forget to comb through the
Special Instructions of the T.T. - there is a wealth of operational
information buried there.)  It is up to the crew to know where their
train fits within this scheme of speed limits.  Engine Tonnage Ratings
were always considered permanent speed limits.

2.  Speed RESTRICTIONS, however, are TEMPORARY in nature and were
given by Train Order and were almost always related to track
conditions (tie  or surface conditions, damage from wash-outs, ice in
tunnels, etc.)

Now here is a Time Table quiz for you, Mr. Zachary... and one which
hopefully will lead to a bit of learning.  What was the Time Table
"Superior Direction" on the VGN's New River or Norfolk Division?  That
was a VERY important piece of information, and without it a crew might
not survive their day's work.  Where trains are operated by Time Table
and Train Order, the T.T. Special Instructions always list the
"Superior Direction."

Here is why superiority by direction is vital:  Say Extra 123 West and
Extra 456 East have a Train Order to meet at Fagg.  Which train holds
the main, and which train goes in the hole?  Since both trains are
Extras, neither holds superiority by Time Table Class.  So the train
moving in the "Time Table Superior Direction" holds the main track at
meeting points.  If my 80-year old memory serves me correctly,  the
Superior Direction was Eastward on both of the VGN's Divisions.

Tally Ho, and don't run slow !

-- abram burnett
 Turnip Groats... Good for the Soul