So the five minute rule applies?
5 minutes if thats what the rule says. On my railroad (CMstP&P) it was 10 minutes, I think it depends on main track speed.
O.k., I’m going to make things more complicated! lol These are questions I’ve always wondered about but didn’t have anyone to ask. I wonder how the amount of time is determined because if you go only by main track speed, I could see a potential problem with a train going at medium speed. Let’s say that you have a block that’s four miles long and has several hills and curves that make it impossible for a train in the middle of the block to know what the signals at either end are saying. Now, let’s say that directly in the middle of this block is a switch with a spur track that is set up just like the photo I posted. There’s a curve and several trees close to the main 500 feet from this switch. In this scenario, there’s a train in the spur track that has a locomotive and 10 cars of grain. It gets a track warrant to enter and occupy the main track and proceed through 5 more blocks to a siding located far away. Now, let’s say that main track speed is 60 mph. I’m not going to get into exactly how long it takes a train to stop that’s in emergency, but let’s say that it takes a train going 60 mph on the main 5 minutes before it gets about 500 feet from the switch and comes around the curve. This 5 minutes is based on the time it takes for a train that is one foot past the signal at each end of the block to reach a point that is 500 feet from the switch. For some reason, there’s a train coming down the main track going 60mph that exceeded its authority (maybe the crew passed out, drugs, alcohol, terrorists, whatever you can think of…). The conductor of the train sitting on the spur track opens the switch and stands by it for 5 minutes. Just about when the 5 minutes is up, the 60mph train flies around the curve 500 feet away, which at that point would alert the conductor standing at the switch and he/she would immediately close it to prevent a derailment. The rogue train flies on down the track at 60 mph, and we won’t get into what
I wish that my timetable listed the times for opening switches that do not have leave siding signals. It lists the times required for all of the passing sidings on this line but not on spur tracks. It says that in the event where a train on the main is sitting still and you must pull out in front of it, there is a button that you press that starts time. It’s 5 minutes or 8 minutes depending on what siding you’re pulling out of. After the time has passed, the dwarf will give a diverging clear, diverging approach, or stay at stop depending on occupancy of the track ahead. Of course, it’s impractical to install leave siding signals at every switch that goes to a grain track, lumber track, or just a multipurpose side track used to store m.o.w. equipment on.
Here’s some of the information that I received from my timetable. It’s from the NS 2000 Kentucky Division timetable (we’re now part of the Illinois Division). "PASSING TIMES When necessary for a train to pass another train standing on the main track, push button devices will be activated on the bungalow at locations with waiting period as listed.
Mile Post Location Time
3.3W East End, Coapman Siding 8 minutes
33.5W West End, New Baden Siding 8 minutes
35.5W East End, New Baden Siding 8 minutes
58.4W West End Shattuc 8 minutes
60.6W East End Shattuc 8 minutes
84.1W West Wye, Mt. Vernon Siding 5 minutes
86.1W East Wye, Mt. Vernon Siding 8 minutes
110.2W West End, Moon Siding 5 minutes
112.6W East End, Moon Siding 8 minutes
126.0W West End, Golden Gate Siding 5 minutes
128.1W East End, Golden Gate Siding 5 minutes
139.9W West End, Simpson Siding 5 minutes
141.9W