Thanks for the reply, Rock.
BTW what is PTC? What form of train control is that?
The signals I saw were SHORT. The masts were at head level.
Had a very pleasant trip thru Central Illinois to St. Louis. Came back via Decatur and the NS line had a couple of trains. I have always thought the BNSF Beardstown line is an interesting operation, didnt see anything on it tho.
MP
PTC is positve train control. In short it monotors the trains movment via GPS. The can pinpoint a trains location and keep them either closer or farther apart than the normal block or CTC system. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this. There are a few signals that are on short masts but those are temporary and will be replaced as far as I know. The Beardstown sub is historicly a coal line that provided the CB&Q with a large amount of fuel for their steam locomotives. Now days more powder river basin coal goes down the line than illinois coal goes up it. There is a St. Louis bound frieght that heads down once in a while but other than that its mostly coal. Long live the rock.