Can derails be remotely controlled by dispatchers in CTC territory?
Power derails are fairly common, especially in interlockings protecting a diamond…so yes…
The first time I saw a derail on a local siding I had no idea what it was. But its an interesting safety feature, the one I saw was manual but I know they can control anything these days, probably the same way they control a switch remotely.
Elaborating on Mr. Mud’s note …
Technically speaking, no, because (1) there is no reason to (2) it is a really bad idea in almost all cases. I have never seen a dispatcher console with a power-derail operable feature. But I have seen some control operator positions with remote-operable derails.
However, there are many power derails that are interlocked with a power turnout, at-grade rail-rail crossing, or movable bridge. Lining the turnout, lining the signal, or operating the movable bridge also opens or closes the derail. But it is not separably operable because that would defeat the whole point of having the derail! This is not a semantic distinction. It’s fundamental to signal logic and operating rules logic.
There are some old, crummy movable bridges that still have separately operated power derails. Ugly and not safe.
(Mud – you should see my boots from today. Gin-yu-ine SP tunnel mud. Yucccck.)
RWM
Here’s the situation: Shelby, MT is located on the BNSF mainline - Montana Div, High Line Sub.(CTC). It is also the junction of the Great Falls Sub. (dark) and the Sweetgrass Sub. (dark), with traffic from Canada. The High Line is controlled by the BNSF “Glacier” dispatcher in Ft. Worth, TX. Shelby is located in a “bowl”, with rather steep grades exiting east and west. Heavy trains, from the south and north must change crews here, as they are in different districts. A heavily laden train of 110 cars, or so, must stop on the grade, or beyond, to have a crewman manually re-activate the derail if it has been ‘yarded’. Then the crewman has to ‘taxi’ out and get on the head end. A remote derail, operated from Ft. Worth, would obviate the crewman re-activating it and the train could be on its way.
Another point: why re-activate a derail if the yard track is empty? I hope this isn’t just FRA logic.
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A remote-control derail in a main track would require a Control Point. Cost would be $500,000 minimum. What’s the Return on Investment for it? What’s the ROI on all the other things a railway can spend $500,000 on? Better or worse? Methinks probably worse.
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It’s not just FRA logic. It’s unlikely the FRA was even consulted. (The FRA inspects, it doesn’t design nor does the FRA approve specific designs.) It’s common sense derived from 150 years of sad outcomes from people saying “why bother with this right now because I don’t need it right now.” Safety derives from regularity and predictibility. A derail that is not always closed except when a movement occurs over it is a worthless derail.
RWM
Signal cable in conduit on the floor, loose at the base of the wall or attached to the wall?[swg]
I am convinced there is no such thing as a dry tunnel after the ones I’ve worked in. Depending on the minerals in the water, how soon to a retread/re-sew on those vibram soles?
On CSX at Plymouth MI, the dispatcher controls an alligator derail at the exit of the yard to the main.