While trainwatching last night at Delray Junction in Detroit, a train slowly approached a switch, and stopped. I had my scanner on, and heard him tell the operator, “This switch is not cooperating. Need permission to handle manually”. The conductor got off the engine and threw the switch manually. A few minutes later the CSX maintainer showed up and did something. A little later another intermodel train slowly approached the switch, barely moving. When he was about 100 feet from the switch, a strobe light on the relay house next to the switch flashed a couple times, and the switch indicator changed from green to yellow. The engineer immediately began accelerating past the switch onto the industrial track.
It appears that they may have some type of remote control, similar to garage door openers, on the locomotives, to avoid manual handling of switches. Anyone know anything about this.
Some locations have radio controlled switches. Each switch has a code (like a DCC address). You dial the code into the radio, and the switch is suppose to throw. The lights show the process was sucessful.
Actually the conductor of this second train probably said something like, “There’s a railfan standing out here; let’s do something stupid and completely blow his mind!”
Thanks. That is what appears to have happened. I learned something last night. This must be somewhat universal around the country. It was a CSX train, with a CSX crew, and two fairly new looking BNSF AC4400s, obviously run through power.
I have also heard yardmasters ask crews if the lead, or trailing engine is “equipped”. Maybe that’s what they are talking about.
Actually I used to work for the Cand O, back in the 60s and 70s, when it was Chessie, and they still had cabooses, five man crews, and ran GP-9s. Things are definately different now. No computers then. We used to write up manifests by hand, and make five copies, and hoop up bills, and train orders, and make switch lists by hand, and post car cards on the doors of the cars, on those little wood blocks, with a pocketful of tacks and a tack hammer. No radios yet. Hand signals and lantern signals at night. And switch tenders in little shacks, and, and …[:D]
Any railroad radio can control the remote switches. There’s no special box. It’s just a matter of dialing in the code and “toning in” the switch. IIRC, you can even do it with a keypad equipped hand held.
Equipped could mean any number of things. Where I yardmaster, it normally refers to Cab Signals. The yardmaster could also be asking if the engine is lead capable (radio, HTD, seats, toilet, etc)
Yeah. I’ve heard them ask that too. Also, how’s your fuel. Are your units back to back, etc. One more thing. After the train passed, the switch went back to it’s normal position, for the straight track. Did they reset it from a mile away, or did it reset automatically? Also, why wouldn’t the operator in the tower 100 yards away control the switch. Inquireing minds want to know these things.
Prior to the adoption of the speed sensing approach circuits now in widespread use, grade crossing were equipped with island circuits. Basically, it is a separate track circuit overlaid on any signalling circuits already present. Or a stand alone circuit in non-signaled areas. Either way the circuit was an “island” of detection.
The length varies depending on the track speed. The higher the speed, the longer the circuit. When the train occupied the circuit the grade crossing devices would activate and stay active until the train cleared the circuit.
The are also widely used at uncontrolled rail crossings at grade, and as part of the control mechanism for un-manned movable bridges.
I think scanners are illeagle to use in your car, double check the laws in your area to be safe. It’d be a shame to get ticketed for such a thing.
Popeye, did you work in the Detroit area? I’m planning a layout focusing on Delray and FSUD and am having trouble finding info about this area. I’ve been railfanning this area with my dad since I was a kid(some thirty years ago).
Most places it’s technically illegal. The fear is that you can pick up Emergency Channels, including the 911 operator office. (You can, I accidently did, and switched off in the next 15 seconds) If you have a radio HAM license, you SHOULD be in the clear. But don’t go waving it at the cop.