SHJ Interlocking Tower

[Dietrich, Robert J.]

Hello:

Good timing Professor Jim; I'm laying track in front of the tunnel and that
1994 calendar has been in front of my nose for about a week now.  I'd like
to comment on a couple of your observations:
1. The derail was changed to a single point standard street type point but
with NO mate.  The left rail was T rail with concrete up to the flangeway.
It was very scarred concrete from those cars that missed the signal.
http://www.voicenet.com/~dietrich/SHJ/bv10.htm 
2. 2-aspect signal light beside derail becomes 3-aspect # 5 and moved to a
different pole, the pole holding the old signal was removed.
http://www.quuxuum.org/~joekor/pittsburgh/1550020.gif 
3. Electrical boxes were mounted on the pole where the Derail sign was.  One
looks like the phone box that was next to the door on the tower.
4. I disagree about the type of switch unless you mean single point railroad
switch.  The far left rail is girder rail all the way to the switch point.
Compare this to the picture in
http://www.voicenet.com/~dietrich/SHJ/interloc.htm taken in 1939.
Originally this was T rail with, I guess, double point switches and guard
rails in the appropriate places
http://www.voicenet.com/~dietrich/SHJ/oldover.htm 

A couple more details:  The railing bounding the pedestrian area stayed, it
was there since the mid-teens, as did the concrete walkways to the front  of
the tower.  The area between the inbound rails from that railing to the
derail was paved in 1947 http://www.voicenet.com/~dietrich/SHJ/bv5.htm but
ties showed in 1968  http://www.quuxuum.org/~joekor/pittsburgh/1550020.gif.
PRCo kept the public informed with that dirty sign hanging on the railing
showing downtown routing.

My favorite detail on this picture is the bar across the tunnel entrance
that keeps tension on the overhead when modules are broken down for
transport.

Bob

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Jim Holland [mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net] 
Sent:	Saturday, April 22, 2000 6:21 AM
To:	PRCo -- WP -- JTC -- The Big *3* --
Subject:	SHJ  Interlocking  Tower

Greetings!

	The 1994 PTM calendar cover shows a DE-low-floor car on 48-Arlington
entering the tunnel and a SE-low-floor on the 44-Knoxville exiting the
tunnel with a clear view of the double-story interlocking tower in the
triangle between the two-track wye!  The photo is taken just beside the
Char-Wash-38-39-40-42 track lead into the tunnel.

	Some interesting details are noted here:::::::

	1)--The derail is a single-point RR switch without mate!
	2)--2-aspect signal light beside the derail.
	3)--On the line pole immediately in front of the tower is what
		looks like a small yellow light with DERAIL
		written vertically below it.
	4)--The outbound turnout out of the tunnel appears to be
		a railroad switch - ala the turnouts for the sidings
		on the interurbans.
	5)--Piping from the tower lever throw for above mentioned
		turnout is clearly visible!
	6)--The tower controls five turnouts:
		a)--Outbound out of tunnel
		b)--Derail for 44-48
		c)--Derail for Interurbans-38-39-40-42
		d)--Turnout from Interurbans-38-39-40-42 to 44-48.
		e)--Turnout from 44-48 to track behind Admin bldg.

	The photo must be pre-1939 when this junction was converted to
automatic interlocking.  ALL the above would be changed:::::::

	1)--Derail changed from one RR point to standard street-type
		point and mate.
	2)--2-aspect signal light beside derail becomes 3-aspect.
	3)--The DERAIL sign with yellow light is removed.
	4)--The outbound turnout out of the tunnel is changed from
		an RR switch to standard point and mate type.
	5)--Piping to throw the switch from the tower is removed.
	6)--ALL the switches controlled by the tower converted to
		electric switch operated by trolley contactor.

	And of course, the tower itself was removed!

James B. Holland
------- -- ---------
        Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
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