SIGNAL PROBLEMS AND SAND ON RAILS

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

>> pghpcc at pacbell.net writes (re-edited:)

>>    What kind of overhead contactors are used?  Is it the one that has a
>> leaf paralleling the trolleywire for about 2-feet on either side of the
>> trolley wire? . . .

>>    Five-mph is almost a dead stop - I believe it was rather common for
>> PRCo to be hitting these at 10-15-mph - but could see that going fast
>> might be a potential problem.

HRBran99 at aol.com wrote:

> SIGNAL PROBLEMS:
> PATransit (using the same rules as PRCo.
> -- the rule books are almost
> exactly the same language) allowed
> 5 MPH only over a Facing Point Switch.

	Interesting note - but we were not talking facing point turnouts but
Nachod Signal activators which are placed a car length or more ahead of
a trailing turnout when entering single track and a car-length or more
after the turnout when entering a siding or double track from single
track.  My reference above to speed thru contactors is  ONLY  to the
Nachod Signal Contactors, not switch turnout contactors.  I edited the
original quote of my post to reveal the context of my speed comments.
	I would seriously doubt that the operators slowed at all to activate
the signal contactors - in fact, they were probably accelerating mildly
after negotiating the turnout to return to double track.
	And if entering single track from a dead stop, they were also
accelerating and were probably in the 10-15-mph range  --  and also in
that range while moving thru the contactor from a green board.  I am
relating what speed was practiced thru these contactors from
observation; twould be interesting to see if the Rule Book specified
about activating Nachod's.  Does it specify, Herb??

	I did mention turnout contactors in my post but only to identify the
fact that they were different in design than the contactors used to
activate the Nachods.

	The new Skoda TCs here have a functioning speedometer (the only coaches
I have ever operated which do outside of the lrvs - all other coaches
have speedometers but they don't function!!) and I tried operating at
5-mph thru special overhead turnouts and it is so incredibly slow that
movement is barely perceptible from inside.  I am not arguing the Rule -
just recognizing a reality.
	While our Rule Book does NOT limit us to this speed, a special bulletin
does - overhead does NOT receive preventive maintenance and the line
crew is barely able to keep up with trouble calls.  So they want us to
keep speed as low as possible to prevent dewirement and further damage.
	With TC overhead, 2-insulators are needed at turnouts to prevent short
circuits.  This places a totally dead overhead at an extreme minimum
length of 3-5-feet.  Almost impossible to negotiate at 5-mph upgrade,
even mild upgrades.

	I remember watching interurbans pulling in at SHJ after the evening
rush hour move into the loop around the admin building - if the motorman
hit and released the power just right the back truck would often bounce
up and down enough to extend the springs and make a distinct banging
noise.  But they were also exceeding the 5-mph rule thru the turnout
from the main into the loop  --  right in front of the inspectors on
duty here!!

> SAND ON RAILS:
> All of page 63 of the rule book talks about the cars equipped with
> "Rail
> Cleaning Track Brakes." It lists cars 1700, 1704, 1706, 1723, and 1724
> as
> being equipped with the special. Also goes on to tell more about when,
> why
> and how to use them.

	THANKS  for this info - interesting trivia!

> Herb Brannon

James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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