[PRCo] Re: Stumped -- Nachods

[Edward H. Lybarger]

There was a passing siding just outbound of the Tylerdale (Jefferson Avenue)
stub siding, on the bridge over the PRR.  Perhaps that was involved in the
second contactor?

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of Fred
Schneider
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 8:12 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Cc: Fred Schneider
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Stumped -- Nachods

There is a contactor on each of the line to the carbarn and the  
Jefferson Avenue stub, which should count a car out of the block.    
And I see an inbound contactor on the inbound side.   I also see a  
switch contactor coming northwest.  But I see a second contactor inbound to
Washington and that puzzles me.

fws

On Dec 22, 2007, at 9:34 PM, Herb Brannon wrote:

> Did anyone ever come up with the "method of operation" in this area? I 
> marked the original email from Jim Holland as "unread".
> That means it still needed a proper answer. Again, did anyone figure 
> it out?
> Jim Holland <PRCoPCC at P-R-Co.com> wrote:  THANK___YOU,___Herb!!!
> .
> NOT___At__All__Wordy!!!
> .
> Very nice and clear explanation -- PerFessor~!~!~!~!
> .
> .
> I am very well understand how it works now.
> .
> .
> .
> Now I am trying to finger out how the Nachods worked in Little Wash 
> near the terminal for the local Jefferson//Maiden line shared by the 
> Interurban entering and leaving Wash -- here are a few previous
> scans:::
> .
> http://tinyurl.com/27zkk6
> .
> http://tinyurl.com/2bdc3w
> .
> I am including another photo of 4354 in the terminal as well as map 
> below to show configuration of the sidings and single track:
> .
> Starting at the Tylerdale Car Barn we see it is also a siding -- 
> ....... heading south from there brings us to the stub terminal of the 
> local Jefferson//Maiden Line beyond which...
> .
> ....... we have about 10-20-feets of single track and then a long 
> siding.
> .
> In the enclosed photo of 4354, please note that there are two 
> contactors in the overhead Of The Stub Track Terminal -- presumably 
> the one closest to the overhead frog is for clearing the block but the 
> one further back is in front of the rear trolley pole for when the 
> local pulls out onto the main. But Also Note that there is a contactor 
> in the main just north of the switch for the stub AND one of the 
> photos included shows two contactors as a southbound car enters the 
> siding just south of the stub terminal.
> .
> I am sure it is quite logical once it is fingered oooot -- but getting 
> to that point is a challenge now.
> .
> As far as a local pulling away from the terminal southbound I am sure 
> that is accomplished by eye, not signal, but a following Interurban 
> from Tylerdale should know that something is ahead of it. I can see a 
> contactor to enter the single track from the siding heading north 
> (which is immediately cleared when a local enters the stub terminal) 
> but why does the interurban have a contactor in the same location on 
> the main line?? I don't see a switch pan for the stub so assume that 
> this is manually operated and that a local should return it to the 
> main line when it leaves.
> .
> .
> Your thoughts, Herb, will be welcome~!~!~!
> .
> .
> .
> Jim___Holland
> .
> .
> .
> Herb Brannon wrote:
> .
>> The signals at each end of the single track have two positions, red 
>> and yellow. These signals indicate the status of the single track 
>> block. There is also a small yellow indicator signal about a car 
>> length from the two position signal. This signal "blinks" each time a 
>> car enters the single track. The "blink" is displayed at both ends of 
>> the single track block.
>>
>> When coming off the double track into the single track an operator 
>> will know the situation on that section of single track by observing 
>> the first, or the two position signal. If it is dark then the single 
>> track in not occupied by either leading or opposing cars. In fact, 
>> both the two position signals at either entrance to single track will 
>> be dark. If the two position signal is showing yellow this indicates 
>> one or more Leading cars are in the single track. If the two position 
>> signal shows red this indicates one or more Opposing cars are in the 
>> single track.
>>
>> The Preliminary Contactor actually sets the signals for that 
>> particular single track block into motion. If a dark signal is noted 
>> an operator knows to pass under the Preliminary Contactor and proceed 
>> to the Counting-In Contactor. If a red signal is noted then an 
>> operator knows to pass under the Preliminary Contactor (to get his 
>> car "noted" in the block) but to then stop short of the Countng-In 
>> Contactor. If a yellow signal is noted an operator knows to pass 
>> under the Preliminary Contactor and also pass under the Counting-In 
>> Contactor, entering the single track, however, to run the car under 
>> caution as there are one or more Leading cars in the single track. 
>> These leading cars may be stopped for any number of reasons and there 
>> is no signal protection.
>>
>> Operators, myself also, who approached a dark signal but then had it 
>> turn red before passing under the Preliminary Contactor then knew 
>> that one or more opposing cars were coming down the single.
>> By watching the small yellow "Counting-In Signal" located just where 
>> the double track ends and by counting the number of "blinks"
>> could (with knowledge of the running time in that single track
>> section) estimate how much time would be required to clear the single 
>> track for them to move forward.
>>
>> That, Professor Holland, is the very wordy explanation of how that 
>> Machine Age system works. Hopefully I did not leave anything out.
>>
>>
>> Jim Holland
> wrote:
>> Thanks Herb!
>>
>> What happened after passing the first Preliminary Contactor?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Herb Brannon wrote:
>>
>>
>>>> From the Signal Manual (1973 PATransit edition -- same as PRCo 
>>>> except for signal drawings rather than photos) :
>>>
>>> "At each end of the single track three contactors are installed on 
>>> the trolley wire for the actuation of the signals as follows:
>>>
>>> (a) Two contactors are mounted on the trolley wire over the track by 
>>> which cars enter the single track block. The first of theses 
>>> contactors engaged as the car approaches single track is known as 
>>> the Preliminary Contactor, and the second one, which is mounted 
>>> about a car length beyond the first, is known as the Counting-In 
>>> Contactor.
>>>
>>> (b) One contactor is mounted on the trolley wire over the track by 
>>> which cars leave the single track block and it is known as the 
>>> Counting-Out Contactor."
>>>
>>
>>
>> Herb Brannon
>>
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> Herb Brannon
>
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