[PRCo] Re: Ramsey Hand Signals on PRCo

[Derrick Brashear]

On Sat, Dec 10, 2011 at 4:11 PM, Dwight Long <dwightlong at verizon.net> wrote:
> Ed
>
> If you have in the library “Proceedings of the American Electric Railway Transportation & Traffic Association, Volume 4, look on page 234 where there is a clear explanation of the Ramsey system and how it works.  I tried to copy this off the net but it’s rigged so as to prevent it, and my Instant Print Screen function no longer works on Windows 7 (have to figure out something different to replace it!).
>

http://books.google.com/books/download/Proceedings_of_the_American_Electric_Rai.pdf?id=Ya8pAAAAYAAJ&hl=en&capid=AFLRE73bJ8SkWlzZK_GFcpaKpjG0uBWAGnIgAGaQ35bIBR8cbpdK6Y44bgfszNcez4g-hcAPkdUB78-wJ9Jsc1epIa5u24kn5w&continue=http://books.google.com/books/download/Proceedings_of_the_American_Electric_Rai.pdf%3Fid%3DYa8pAAAAYAAJ%26output%3Dpdf%26hl%3Den

a.k.a.

http://bit.ly/tPflOG

and i'm downloading a PDF now.


Also, a description from the Street Railway Journal:


It is a block signal system, by which the crew of a car,
when it arrives at a turnout, are apprised of the fact as to whether
there is another car on the track between it and the next turnout, and
consequently whether it is safe for them to proceed. This prevents the
delay of the entire system if one car should get behind the schedule
time. On certain roads, where a telephone system is used, these boxes
are employed in place of it for signaling, as they are considered more
desirable.

The signal box, which is shown in section, has a partition
horizontally through the middle, dividing it into two compartments. In
one are placed three, and in the other two, incandescent lamps, the
lamps of each set being visible from one direction only. In each box
are two double pole switches, which make contact with a ground wire or
with a branch of the trolley wire. The group of three lamps in one box
is in series with a group of two lamps at the next, a No. 12 w.p. iron
or copper wire being carried on poles to make this connection. It will
be seen that when the lamps in a circuit are not burning, the two
switches must both be either on the ground connection or both on the
trolley connection. In cither case the movement of one switch only is
necessary to turn the current through the lamps. Five lamps are used
in series to cut down the voltage, since the lamp current is taken
from the trolley wire.

The operation of the system will then be readily understood. Conductor
A goes to No. 1 turnout; here he finds no red light to stop him. When
it is his leaving time he turns on the lower lights in the box that he
leaves behind at No. 1 turnout, and this will, at the same time, light
the lamps in the upper part of the box at No. 2 turnout. These lights
at No. 2 turnout stop all cars coming toward him, and those at No. 1
stop all cars from following him.

He proceeds then to No. 2 turnout; here he finds no car or red light
to stop him. Being guided by the lamps in the lower partitions only,
or those shining toward him, he puts out the light he came in on, and
turns the light in the next turnout ahead, leaving one behind as
before, and proceeds to No. 3 turnout. Here he finds a car to pass
him, say B. B and A both leave the lights alone, A taking B's lights
and going to the next turnout, and B taking A's, each knowing that he
has a clear track in front of him. When A reaches No. 4 turnout he
finds no light or no car

to pass him; he puts out the lights that B made when he passed No. 4
turnout and lights the light in No. 5 turnout, leaving a light behind.
B proceeds to No. 2 turnout and here he finds no car to pass and no
light to stop him. He puts the lights out that A made when he passed
there and lights the light in No. 1 turnout, leaving one behind him.
This will clear up No. 4 and No. 3 block. This plan is followed
throughout the day.

Extra cars can be taken off or put on the line, or disabled cars can
be taken off the line at any time without interfering with the balance
of the cars. The motorman runs altogether on his schedule time and on
the signals. If his time is up and he has no signal to stop him, he
makes one and leaves it behind him, and makes one at the next switch
to stop any car from coming toward him and goes ahead to the next
switch. When two cars meet at a turnout they merely pass and do not
change the signals, since both are burning and properly protect the
trains.

The system insures safety even when out of order in the following way:
The conductor tries the signal and cannot make a light; when it is his
leaving time he will proceed cautiously, ringing the bell going around
curves and dangerous places, knowing that the car, if one should be
coming toward him, has found the same difficulty; that is, if No. 1
cannot make a light in that block, No. 2 car coming toward him cannot
make a light, as they are both connected together. This will make both
careful and will not affect any other block on the line. Of course the
trouble should be reported to the repair men as soon as possible, so
that the system may be repaired.
> There was also a brochure published by Williamson & Co. of Allegheny, Pa., which had a full description of the system.  Sorry, I don’t know when this was published.
>
> If you don’t have the referred to material, the Ramsey system was in essence a glorified version of the simple signal system West Penn used.  It used a box with a master key, sort of like a switch key, at sidings to set and release the signals, instead of a paddle switch, thus reducing the potential for tampering.  It also had red and green colored lamps with three intermediate signals between sidings.  But electrically it was the West Penn deal.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Dwight
>
> From: Edward H. Lybarger
> Sent: Saturday, 10 December, 2011 12:58
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Ramsey Hand Signals on PRCo
> I know nothing of this technology, and there's nothing so far in the PRC
> material other than the reference on this map.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org
> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org] On Behalf Of Herb
> Brannon
> Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2011 10:22 AM
> To: Pittsburgh Railways Group
> Subject: [PRCo] Ramsey Hand Signals on PRCo
>
> The track/signal diagrams show a couple locations using "Ramsey Hand
> Signals". Are photos or diagrams available which show  this type of signal
> or tell of how they operated on the Pittsburgh Railway system?
> --
> Herb Brannon
> In Cuyahoga Valley National Park
>
>
>
>
>
>



-- 
Derrick