[PRCo] Re: Ramsey Hand Signals on PRCo

[Herb Brannon]

This explains Everything.
On Sat, Dec 10, 2011 at 19:13, Derrick Brashear <shadow at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
>
>
>


-- 
Herb Brannon
In Cuyahoga Valley National Park