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(erielack) West End tower track diagram



I don't have a picture of that in front of me, but here's what I remember.

The tunnel tracks were Rule 261 between West and Grove Street.  Traffic could 
be either east or west.  There were similar signal setups in both towers, but 
the traffic levers were different (meaning they could have a different lever
number).  When it came time to change direction of the track, the process was:

1.  Operator at requesting tower would push a signaling button on the 
interlocking machine, most likely under the traffic lever.
2.  At the granting tower, the red light between the two white lights (white 
lights indicated traffic direction) would light, and a signal whistle would 
sound.  His traffic lever would be unlocked.
3.  If the granting tower did not want to grant the request, the towerman 
would push his corresponding signalling button.  This would extinguish the red 
light and cancel the request.
4.  If the granting tower wished to grant the request, usually after some 
arm-twisting, the towerman would throw his signal lever the other way.  His 
lever would now be locked.  This would extinguish the white light on the 
board, since traffic was neither east nor west at that time (this happened at 
both towers).  (The wayside signals would be red in both directions at this 
time).  It probably would have extinguished the red light as well.  (In any 
case, his next action would definitely extinguish the red light.)  He would 
then push his signaling button for his traffic lever.
5.  At the requesting tower, the red light would light up, the signaling 
whistle would sound, and the traffic lever would be unlocked.  The towerman 
would throw his traffic lever opposite to what it was.  The red light would go 
out.  The white light would light up indicating which direction traffic was.  
The traffic lever would be locked up.

Traffic on that track was now opposite to what it was.  The wayside signals 
would clear up only in the new direction of traffic.

The traffic levers in each respective machine would prevent the signals on 
that machine from lining up a route in conflict with the established direction 
of traffic.

John Bobinyec


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