Re: (erielack) Erie Signals

["david heckman" <boots93_@_mtnwaves.net>]

To all, from what I have seen in my years working on the Erie-EL I belive 
they used every kind of signals they could find and what they could afford. 
The Erie was not a RICH RR. They had to many people at the top of 
management. DJH 3294
- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <pat.moore_@_att.net>
To: <g.davids_@_verizon.net>; "EL Mail List" <erielack@lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 3:00 PM
Subject: RE: (erielack) Erie Signals


> Gordon,
>
> Thank you very much for that very informative post.  I had a feeling that 
> I was confused and incorrect with some of the terminology used, especially 
> the signal arm and signal aspect definitions.  Thanks for clearing that up 
> in my mind.
>
> -pat moore
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: Gordon Davids <g.davids_@_verizon.net>
>>
>> For a short story, the reason for two arms (the correct term for each
>> element, regardless of whether it is a semaphore or some form of a light
>> signal) is that at least one of the aspects displayed by the signal
>> requires two arms, as in "Approach Medium," (Yellow over Green).
>>
>> For the long story, a signal that displays only three aspects using
>> Green, Yellow or Red, one color at a time, requires only one arm.  The
>> indication conveyed by a single Red aspect is further distinguished as
>> either "Stop" (Rule 292) or "Stop and Proceed" (Rule 291) by the absence
>> (Stop) or presence (Stop and Proceed) of a number plate on the mast.  As
>> Steve Timko notes, the indication can be further modified by the
>> presence of a "G" plate on the mast, which permits designated tonnage
>> trains to proceed at a "Stop and Proceed" signal without having to stop,
>> and the Erie further complicated things with Telephone Train Order
>> signals, which is a whole 'nother topic.
>>
>> In the case of a signal that displays four or more aspects, two arms (or
>> three) are necessary.  If the most restricting indication conveyed by
>> the signal is "Stop and Proceed," the arms will be staggered from the
>> vertical position, and the mast will still hold a number plate.  If the
>> most restricting indication is "Stop," the arms will be vertical and the
>> mast will not hold a number plate.  That practice holds true on both
>> single and multiple track.
>>
>> In Erie practice, much of the automatic block and TCS territory used
>> four-indication signaling, where the progression of indications on these
>> intermediate signals was "Clear," (Green over Red); "Approach Medium,"
>> (Yellow over Green); "Approach," (Yellow over Red); and "Stop and
>> Proceed," (Red over Red).  "Approach Medium" had a dual purpose.  It
>> could govern the approach to any signal indicating "Approach" or to an
>> interlocking home signal indicating "Clear Medium" or "Medium Approach."
>>
>> Just as another technical note, besides the fine point of the term
>> "arm," a signal "aspect" is the appearance of the signal as viewed from
>> the rear (the direction from which a train is approaching.  A signal
>> "indication" is the information conveyed by the aspect, such as "Stop,
>> then proceed at restricted speed."  Each indication has a rule number
>> (Rule 291) and a name, which is "Stop and Proceed" in this instance.
>> One indication may have several different aspects associated with it,
>> depending on the configuration of an individual signal.  For instance,
>> "Approach" is a top Yellow with all lower arms Red regardless of how
>> many arms are installed on the signal.  But every individual aspect may
>> be associated with only one indication on any railroad, so there can be
>> no ambiguity over the information conveyed by any signal.
>>
>> Gordon Davids
>> > > Rich,
>> > >
>> > > Many of the signal masts on the Erie NY Division were two
>> > > searchlight heads, the upper being on the right side of mast
>> > > and the lower on the left. As far as I can tell, these were
>> > > located on double or quadruple track at locations not having
>> > > Xovers, sidings or interlockings. What was the purpose of the
>> > > lower head?
>> > >
>> > > Paul B
>> >
>>
>>
>> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
>> http://EL-List.railfan.net/
>> To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html
>
>
>
>
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> http://EL-List.railfan.net/
> To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.426 / Virus Database: 270.14.89/2539 - Release Date: 12/01/09 
19:32:00


	The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
	http://EL-List.railfan.net/
	To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html

------------------------------