(erielack) Erie Signals

[Wdburt1_@_aol.com]

Gordon Davids wrote:
 
> 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."
 
Necessarily, this means that "much of the automatic block and TCS  
territory" had two-headed signals.  
 
Plainly not true.  Perhaps the reference was to New Jersey suburban  
territory?
 
Except for certain higher-density territories, I believe the use  of 
Approach Medium on EL was restricted to governing the approach to an  interlocking 
(Clear Medium or Medium Approach) and was not used to govern  the approach 
to an Approach signal.  I always wondered if the reason for  two-headed 
signals on the NYC in upstate NY and west was because they had a  deluxe, 
4-aspect system, or simply because they had so many interlockings that  you were 
never far from one.
 
The previous contributions include mention of "double yellow."  On EL,  
double yellow was sometimes used where the next block ahead was a short block 
(I  am using plain English here, not C&S-speak).  Today, this would be an  
appropriate application of Advance Approach (flashing yellow), but back then  
there was no such aspect.  Instead, the engineer saw two Approach signals  
in a row.  Examples were the next to the last block signal leaving the old  
main line both near Hornell and Cuba.  Approaching CB Junction  westbound, 
for instance, if signal 379-1 in East Cuba displayed Approach it  probably 
meant that you were getting an Approach at the distant signal located  at JC 
382.6 (and that you were not lined at CBJ).  But it might also mean  that the 
latter signal was displaying Stop and Proceed.  A green light at  379-1 
meant an Approach Medium on the distant signal.  Same story  going east west of 
Hornell.
 
Erie practice, indeed C&S practice generally, is largely undocumented  
outside the priesthood, so this discussion is  welcome.


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