Re: (erielack) Erie Signals

[Dlw1el2_@_aol.com]

A generalization to all, is that signals and signal systems are like  
studying track charts.   It all depends on a particular date and  location.  I've 
looked at Lackawanna track diagrams over the years and  constantly found 
new signals replacing old signals and usually not at the same  locations.  
Every time a signal or signal system within a  designated  area got changed the 
RR always was trying to up grade it, thus changes from  before could 
constantly be found.   When you walk or ride along a  right of ways you constantly 
find signal stanchions that don't conform to a  particular track chart, but 
they did to some previous chart that is  now obsolete. With in those signal 
moves, often aspects to be displayed got  changed too.
 
Bob Bahrs
 
 
 
In a message dated 12/2/2009 7:19:52 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
Wdburt1_@_aol.com writes:
 

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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