Western Railroad Discussion > Searchlights Stand Sentinel

While a pair of Southern Pacific-style searchlight signals stand sentinel at the south end of Watsonville Junction, a crewman from the UP 1088 throws the switch to allow the returning local into the yard on Wednesday.

---

why the need for signals if the switch is manual

Posted from Android

I find it strange it is called Control Point? a sign says begin CTC? yet hand through switch?
JB

Perhaps the switch is for an industrial spur rather than a siding? Otherwise, wouldn't the signal facing away have two targets?

...then again, if it says "begin CTC", perhaps that means the first block begins beyond the switch.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/15 16:20 by tehachapifan.

Brings back good memories of working out of San Luis Obispo back before the economy fell apart.  I ended up transfering my seniority up to Pocatello due to the recession to follow work.  I will never work there again unfortunately.  As for the comments from others about CTC.  The Coast sub is a very unique place with some very unique operating rules that go way back to the days of the SP.  Between San Jose and Carnadero (a control point just south of Gilroy, CA) CTC is in effect.  Between Carnedaro and Watsonville (pictured) Current of traffic with Automatic Block Signals (ABS) is in effect.  All eastbounders use the south track and all westbounders use the north track.  All switches are hand throw and ABS block rules govern in regards to initiating movement, delayed in block, etc.  Between Watsonville and Salinas, for some reason, a strange form of CTC is in effect.  Refered to by the old heads when I was there as "poor mans CTC," authority would be needed from the dispatcher to pass this signal if it were red due to broken rail, etc, while in ABS you could just pass at restricted speed.  The switch itself is a spring switch to enter CTC, but you still need signal indication, unlike in ABS/TWC.  If you go into the siding at salinas, you will get a red signal at the north end with a Lunar "S" lit up below it instructing you to line the switch for the siding.  CTC is still in effect, but all of the switches are hand throw with signal indication instructing you to throw them.  Then its back to TWC/ABS all the way to Santa Margarita where it is real CTC over the Cuesta grade into San Luis Obispo.  So, the track on the right is the southbound track, the one on the left is northbound.  If you were waiting for a train, the signal would be red until the train passed, then would turn green to proceed through the spring switch southbound into CTC limits.  He must have been running against the current of traffic on the south track, then lining himself back into the yard.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/15 16:28 by HogheadMike.

At that area, it is or was a spring switch off the east bound ABS double track to single track with poor mans CTC to Salinas.


Nudge

tehachapifan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Perhaps the switch is for an industrial spur
> rather than a siding? Otherwise, wouldn't the
> signal facing away have two targets?
>

according to Mike who worked the territory as he explained ... the switch is always lined normal for straight northbound moves so the signal only gives block info for the straight move from the single main to the main hence only one signal head is needed ...

> ...then again, if it says "begin CTC", perhaps
> that means the first block begins beyond the
> switch.

the switch is for the siding/main ... and is a SS (spring switch) for trains going southbound coming off the siding onto the single main ... northbound trains using the southbound track have manually throw the SS

HogheadMike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Brings back good memories of working out of San
> Luis Obispo back before the economy fell apart.
>  I ended up transfering my seniority up to
> Pocatello due to the recession to follow work.  I
> will never work there again unfortunately.  As
> for the comments from others about CTC.  The
> Coast sub is a very unique place with some very
> unique operating rules that go way back to the
> days of the SP.  Between San Jose and Carnadero
> (a control point just south of Gilroy, CA) CTC is
> in effect.  Between Carnedaro and Watsonville
> (pictured) Current of traffic with Automatic Block
> Signals (ABS) is in effect.  All eastbounders use
> the south track and all westbounders use the north
> track.  All switches are hand throw and ABS block
> rules govern in regards to initiating movement,
> delayed in block, etc.  Between Watsonville and
> Salinas, for some reason, a strange form of CTC is
> in effect.  Refered to by the old heads when I
> was there as "poor mans CTC," authority would be
> needed from the dispatcher to pass this signal if
> it were red due to broken rail, etc, while in ABS
> you could just pass at restricted speed.  The
> switch itself is a spring switch to enter CTC, but
> you still need signal indication, unlike in
> ABS/TWC.  If you go into the siding at salinas,
> you will get a red signal at the north end with a
> Lunar "S" lit up below it instructing you to line
> the switch for the siding.  CTC is still in
> effect, but all of the switches are hand throw
> with signal indication instructing you to throw
> them.  Then its back to TWC/ABS all the way to
> Santa Margarita where it is real CTC over the
> Cuesta grade into San Luis Obispo.  So, the track
> on the right is the southbound track, the one on
> the left is northbound.  If you were waiting for
> a train, the signal would be red until the train
> passed, then would turn green to proceed through
> the spring switch southbound into CTC limits.  He
> must have been running against the current of
> traffic on the south track, then lining himself
> back into the yard.

thanks for the info Mike ... sounds like the setup is dispatched like a manual block APB system territory but signaled like CTC system territory ... at least at this particular spot anyway ... very strange indeed ...

Posted from Android



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/15 03:09 by Out_Of_Service.