Eastern Railroad Discussion > PRR position lights

They are dissapearing fast.
Ed K. cp Laurel Run

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I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers. But as someone who operates under a few of them, good riddance. They are very difficult to see during the day, and in my experience don't cut though the fog like they are famed to do.

BelltuckyFoamductor Wrote:
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> I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers. But
> as someone who operates under a few of them, good
> riddance. They are very difficult to see during
> the day, and in my experience don't cut though the
> fog like they are famed to do.

My sentiments exactly, won't be any love lost from me, I was thrilled when they took those shit signals down here in Chicago

Posted from Android

SlipperyWhenWet Wrote:
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> BelltuckyFoamductor Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers.
> But
> > as someone who operates under a few of them,
> good
> > riddance. They are very difficult to see during
> > the day, and in my experience don't cut though
> the
> > fog like they are famed to do.
>
> My sentiments exactly, won't be any love lost from
> me, I was thrilled when they took those shit
> signals down here in Chicago
>
> Posted from Android


Speaking for myself, not ruffling any feathers here as I completely understand and appreciate what you guys are saying. It's just a part of history though that will be missed, I think, for its uniqueness. But progress is progress, so, time to move on.

Yet another PRR innovation that no one else on the planet thought was worthy of emulation.

-John

Every thing was "standard" on the Pennsy...

LarryDoyle Wrote:
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> Yet another PRR innovation that no one else on the
> planet thought was worthy of emulation.
>
> -John


LOL... actually (sad to say, given that I'm a Pennsy fan) I think a lot of times, it was because the ultra-conservative PRR was usually one of the last roads to embrace a technology. (Of course, when you're a bigger organization than the U.S. Federal Government, the prospect of implementing changes is a bit daunting.)

reel_smooth Wrote:
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>
> Speaking for myself, not ruffling any feathers
> here as I completely understand and appreciate
> what you guys are saying. It's just a part of
> history though that will be missed, I think, for
> its uniqueness. But progress is progress, so, time
> to move on.

Totally understand, and I will agree from a historical standpoint it is kind of sad to see them go. However in regards to progress I don't totally care for new saftran signals that are generally replacing them. They have issues all there own in regards to visibility.


LarryDoyle Wrote:
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> Yet another PRR innovation that no one else on the
> planet thought was worthy of emulation.
>

Meh kind of. There was the N&W color variant (which is a improvement), and the somewhat simular B&O CPL (Which I actually hate more)

It looks like the first one is turned away from the tracks, but have the others shown on the Pittsburgh Line been replaced? I have not been out there since the fall, but I did not see any signs of imminent replacement at that time. Does anyone here know of any schedule for replacing them?

On the last one, what is with the canvas bag behind the signal ?

Nudge

spnudge Wrote:
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> On the last one, what is with the canvas bag
> behind the signal ?
>

Not-yet-active signals on the new signal bridge right behind the old.

That last signal was for the birds.
go

SlipperyWhenWet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BelltuckyFoamductor Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I know this is going to ruffle a few feathers.
> But
> > as someone who operates under a few of them,
> good
> > riddance. They are very difficult to see during
> > the day, and in my experience don't cut though
> the
> > fog like they are famed to do.
>
> My sentiments exactly, won't be any love lost from
> me, I was thrilled when they took those shit
> signals down here in Chicago
>

I've wondered about the visibility issue. While I realize that signals are often aimed and focused and thus have a narrow viewing angle, I find it hard to see the position-light signals here in Hammond-Whiting, IN. The new LED signals on the IHB, on the other hand, really pop out.

While I'll be a bit sorry to see them go (one signal bridge has been here since before I was born, I think), I'm all for practical and functional signaling.

Like I said before, I'm wondering if railroads are wasting millions of dollars on new signals when the technology is just around the corner to do away with wayside signals... But what do I know?

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Like I said before, I'm wondering if railroads are
> wasting millions of dollars on new signals when
> the technology is just around the corner to do
> away with wayside signals... But what do I know?


In most cases, this big effort to replace old signals is part of the government mandate for PTC. The older signals don't have the technology to communicate ate with PTC systems, so everything old must go. It's a gigantic and costly undertaking that I'm sure most class one upper management types would tell you they would rather not undertake. And in many cases on the NS Pgh line, the intermediates won't be replaced, they will just go away via cab signals.

Not just unique the the PRR. N&W used them as well. And PRR was not the only railroad to use unique items. The DD40AX, all the turbines and other motive power that was unique to the UP. Innovation is a railroad standard.