Western Railroad Discussion > UP, Cab signals and PTC

I recent read that on UP in places that PTC is turned on, cab signals are disabled on equipped trains and that trains run under the authorization of PTC, is this true? 

Does UP have any cab signal lines without wayside intermediates like NS and CSX do? 

One of the big PTC issues on the eastern roads (NS/CSX) is how to integrate PTC/Cab signals, as such cab signal equipped lines are expected to be some of the last lines to have PTC turned on. 

When I left the UP they did have some of the lighter trafficed lines that were dark railroad. But the heavier traffic lines were all signalled.
For example the line from Egbert to South Morrill is not signalled and basically only runs a few coal trains a week.
Large sections of the old KP are unsignalled and as you may have read on Trainorders does not have heavy traffic. 
As for the merger lines over the years I believe those railroads had their heavier traffic lines signalled as well.
As for CCS territory that existed on the UP's mainline to Ogden. This was installed in the 1950's after some fatal rear end collisions.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Foamductor Wrote:
 
>
> Does UP have any cab signal lines without wayside
> intermediates like NS and CSX do? 
>
The branchline that runs from Hiawatha KS to Upland KS had CCS put in in the 1990's, for westbound only.  An EB train a tri weekly local had to have a track warrant.  I am not sure if this line which carries mostly coal train empties has PTC or not. 

I do not know of anywhere that PTC is used to convey authority.

Foamductor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recent read that on UP in places that PTC is
> turned on, cab signals are disabled on equipped
> trains and that trains run under the authorization
> of PTC, is this true? 
>
> Does UP have any cab signal lines without wayside
> intermediates like NS and CSX do? 
>
> One of the big PTC issues on the eastern roads
> (NS/CSX) is how to integrate PTC/Cab signals, as
> such cab signal equipped lines are expected to be
> some of the last lines to have PTC turned on. 

1. Yes, when PTC is operational the cab signals are cut out (turned off).  If the PTC fails enroute, then the CS is cut in.

2. Until the UP applied CTC to the exCNW across Illinois and Iowa, most of that line only had waysides for the approach to and absolute signals at control points.  CNW had some CTC and waysides in places along that route, but most was still current of traffic (left handed) and Automatic Train Control/cab signal when UP took over.

3. On another forum, one NS person (not a TE&Y person) said they were using cab signals interfaced with PTC and had removed some waysides between control points on some lines.  I have no way of knowing if that's true. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/19 16:33 by 57A26.