Russ, Thanks for the talk about the signal problems at Montgomery and W.
Eola. A lot of people have many stories about those days that still hold a
certain fascination. Years ago, while visiting Clyde Schmid, John's son, we
stumbled onto a antique store up in Colorado somewhere that had the track
light board out of E. Eola tower. Always make ya wonder at the stories that
are connected with these things. Think I know the where abouts of an item
from the west tower, contact me off list if you get a chance.......Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "VLBG" <VLBG@s...>
To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 11:11 PM
Subject: Re: [BRHSlist] CB&Q interlocking model board
> Bob,
>
> Thought I had deleted this but I guess I didn't. Occupancy indicators
> would have been white.
>
> The turnout indication lights were not there when I worked there but
> I know why they were added. Around '62 or '63 the CB&Q converted
> the Montgomery IL interlocker from levers to CTC. They were
> putting switch machines on the switches but still using the levers to
> actuate the switch machine. Problem was that when you moved the
> levers and threw the switch with a pipeline the switch point movement
> matched the movement of the lever. That was the way it was supposed
> to be. At Montgomery they put contacts on the levers to send current to
> the switch machines. THERE WAS A TIME DELAY! If the Operator
> returned the lock lever to the locked position before the switch threw
> the power was cut off and the switch never threw. Since the signal
> circuits were still interlocked through the bed of the interlocking the
> signals would clear according to the LEVER position rather than the
> switch position.
>
> The result was a head on collision between a CB&Q and a detouring
> CRI&P passenger train that killed, IIRC 7 people.
>
> The Signal Department's defense was that they had taped a note to
> the bottom of the board to remind the Operators about the time delay.
> The ICC did not find that amusing. There were NO point detectors
> on the switches interlocking with the signals at all.
>
> They had started doing the wiring at West Eola just before I got off
> the job. No switch machines had been installed. On two occasions
> I called the Maintainer out because I discovered that the signal gang
> had disconnected something and that the latch on a lock lever would
> move while a train was going over the switch it locked.
>
> You may understand the reason for the switch indicators now. They
> must have been added as soon as they started putting switch machines
> in. I would think that they would have been red and green but from
> a personal viewpoint they should just be covered up. They were
> only temporary.
>
> West Eola was set up with occupancy locking, not route locking. I
> can recall looking out the window and feeling the latch on the lock
> lever release as the engine footboards were just clearing the switch
> points. One night had a yard move stall. Tower did not have a radio
> and the Yardmaster called me to ask if they could pull West for slack.
> After my permission was passed along the phone rang again. Crew
> was a little nervous about the fact that they had shoved East from
> Track #1 but were now going West down Track #2. That's what
> you can do with occupancy locking. Everyone might not understand
> the implications of this. Between towers there was a check lock
> system. This determined the current of traffic on that track. Both
> tower's lever or handle positions had to match to clear a signal.
> The switch crew had gotten a signal to go West out of the West
> Yard on Track #1. This meant that the current of traffic on Track #1
> had to be Westbound. They got verbal permission to go West on
> Track #2 but no signal indication. In theory there could have been
> an Eastbound train out of Aurora on Track #2 coming right at them.
> I knew that the current of traffic on #2 was Westbound but they did
> not.
>
> Even after the CTC was in service there were still problems. Had
> a head on between a BN train and a SSW trackage rights train during
> the 80's. With route locking this would not be possible.
>
> Still would like a digital image of that board.
>
> Russ
>
> > Hi Everybody,
> >
> > I just acquired a CB&Q interlocking tower model board (circ. 1934) at a
> > flea market. I thought it would make an interesting addition to the
hobby
> > room. I would like to restore the indicator lamps to the proper colors.
> > Does anybody here know what they should be?
> >
> > I'm guessing the occupied block indicators are white or yellow, similar
to
> > other railroads. I belive signals glow green when allowing movements.
The
> > weird thing is this board has turnout indicators. I've never seen a
model
> > board with this feature. I don't know what the lamp color might have
been
> > for turnouts. It could be green indicating that the turnouts are aligned
> > for a cross track movement...or then again they might be red...
> >
> > -Bob
>
>
>
>
>
>
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