Fine photo of the Buda Operator on page 82.
Under the clock, at left, the Westbound train order
signal lever is to the left, the Eastbound to the
right.
Between Aurora and Wataga there was bi-directional
signaling on both tracks. A "proceed" signal at any
block station authorized a train to operate to the
next block station without receiving a clearance or
train order.
Protection was provided by what the CB&Q, (by rule
and timetable), referred to as a "Check Lock System".
The ICC would call this "Absolute Permissive Block"
but the CB&Q did not use that terminology.
The four check locks are just to the right of the
levers for the train order signals. From the left
it would be MT #1 to Princeton, MT #2 to Princeton
and then MT #1 and MT #2 to Kewanee. The check
lock to the left is in "neutral", there is no current
of traffic established. Next one over is set for
Eastbound. The other two are behind the typewriter.
Going back to page 80 it clearly shows the crossover
just East of the depot. The locomotive on the bottom
of page 81 is going over the other crossover. These
are hand throws that have to be thrown by the Operator
as necessary. Lot of walking to get to the one furthest
East. If the crossovers are or have been lined correctly
the Operator had a small panel, (not visible, but to his
right), with four toggle switches to clear the absolute
signals. The signals will not clear if the check locks
at both block stations are not in matching positions.
Between the typewriter and the Operator's shoulder is
the ringer. Just a hand cranked generator to put enough
voltage on a the block phone line to ring a bell in each
station. There would be a code as to who was supposed
to answer, as in "two longs and a short". Also had to
use the ringer to get the Telephone Operator on the
PBX or message line to answer and connect you up with
whomever you wished to call. Which line you were
connected to was usually just a matter of plugging a
jack into a different socket. In later years that
setup was changed to toggle switches.
Russ
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