[CBQ] FW: Signaling for Grade Crossing

["Hol Wagner holpennywagner@msn.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

Passing this on to the group for those who may not have heard this before.
 
Hol
 


      

      Cres Fleming wrote:

      
        
        
        
          
            Here in Durango to Silverton the D&SNG blows two
              longs, a
              short and a long at every major crossing. They blow a long
              and a short
              at minor crossings and at blind curves.
             
            A bit of trivia. The signal two longs, a short and a
              long used
              at crossings supposedly came from the CB&Q railroad.
              They adopted
              it because it is the letter Q in Morse Code. At least
              that’s the story.
              Most railroads used this in their operating rules for
              signaling. –Cres
            
              
                 
                

                
              
               
            
            Here
is
              Colorado we have a quiet law where the engineer only
              sounds the horn
              if there is something on the tracks.

              Tom

              

              tom meehan wrote:

               
                
                  
                    
                      
                         
                        

                          Most rule books usually state the grade
                          crossing signal-- two longs,
                          one short, one long -- may be prolonged or
                          repeated until "the
                          locomotive occupies the crossing. This pattern
                          shall be varied as
                          necessary where crossings are spaced closely
                          together." (FRA Sect.
                          222.21.)

                          

                          I used to get a kick out of riding suburban
                          trains on the former
                          NJ&NY in Hackensack NJ where there is a
                          stretch where several
                          crossings are located very close together. The
                          crossings were too close
                          together to permit the standard signal and
                          engineers would vary their
                          signaling. One would use a series of short
                          blasts. Another would use
                          one long signal but vary the tenor. 

                          

                          I read on a message board several years ago,
                          one where a number of
                          working locomotive engineers posted, a message
                          by an engineer that said
                          residents in some of the small towns on his
                          route were complaining
                          about the raucous grade crossing signaling
                          practices of some engineers
                          in the wee hours.  He said some of the
                          engineers did try and take it
                          easy -- he said every little town on the route
                          had a couple of grade
                          crossing in the town center -- by shortening
                          the horn sequence. He said
                          he wasn't one of them. Thanks to a couple
                          close calls with vehicles
                          trying to zoom across the grade crossing right
                          in front of him, he
                          really laid on the horn. 

                          

                          A Wisconsin Central engineer said on his line
                          it was the same thing:
                          every little town had a couple of crossings in
                          the town square. He said
                          he gave a very robust horn signal, too. Only
                          in his case he said it was
                          based on the belief, "If I have to be up at 3
                          AM EVERYBODY should be up
                          at 3 AM!" 

                          

                          I LOL'd when I read that but I'm not sure he
                          was kidding.

                          

                          tommy meehan