I was just re-reading a prior post about "letter" meanings. I need to clarify something, on a "Stop and Proceed" indication, you will travel at restricted speed until you receive a more favorable indication and the front wheels have passed that signal. Sorry for any confusion. Charlie
Here is a mystery. A friend of mine picked up this antique track side sign. He has no idea what it was for. Any ideas?
I just had a brain flash....I am wondering if this would be a sign indicating a "fouling Point". It would have been placed on a siding or passing track to indicate a point BEYOND which any rolling stock would "foul" the adjacent track. Some railroads would use a sign that read "fouling point", or they would paint a stripe on the rail or tie or just use a stake with a certain color coding of paint. Just guessing here. Charlie
I've got a copy of Safety in Action, a 1947 DRGW safety film. One scene shows a white, or yellow stripe on the inside of the rails. Couldn't tell, as it's a B/W film! The film comment was, yes it's there for a reason, or similar. This after a couple of boxcars side swiped at a yard turnout. Pushed cars over at an angle, but did not roll over completely. Hope this helps.
To anyone who watches the police drama "Blue Bloods" on CBS. I know the show is supposed to be set in New York City. The beginning of tonight's(10/02/15)episode shows the cast members investigating some human remains in an area with recent grown brush in which abandoned railroad tracks are seen. It looks as though it could have been a small yard or storage tracks for an industry. Does anyone know what railroad this is or was? Charlie
From our house to you and yours, Kathryn and I wish all of you the most Blessed and Merry Christmas. If you don't observe the holiday we wish you all the best of the Peace and Joy of the season. Charlie
Thank you, And to you, Charlie and Kathryn, a most blessed Christmas. Best wishes for the coming new year.
May all of you and those dear to you have the most Healthy,Prosperous and Happy New Year 2016 Charlie & Kathryn & family
Charlie, Kathryn, and the rest of our extended TB Family, Camilla and I wish you all a Happy, Rewarding New Year.
Happy new year from our house to you Charlie and the rest of my family here on TB. Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk
Well gang.... It's time for my annual Lenten break. I wish all of you well and good health during my absence. I should be re-joining you on or about Easter. You may contact me with any major news via my e-mail address in my profile. The address is hidden to view but will be transcribed in full on an e-mail. I will still check e-mails as I do some shopping online and maintain contact with friends and relatives that way. Be good, be kind to one another. Get your questions ready. See you soon! Charlie
I'm with you there, Charlie. My Lenten sacrifices will not include the internet, though. I'm proud of you.
I only give up what I can't afford. Here lately that's a lot. What? What? Take your time going but hurry back.
It could also be a "Permissive" marker for a signal, indicating that the train can "stop and proceed at restricted speed" vs. an absolute stop.
Happy Easter to those to whom it applies! Well, I'm back. I hope all is well with the gang here! Charlie
Thanks for your thoughts. I do it not from a sense of "I have to" but because I want the time to reflect on things that are important to me and forget the craziness and pettiness of the world. I think we all should take time to "step back" and look inward to our own selves to see what could be changed . Charlie
Trains Magazine did a recent article concerning railroad signals, their colors,shapes,usage and meanings. I found it to be quite informative, although it was based primarily on the NORAC rules book. My familiarity with rules is based on the GCOR protocol. While both philosophies are quite similar there are a couple of significant differences, but that can be attributed to the established operating practices of Eastern railroads. While there may be differences in words and meanings, the insistence on strict adherence to the rule book is unanimous among railroads. Nobody is fired for obeying the rules, I've seen and heard some heated discussions over rules, but in the end, the "erring on the side of caution" always wins! I also know,personally, employees who have suffered gruesome injury for failure to obey safety rules. The axiom is... "Rule obedience assures continued employment". Charlie
A warm summer Saturday mid 1950s. I was in Waukegan visiting with my friend Billy. Billy's family and my family had been friends for eons. My mom and Billy's mom had been girlfriends since early childhood, my dad and Billy's dad became friends when they first met. Billy's siblings were of the same number,age and gender as mine. We were almost a carbon copy of each other's family. At any rate Billy was a bit of a railfan as well;his dad was employed in the mechanical department of the C. & N.W. Billy lived very close to the famous and historic electric interurban line, the C.N.S. & M. or simply "North Shore Line". at one time they lived only steps away from what was the end of that railroads "Shore Line" branch. However they moved from that location to the present location of my story. The "Edison Court" station in Waukegan was just a couple of blocks away from Billy's house but one could see the trains on their ROW from Billy's house. We decided to train watch for a while so we headed over to Edison Court to catch some action. We arrived in time to catch a 4 car Milwaukee Limited. She squealed to a stop in a haze of brake shoe smoke and the faint tingle of ozone on your nostrils. The air compressors on the cars were "tik-tik-tiking" away as the train caught her breath after her 70+mph sprint from North Chicago Junction just a few miles south. The stairwell trap doors were slamming open as the trainmen began to board their passengers while shouting "Milwaukee Limited,use all cars". The motorman impatiently leaned out the drop window doorway of his cab,waiting for the "highball" to leave. The North Shore Line was the "Road of Service" and they didn't get that title by being tardy on their train schedules. It was a heavy travel day, sailors from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center and soldiers from Ft. Sheriday were wanting to visit Milwaukee or Chicago and the North Shore was the preferred method of reaching those destinations. High passenger loads meant possible delays, the motorman wanted to prevent that situation. Soon enough the passengers had boarded, the trainmen waved their "highballs', trapdoors slammed closed, the conductor rang the two bells on the communicator and with the familiar moan and whine of 16 traction motors and gears, the motorman gave one quick glance back at his train, hitched up his window and off sped our Milwaukee Limited to her next stop in Zion IL Quiet returned to Waukegan IL. on that warm Saturday so long ago. Billy suggested another railfan adventure. That will be a topic of a future post. Charlie
