Overhead catenary in GCT?

<i>This is absolutely true and in addition, there are no public crossings at
grade in New York City.</i>

Actually, there is *one* left. Little Neck 'Parkway', right by Little Neck station. It's technically over the NYC line, but not by much It's an obscure one, though.

<i>At least as far as my memory goes back to the former New Haven Railroad, there were more fatal injuries from the overhead AC than from
the third rail DC. </i>

I can believe it. AC, at those voltages, is truely evil stuff. Especially when there's power to back it up. At today's engineering meeting with the customer, we were discussing this since it dovetails into my hardware design Some interesting stuff was bushing explosions (Killed a few PSE&G guys the other year), inductive effects on catenary trips, and the results of them (not pretty).

IIRC, the bigger danger from third rail is arcing from the high currents involved. I've heard about the jumper proceedure for the DD-1s on the LIRR. I can't believe they actually did it....

<i>Those who know electricity, RESPECT IT. </i>

Wise words. One incident we were talking about, a transformer on an MU popped (some defect caused the protection to trip, got reset and sent out without inspection...) - hit the floor pretty hard. This came when I was asking during a small pause in the meeting about the GG-1's internals and the risks of transformer explosion - they apparently sent stuff up through the roof.

Then the engineers came up with another listing of potential (heh:) trip points for the system. Yippie

Monitoring transformer tank pressure? Joy. Naturally, I'll end up with that signal as a 4-20 loop...

Oddly, for some reason, I never cared where I sat when I took the New Haven line, as long as it wasn't under a pan. Weird but true - I'd gladly watch out the front with my nose pressed to the window, or sit over the main transformer and listen to it hum. But under the pan? No way....

Noel Weaver wrote:
This is absolutely true and in addition, there are no public crossings at
grade in New York City.

Noel Weaver

There's still plenty of them in Queens on the LIRR.

There's one between Hunterspoint Av., and Long Island City.

Noel Weaver wrote:This is absolutely true and in addition, there are no public crossings at
grade in New York City.

I don't know that this is true. Maybe no catenary crossings at grade, but there are certainly RR grade crossings in the five boroughs.

The only electric RR crossing left is the one at Little Neck Parkway.

There are of RR crossings along the LIRR Montauk Branch in Queens, and along the Bay Ridge branch in Bushwick and the surrounding area. While it is true that these are no longer hi-volume lines, they are active crossings, and are protected by markings and signs. In fact, the FRA report about the LIRR runaway locomotive admonished the RR and the the DOT for not having adequate crossbuck signs and road markings.

Nester

[note: edited to fix quote block]

Guys: Interesting comparison between third rail and catenary. My dad was a 38-year PRR man and I got some of his ETTs and rules manuals. One good one is PRR CT290-Electrical Operating Instructions. I recall that it mentions that for third rail is for just to avoid contact but with catenary-8 feet away unless a class A ET man is present-than 3 feet. There is obviously times that you do not want to be near any high voltage lines-I recall that on foggy humid days near some transmission wires I remember the angry menacing sound of the wires humming and I also remember this along the NEC as well as some SEPTA commuter lines. My father taught me early on about the potential dangers of RR electricity - and power in general. MACTRAXX

maddog5150 wrote:

Noel Weaver wrote:
This is absolutely true and in addition, there are no public crossings at
grade in New York City.

Noel Weaver

There's still plenty of them in Queens on the LIRR.

My friends, the subject here is GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL not the LIRR
at Little Neck or between Hunterspoint Avenue and Long Island City.
Incidentally during my time on the NHRR, there were NO crossings on the
Bay Ridge Branch between Fremont and Bay Ridge, can't speak for what
there is today but I have my doubts.
Noel Weaver

Noel Weaver wrote: My friends, the subject here is GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL not the LIRR
at Little Neck or between Hunterspoint Avenue and Long Island City.

I don't think we interpreted it the way you intended for it to be read. When you say "This is absolutely true and in addition, there are no public crossings at grade in New York City.", without further qualification, that implies that it is inclusive of all of NYC, not just the parts traversed by MNR.

Noel Weaver wrote:Incidentally during my time on the NHRR, there were NO crossings on the Bay Ridge Branch between Fremont and Bay Ridge, can't speak for what there is today but I have my doubts.

I did not think anyone referred to the Bushwick branch as being independent of the Bay Ridge branch. Since the NY&A still does, I will as well. I'll refine my orginial statement. There are active grade crossings the BUSHWICK branch.

Nester