Speeds of the Interlockings on the M&E/Montclair/Boonton

I created a Facebook page on the the Morris & Essex (and the Gladstone & Montclair-Booton Line). I wanted to put down some information on the interlockings. I do searches on the lines. Not much comes up for what I'm looking for. I just need the name and the speeds for a train going through the crossovers. I know Drew and Baker are both limited speeds ones. I seen a photo by Sullivan of Green. But couldn't tell if the signal is showing medium or limited clear. I know all switches on the Gladstone Line are slow speed ones.

Thanks for any help

I just watched a video taken at Denville. Now I know that interlocking is a limited speed one. I guess the interlocking at Summit is a slow speed one?

Lackawanna565 wrote:I just watched a video taken at Denville. Now I know that interlocking is a limited speed one. I guess the interlocking at Summit is a slow speed one?

Denville is a limited speed siding for main tracks. Summit is a slow speed interlocking for main tracks, yes.

Is Green Interlocking a limited speed one?

Here is a list of all the interlockings on the ME, GS, and MC lines. Speeds with a question mark are a best guess.

Morristown Line:
TERMINAL- 15
EAST END- 30?
WEST END- 30
LOWER HACK- 30
SANFORDS- 30?
MEADOWS- 30?
KEARNY JCT- 45?
HARRISON- 30?
BROAD- 30
ROSEVILLE AVENUE- 30 (most likely)
GREEN- 45?
MILLBURN- 45 (most likely)
SUMMIT- 15
BAKER- 45 (15 for Morristown & Erie connection)
DENVILLE- 45
DOVER- 15
MORRIS JCT- 45
ROXBURY- 15

Gladstone Branch:
MURRAY HILL- 15
STIRLING- 15
BERNARDSVILLE- 15
FAR HILLS- 15

Montclair-Boonton:
AMPERE- 30 (most likely)
GLEN- 15 (most likely)
CEDAR- 30 (most likely)
NOTCH- 15 (most likely, possibly 30 for main track crossovers)
LINCOLN PARK- 30

ns3010 wrote:Here is a list of all the interlockings on the ME, GS, and MC lines. Speeds with a question mark are a best guess.

Morristown Line:
TERMINAL- 15
EAST END- 30?
WEST END- 30
LOWER HACK- 30
SANFORDS- 30?
MEADOWS- 30?
KEARNY JCT- 45?
HARRISON- 30?
BROAD- 30
ROSEVILLE AVENUE- 30 (most likely)
GREEN- 45?
MILLBURN- 45 (most likely)
SUMMIT- 15
BAKER- 45 (15 for Morristown & Erie connection)
DENVILLE- 45
DOVER- 15
MORRIS JCT- 45
ROXBURY- 15

Gladstone Branch:
MURRAY HILL- 15
STIRLING- 15
BERNARDSVILLE- 15
FAR HILLS- 15

Montclair-Boonton:
AMPERE- 30 (most likely)
GLEN- 15 (most likely)
CEDAR- 30 (most likely)
NOTCH- 15 (most likely, possibly 30 for main track crossovers)
LINCOLN PARK- 30

Not bad deductions ns3010. A few points:

1) I agree with you: Green is probably a Limited/45 interlocking
2) Notch: It is a Medium/30 interlocking; in fact, you get a "Medium Approach" coming west into the stub track at the location of the former Great Notch Train Station
3) Roxbury: Pretty sure that is a Medium/30 MPH interlocking in terms of signals... in reality though, you have to operate at restricting through it, so it is 15 or less
4) You forgot UN: same deal as Roxbury
5) Dover: It is actually a Medium/30 interlocking, however, when heading west through the station, the fixed signals and cabs stay at Restricting on both tracks for the close activation of the crossings at South Morris and Orchard Streets; they upgrade after the crossings have been activated; trains heading east through Dover don't have to deal with this; plus, there is a 25 MPH maximum speed in effect through that area for passenger trains
6) Millburn: It is a Limited/45 interlocking
7) Glen: It looks to be either a Medium/30 or Limited/45 interlocking, not a Slow/15

For your other questions, I'm not sure. Maybe somebody else will chime in to help defray the mysteries.

NOTCH: Interesting. is there a stop signal at the end of the stub, which allows for the medium approach?

ROXBURY: I guessed that they were slows based on the restricting, but you may be right.

UN: Only a control point, no interlocking. And it's eastbound on Track A only. You could in theory get an Approach Limited at UN, but can only go 30 on Track A until MORRIS JCT.

GLEN: Could possibly be 30 mph crossovers, but train speed is governed by 20mph MAS in that area.

ns3010 wrote:NOTCH: Interesting. is there a stop signal at the end of the stub, which allows for the medium approach?

ROXBURY: I guessed that they were slows based on the restricting, but you may be right.

UN: Only a control point, no interlocking. And it's eastbound on Track A only. You could in theory get an Approach Limited at UN, but can only go 30 on Track A until MORRIS JCT.

GLEN: Could possibly be 30 mph crossovers, but train speed is governed by 20mph MAS in that area.

No stop signal at the end of the stub. Not needed: the bumper acts as the stop signal. The signals at Notch are designed to keep trains moving quickly through that interlocking. Somewhere, it is written down that not stopping in advance of a bumper or end of track is a stop signal violation. It's funny: I would have thought not bumping into the bumper is common sense, but apparently not. Additionally, there is a NJT rule stating that engineers should make sure they have enough stopping distance when coming into a stub track.

These rules essentially make the unwritten rule of "keep your train on the tracks" now a written rule. Lol.

nick11a wrote:

ns3010 wrote:NOTCH: Interesting. is there a stop signal at the end of the stub, which allows for the medium approach?

No stop signal at the end of the stub. Not needed: the bumper acts as the stop signal. The signals at Notch are designed to keep trains moving quickly through that interlocking. Somewhere, it is written down that not stopping in advance of a bumper or end of track is a stop signal violation. It's funny: I would have thought not bumping into the bumper is common sense, but apparently not. Additionally, there is a NJT rule stating that engineers should make sure they have enough stopping distance when coming into a stub track.

These rules essentially make the unwritten rule of "keep your train on the tracks" now a written rule. Lol.

Ok, I was curious because I know of at least one place with a stop signal next to the bumper. On the MBTA, there is a dwarf that always displays stop at the end of the stub Fitchburg station track. This is so that trains can run at the 30mph MAS for the track. They get a Medium Approach at CPF-GL, rather than a restricting.

ns3010 wrote:

nick11a wrote:

ns3010 wrote:NOTCH: Interesting. is there a stop signal at the end of the stub, which allows for the medium approach?

No stop signal at the end of the stub. Not needed: the bumper acts as the stop signal. The signals at Notch are designed to keep trains moving quickly through that interlocking. Somewhere, it is written down that not stopping in advance of a bumper or end of track is a stop signal violation. It's funny: I would have thought not bumping into the bumper is common sense, but apparently not. Additionally, there is a NJT rule stating that engineers should make sure they have enough stopping distance when coming into a stub track.

These rules essentially make the unwritten rule of "keep your train on the tracks" now a written rule. Lol.

Ok, I was curious because I know of at least one place with a stop signal next to the bumper. On the MBTA, there is a dwarf that always displays stop at the end of the stub Fitchburg station track. This is so that trains can run at the 30mph MAS for the track. They get a Medium Approach at CPF-GL, rather than a restricting.

Yes, transit just says "the bumper is a stop signal." Haha.

The Medium Approach tells the engineer to immediately reduce speed to not exceeding 30 MPH. Sometimes, it is placed in a location where the stopping distance isn't all that great.

Incidentally, I've heard that on some railroads (not NJT; I think maybe on Amtrak), you can (or used to) get a Medium Approach out of nowhere. This means that you are operating on a clear and suddenly come across a Medium Approach up ahead with no prior warning. In this scenario, the Medium Approach acts as its own distant warning. In other words, "slow down quick because you're coming up to a stop/end of track." I view this usage of this signal type as a kind of cheat. The problem with this application of Medium Approach is that on a foggy day, you may not see it quite as soon and have all the less stopping distance.

ns3010 wrote:Here is a list of all the interlockings on the ME, GS, and MC lines. Speeds with a question mark are a best guess.

Morristown Line:
TERMINAL- 15
EAST END- 30?
WEST END- 30
LOWER HACK- 30
SANFORDS- 30?
MEADOWS- 30?
KEARNY JCT- 45?
HARRISON- 30?
BROAD- 30
ROSEVILLE AVENUE- 30 (most likely)
GREEN- 45?
MILLBURN- 45 (most likely)
SUMMIT- 15
BAKER- 45 (15 for Morristown & Erie connection)
DENVILLE- 45
DOVER- 15
MORRIS JCT- 45
ROXBURY- 15

Gladstone Branch:
MURRAY HILL- 15
STIRLING- 15
BERNARDSVILLE- 15
FAR HILLS- 15

Montclair-Boonton:
AMPERE- 30 (most likely)
GLEN- 15 (most likely)
CEDAR- 30 (most likely)
NOTCH- 15 (most likely, possibly 30 for main track crossovers)
LINCOLN PARK- 30

I think Dover might 30 or 45mph switches based on the lights on the signal there. The only aspect I've seen it show other then stop was restricting. My train was backing into Dover yard when it showed that aspect.

Lackawanna565 wrote:

ns3010 wrote:Here is a list of all the interlockings on the ME, GS, and MC lines. Speeds with a question mark are a best guess.

Morristown Line:
TERMINAL- 15
EAST END- 30?
WEST END- 30
LOWER HACK- 30
SANFORDS- 30?
MEADOWS- 30?
KEARNY JCT- 45?
HARRISON- 30?
BROAD- 30
ROSEVILLE AVENUE- 30 (most likely)
GREEN- 45?
MILLBURN- 45 (most likely)
SUMMIT- 15
BAKER- 45 (15 for Morristown & Erie connection)
DENVILLE- 45
DOVER- 15
MORRIS JCT- 45
ROXBURY- 15

Gladstone Branch:
MURRAY HILL- 15
STIRLING- 15
BERNARDSVILLE- 15
FAR HILLS- 15

Montclair-Boonton:
AMPERE- 30 (most likely)
GLEN- 15 (most likely)
CEDAR- 30 (most likely)
NOTCH- 15 (most likely, possibly 30 for main track crossovers)
LINCOLN PARK- 30

I think Dover might 30 or 45mph switches based on the lights on the signal there. The only aspect I've seen it show other then stop was restricting. My train was backing into Dover yard when it showed that aspect.

Any eastbound train lined for the Yard/Running Track gets a Restricting. As mentioned above, all trains routed west through Dover on either track for points west get an inital aspect of Restricting until the crossing gates are fully activated.

nick11a wrote:

Lackawanna565 wrote:

ns3010 wrote:Here is a list of all the interlockings on the ME, GS, and MC lines. Speeds with a question mark are a best guess.

Morristown Line:
TERMINAL- 15
EAST END- 30?
WEST END- 30
LOWER HACK- 30
SANFORDS- 30?
MEADOWS- 30?
KEARNY JCT- 45?
HARRISON- 30?
BROAD- 30
ROSEVILLE AVENUE- 30 (most likely)
GREEN- 45?
MILLBURN- 45 (most likely)
SUMMIT- 15
BAKER- 45 (15 for Morristown & Erie connection)
DENVILLE- 45
DOVER- 15
MORRIS JCT- 45
ROXBURY- 15

Gladstone Branch:
MURRAY HILL- 15
STIRLING- 15
BERNARDSVILLE- 15
FAR HILLS- 15

Montclair-Boonton:
AMPERE- 30 (most likely)
GLEN- 15 (most likely)
CEDAR- 30 (most likely)
NOTCH- 15 (most likely, possibly 30 for main track crossovers)
LINCOLN PARK- 30

I think Dover might 30 or 45mph switches based on the lights on the signal there. The only aspect I've seen it show other then stop was restricting. My train was backing into Dover yard when it showed that aspect.

Any eastbound train lined for the Yard/Running Track gets a Restricting. As mentioned above, all trains routed west through Dover on either track for points west get an inital aspect of Restricting until the crossing gates are fully activated.

I meant heading east. There is a signal there that will show a red over green aspect. It's the signal that is also for the switch that leads into the yard.

Lackawanna565 wrote:

nick11a wrote:

Lackawanna565 wrote:

ns3010 wrote:Here is a list of all the interlockings on the ME, GS, and MC lines. Speeds with a question mark are a best guess.

Morristown Line:
TERMINAL- 15
EAST END- 30?
WEST END- 30
LOWER HACK- 30
SANFORDS- 30?
MEADOWS- 30?
KEARNY JCT- 45?
HARRISON- 30?
BROAD- 30
ROSEVILLE AVENUE- 30 (most likely)
GREEN- 45?
MILLBURN- 45 (most likely)
SUMMIT- 15
BAKER- 45 (15 for Morristown & Erie connection)
DENVILLE- 45
DOVER- 15
MORRIS JCT- 45
ROXBURY- 15

Gladstone Branch:
MURRAY HILL- 15
STIRLING- 15
BERNARDSVILLE- 15
FAR HILLS- 15

Montclair-Boonton:
AMPERE- 30 (most likely)
GLEN- 15 (most likely)
CEDAR- 30 (most likely)
NOTCH- 15 (most likely, possibly 30 for main track crossovers)
LINCOLN PARK- 30

I think Dover might 30 or 45mph switches based on the lights on the signal there. The only aspect I've seen it show other then stop was restricting. My train was backing into Dover yard when it showed that aspect.

Any eastbound train lined for the Yard/Running Track gets a Restricting. As mentioned above, all trains routed west through Dover on either track for points west get an inital aspect of Restricting until the crossing gates are fully activated.

I meant heading east. There is a signal there that will show a red over green aspect. It's the signal that is also for the switch that leads into the yard.

If memory serves, that signal displays a medium clear/medium approach/restricting for eastbound trains to points east. For trains heading into the yard or running track, it displays a restricting only.

Is there a short block length east of Summit. Just found a video. The signal at the east end of the Summit station was showing slow approach for a straight route.