CAB SIGNALS -----------?????

I saw the great pictures from Ralph showing the cab-signals in the engine. Is this the only signals you guys have or do you still have signals on the ground also? We dont have that fancy stuff down here in the south.



NN

Another related question...how many areas on CSXT have cab signals? I know of the ex-CR Boston Line (Boston & Albany) and the ex-RF&P in Virginia. Are there any other CSXT lines that use them (not counting trackage rights on Amtrak's NEC and Metro-North)?

Nashville -- the B&A here in Mass. does have wayside signals, there are plenty of them on the line, but beyond that a couple of the professionals can answer in more detail about the system.

NASHVILLE-NEWBIE wrote:Is this the only signals you guys have or do you still have signals on the ground also?

It depends on the area, for example some lines which are cab signal territory(such as on Amtrak & MBTA & Metro-North) there are wayside automatics & home signals. Newer lines are being built with cab signals and only home signals at interlockings.

octr202 wrote:Another related question...how many areas on CSXT have cab signals?

CSXT's Hudson Line between Croton-Harmon & Albany is cab signal territory with LSL, I believe.

octr202 wrote:the B&A here in Mass. does have wayside signals, there are plenty of them on the line,

The B&A is one of the types of lines I referred to above which only has Home Signals at interlockings and no waysides in between. (The only waysides that are not governing interlockings are east of CP-21 in Framingham & between CP-SM & CP-187 in New York. These are automatics and in non cab signal territory.)

There is also a difference between Territorys: The B&A cab signals will not work on the RF&P and vise versa. Even though the two are in the same System aboard the Locomotives. Each work on a different Frequency and are easly changed by a flip of a switch. this also holds true for the NEC with its "LSL" feature. Also before operating on these territorys a "Cab signal" test must be preformed on the equipment to assure continuity. I believe all the equipment up here in the Northeast has been updated with " Self testers" on board in the cabs of the locomotives. Some older Conrail units do not have this feature and have to be positioned over a Box buried in the ground at the Terminal or Reporting location. This test takes two people to preform, One outside the locomotive on the ground the other in the locomotive...Thank god for Technology ( sorry to stray a bit from the origonal subject but Cab signals and the rules that purtaine to them are a awesome failsafe signal system in my opinion.)

Later

CSX Engineer 98 wrote:Cab signals and the rules that purtaine to them are a awesome failsafe signal system in my opinion.

Especially on a slow, long ride up the mountain in the middle of the night

CSX Conductor wrote:

NASHVILLE-NEWBIE wrote:Is this the only signals you guys have or do you still have signals on the ground also?

It depends on the area, for example some lines which are cab signal territory(such as on Amtrak & MBTA & Metro-North) there are wayside automatics & home signals. Newer lines are being built with cab signals and only home signals at interlockings.

octr202 wrote:Another related question...how many areas on CSXT have cab signals?

CSXT's Hudson Line between Croton-Harmon & Albany is cab signal territory with LSL, I believe.

octr202 wrote:the B&A here in Mass. does have wayside signals, there are plenty of them on the line,

The B&A is one of the types of lines I referred to above which only has Home Signals at interlockings and no waysides in between. (The only waysides that are not governing interlockings are east of CP-21 in Framingham & between CP-SM & CP-187 in New York. These are automatics and in non cab signal territory.)

Ahh...that's what I was thinking of (being out this end of the state). I never knew that cab signaling ended at Framingham, but that would explain the lack of the cab signal failure aspects (forgot the correct name but remember the thread discussing them) east of CP-21. Learn something every day...

xjqcf wrote:

There is also a difference between Territorys: The B&A cab signals will not work on the RF&P and vise versa. Even though the two are in the same System aboard the Locomotives. Each work on a different Frequency and are easly changed by a flip of a switch.

Is this still true (the frequencies being different)? I thought I read in the last year two (but it was in "Rumorpace" so who knows) that the RF&P system was changed from 60Hz to the 100Hz that was used on the ex-PRR system. I'm not sure what the system on the B&A uses, but if it's 100Hz then all territories used by CSX are the same.

-Matt

Seems to me that I read too that this occurred. A lot of RF&P engines
are now in the northeast and a lot of former Conrail engines are used in
run through service over the RF&P.
Noel Weaver

I once had a unit that kept self-testing itself in RF&P Mode @ Selkirk. The "flying squad" had to spend some time shutting the engine down and try re-booting the computers, I forget how they got it to "CS only", but they eventually did and we were on our way. This was about two years ago, I believe with a lightning bolt...maybe even while working with CSX Engineer98.

Basically many of the units have multiple territories programmed on the cab signal systems.

The mainline thru Altoona west is also cabsignaled.

I too remembered hearing about the RFP changing. Again, as stated above, multiple terriorties are programmed in, and many a time I have heard a few trains on the B&A (usually out of West Springfield for some reason) getting nailed by cab signal failures and needing to be reset due to territory problems.

Pull the breaker and hope for the best!

Pj wrote:many a time I have heard a few trains on the B&A (usually out of West Springfield for some reason) getting nailed by cab signal failures and needing to be reset

Sometimes the GPS gets screwed up in places of higher elevation.