Hand throw switch vs. dual control power switch

Can anybody explain to me the differences between these two types of switches, and/or how each one works?

Thanks very much for any help

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COOL I printed out that wiki during lunch and read most of it. Some was confusing, like the double switch and the interlacing switch, but most of it seemed pretty straightforward. Especially cool about people removing the cranks, btw!

Anyway thank you!

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Yes, I do, the boxes (there were more than one) would remind me of a
small CTC machine. It was amazing to me that the thing actually worked
at least sometimes.
Noel Weaver

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LCJ wrote:The untrained eye could not readily discern just what direction/track you were lined up for with this set of switches. ..There was a control box mounted on a pole with a panel inside. The user would press buttons corresponding to the desired route. The machine would then line everything up accordingly.

That is really neat, thanks for sharing that I read a little about puzzle switches in the wiki. They sounded like the most interesting kind. But I guess you do not come across them very often? I heard railroads try to eliminate switches nowadays to cut costs.....

Is that engine a switch engine?? It sort of looks small but I can't tell....

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LCJ wrote:I didn't recall two boxes; but I'm sure that must be correct -- since there were two ends to the plant (River yard, and the engine house and tunnel approach.)

My very first day for pay in 1969, I worked a stone train with engineer George Connor. We had an old rattletrap S2, pulling our loads out of River yard (with some difficulty) to head through the tunnel and drop stone near W. Haverstraw. I sat on that locomotive for 16 full hours that day. A fun way to start a career!

At the north end out of the north yard the puzzle box had buttons to the
engine house, wye and tunnel. At the south end the puzzle box had
buttons for several leads in the north yard but I do not remember what
they were exactly. I think there were only two boxes, one at each end.
You pushed the button for where you were and where you wanted to go.
Noel Weaver

The puzzle coming out of the tunnel, into Weehawkin? I saw the end of operations there, when the rails towards the north were eliminated. Another puzzle, although not quite as complex was located at Allentown, at "R" tower, once the tower was closed. The puzzleboard was located on a stand, with a map of the tracks. You picked your starting point, and pushed the button, then you pushed another button where you wanted to end up, and the machines did the rest. This connected the CNJ/LV to the ATRR/RDG. Kind of cool to use it.

ConcordGirl, there is actually an old Alco like that in Southie. I posted some pics of her in the Boston Railway Terminal thread in the New England Railfan Forum.

As for "puzzle switches", there is one in Amtrak's Southampton Street Yard, which has 2 switch-tenders operating it 24/7. (One MBCR for the MBCR trains and one Amtrak for all of the Amtrak moves).

LCJ wrote:
Old drawing of Weehawken yards -- When I first hired out, btw!!! But I did first learn how to move a locomotive around right next to the little engine house depicted here. The puzzle was located to the left of that building. Actually, it could have been this very locomotive, seen at the station at the right!!!

I could swear that's LCJ himself, getting ready to board that ballast extra, headed for Kingston, at that depot just left of the right hand bluff.........
(note, slight editing of original LCJ text, for "content'..... )

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GOLDEN-ARM wrote: (note, slight editing of original LCJ text, for "content'..... )

lol Ah.... I don't think he really said "When I first hired out..."

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