High-Speed Signals (>79 mph)
PostPosted:Sat Nov 07, 2020 12:55 pm
Did they [Illinois Department of Transportation] give a reason for abandoning the 120mph goal? Is it an issue with I-ETMS?
TurningOfTheWheel wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 12:55 pm Did they give a reason for abandoning the 120mph goal? Is it an issue with I-ETMS?FRA regulations on maximum speeds have been repeated so many times on so many threads, maybe railroad.net administrators should post them here and place it at the top as the first thread to be read? That way questions like this one we would not have to rehash the existing regulations over and over again.
JimBoylan wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:39 am Do Class 4 and Class 5 still allow alternatives to wayside semaphores or lights, and in-cab signals, like Automatic Train Control, Automatic Train Stop, or Positive Train Control?Again, keeping the answer as simple as possible;
electricron wrote: ↑Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:45 amHowever the regulations that set railway speed limits list PTC as an option instead of waysides (automatic block) for 59 mph and instead of ATC/ATS for 79 mph operation. I believe they envision that there's room for a future "moving block" PTC system that can one day replace an automatic block system and hopefully provide an "easy" (HA!) upgrade for dark territory.JimBoylan wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:39 am Do Class 4 and Class 5 still allow alternatives to wayside semaphores or lights, and in-cab signals, like Automatic Train Control, Automatic Train Stop, or Positive Train Control?Again, keeping the answer as simple as possible;
ATS is designed to work with way side signals.
ATC is designed to work with in-cab signals.
PTC is designed to work with both way side and in-cab signals.
The key words in all three statements above was "work with".
David Benton wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:23 pm An alternative to moving block system, would be to simply have more, shorter blocks. especially in slow speed areas.I’m not sure the block length for the ex-Alton Railroad, but that is common for higher-speed American roads. They have a special signal aspect (often a flashing green or white) above the usual lights that indicates multiple advance blocks are clear and a train can exceed 79 mph. Freight roads don’t like them because they cost extra money to maintain with no added benefit to them.
mtuandrew wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:39 amThe old Alton GM&O used B&O signal system installed in the 1920's. UP & CN should have replaced it in the last few years.David Benton wrote: ↑Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:23 pm An alternative to moving block system, would be to simply have more, shorter blocks. especially in slow speed areas.I’m not sure the block length for the ex-Alton Railroad, but that is common for higher-speed American roads. They have a special signal aspect (often a flashing green or white) above the usual lights that indicates multiple advance blocks are clear and a train can exceed 79 mph. Freight roads don’t like them because they cost extra money to maintain with no added benefit to them.
David Benton wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:50 am I think it was a orphan system , they tried to reinvent the wheel, instead of going with a tried and true system like the NEC ones. Same with the Michigan system, one could be forgiven for wondering if they were trying to spend as much money as possible.Less an orphan, more a system that didn’t win. ITCS, the GE-built system on the Michigan Line, was pretty early and pretty robust. I’m not sure why more roads didn’t adopt it. I can’t currently find more info on the former Illinois system but I think it was called ASES; they’re re-standardizing on Wabtec’s I-ETMS which has become the de facto American freight standard. Theoretically I-ETMS should be good for 110 mph operation, so I’m not sure what’s holding them up.
R36 Combine Coach wrote: ↑Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:01 pm What FRA class is the line in SE Conn (with crossings)? They do have quad gate protection.Class 7 where there are at-grade crossings, and Class 8 where there are grade separations at crossings. The trains are not allowed to go faster than 125 mph where there are at-grade crossings.