Mohawk-sub defect detector

While railfanning CSX's Mohawk-sub yesterday I heard Selkirk dispatch explaining to train crews that the defect detector at CP293 is officially off-line, and a new one is officially on-line at mile post QC291.9.

That is correct. It is actually just west of the EAS of CP 291, across from Best Buy at Carousel Mall. But this area between CP 263 and CP 296 is now known as the Syracuse Terminal Subdivision. The Mohawk begins East of CP 263 to CP 175.

Thank you very much Roadster! I did not know about the Syracuse Terminal-sub. I appreciate your clarification!

this is at least the third location for this detector, it was at mp288 before 293.

I have a couple theorys about the relocations. MP 288 may have been causing difficulty with trains having to stop and wait to enter the yard. (most detectors don't train speeds under 10 mph or stopping on them) same basic thing for MP 293. Locals going into or coming off of Solvay Hill, needing to stop and line switches and derails, causing havoc while stopped on the detector.

The 291 and Kirkville rd have been up(or is it down) graded. No more axle counts and no more train speed.

RSD15 wrote:The 291 and Kirkville rd have been up(or is it down) graded. No more axle counts and no more train speed.

The Kirkville detector was reporting axle counts/train speeds when I visited Canastota last Friday (June 1). It identifies itself as "equipment defect detector milepost two eight zero point zero" then reports "no defects", repeats "no defects" and concludes with axle count and train speed values.

Incidentally the Oneida detector received a new voice within the several weeks. It now reports itself same as the Kirkville except with this MP location: "two six three point eight". Curiously (or perhaps not) Amtrak crews' transmissions back to the detector still call "No defects - Oneida" or similar.

I didn't catch an Amtrak making a call back to Kirkville.

...FB

Yes your right but only on track 4,tracks one and two have the upgrade and no longer give an axle count or train speed.
Track 4 is a separate detector and has a clearance device for the B&A. This same detector was the last in this area to
be changed over from Conrail to CSX.

FYI, when first put into service, the new Kirkville Detector did give speeds and axle counts. But shortly after began to give some seriously flawed counts and speeds. I had a train which it gave a speed of 140 mph, and axle counts over 500. I have also heard it say "Axle count malfunction" repeated 2x. They have tempoarily halted these features through software apps., untill resolved. The same for the new Syracuse detector at 291. Fort Plain detector also suffered from this issue for the 1st year of it's installation. Never gave axle counts or speeds. Now it gives both as expected. It can be expected to have these detectors functions back on-line as CSX works out the software issues. I have seen the same thing with several new detector installations over the past year, and most are functioning as expected now.

roadster wrote:FYI, when first put into service, the new Kirkville Detector did give speeds and axle counts. But shortly after began to give some seriously flawed counts and speeds. ...... It can be expected to have these detectors functions back on-line as CSX works out the software issues. I have seen the same thing with several new detector installations over the past year, and most are functioning as expected now.

The last several days (July 8 - 10) the Oneida detector - which incidentally now announces itself as "CSX equipment defect detector, milepost two-six-two-point-three" - has not been reporting axle counts nor train speeds.

Track 1 reports are concluding with 2 or 3 seemingly random digits - often the last digit being odd. I presume this is an erroneous attempt at an axle count. Track 2 reports simply end after the 2nd repetition of "no defects".

BTW when I visited the area several weeks ago Oneida seemed to be working properly with the new message format.

....FB