I caught a westbound NICTD train passing at Olive on Saturday afternoon. A CSS freight was holding the main westbound when I first arrived and I realized that I was about to see the new (upgraded in 2011 to CTC) passing segment in action.
I was disappointed.
I expected the NICTD train to slow down for the diverging routes through the CPs but it appeared that the train was running at restricted speed - perhaps even being talked through the CPs (I did not have a scanner running and could not see the westbound signals so I cannot be sure what the crews were facing). The crews did not have to change the switches for the pass, but the NICTD train ran dead slow on the siding past the CSS freight on the main ... walking speed.
Was this a bad day or is this normal? I had hoped that the CPs at Olive would have sped things up ... and seeing a freight on the main and a passenger train pass on the siding was a goal of mine, but not at that speed. (Previous to CTC freights would clear the main to allow passenger trains to pass and, in general, the only time a passenger train was on the siding was when two passenger trains passed in opposite directions).
Shortly after the NICTD train left the CSS train followed it westbound.
I was disappointed.
I expected the NICTD train to slow down for the diverging routes through the CPs but it appeared that the train was running at restricted speed - perhaps even being talked through the CPs (I did not have a scanner running and could not see the westbound signals so I cannot be sure what the crews were facing). The crews did not have to change the switches for the pass, but the NICTD train ran dead slow on the siding past the CSS freight on the main ... walking speed.
Was this a bad day or is this normal? I had hoped that the CPs at Olive would have sped things up ... and seeing a freight on the main and a passenger train pass on the siding was a goal of mine, but not at that speed. (Previous to CTC freights would clear the main to allow passenger trains to pass and, in general, the only time a passenger train was on the siding was when two passenger trains passed in opposite directions).
Shortly after the NICTD train left the CSS train followed it westbound.
