Orange Interlocking on M&E

Tri-State Tom wrote:Paul -

" There's a mirror image at Roseville allowing an eb local to go to the express track and bypass Newark. "

Circa 1974 thru say 1976, my recall is this one was used sparingly....often was the least polished day to day. BTW, I believe this one was removed with the reconfiguration of the junction 3-4 years ago, yes ?

I believe this crossover is gone. As mentioned, I didn't see how this would be used.

" Crossovers between Brick and Orange, from 3 (wb local) to 1 (express) to 2(eb local)...."

Sounds like there was a '3rd switch' there Paul....news to me....I only recall the high-speed parallel pair as indicated up top here.

Sheppard shows three switches on th emain tracks, plus the switch to the siding. It makes sense, as it allowed an eb express which stopped at South Orange to make the Brick Church stop on the express platform. DL&W generally didn't stop eb expresses on the express track at Maplewood or SO, in my recollection

" On the westbound track, between Hickory Street and Center street is a siding with a reverse facing switch. There's no place to stash the pull-out cars, which is sorta surprising. "

Hmm....guess the local drill would have had to foul main track #3 for a time there.

Yes

BTW, is Sheppard available on-line anywhere ?

No.

I had an email exchange with Mr Sheppard last year. He told me that he was considering a large format reprint of the 1974 guide. I'm guessing it would be similar to the much better detail of Tidwater Terminals, etc

Quote:


" Crossovers between Brick and Orange, from 3 (wb local) to 1 (express) to 2(eb local)...."

Sounds like there was a '3rd switch' there Paul....news to me....I only recall the high-speed parallel pair as indicated up top here.


Sheppard shows three switches on th emain tracks, plus the switch to the siding. It makes sense, as it allowed an eb express which stopped at South Orange to make the Brick Church stop on the express platform. DL&W generally didn't stop eb expresses on the express track at Maplewood or SO, in my recollection

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I'm still a bit foggy on this Paul....

1) There was the high-speed switch from track #3 over to 'express' track #1.

2) There was the parallel ( abreast of the above ) high-speed switch from 'express' track #1 over to track #2.

They operated independantly of each other.

3) You're saying Sheppard shows a third/additional switch - sounds like west of the above two - from 'express' track #1 to again over to track #2. Question: Just how far west is this third switch - just beyond the two high-speed ones OR further west just past Orange station ?

What I'm driving at/trying to envision is the need/desire under DL&W/E-L for a westbound drill on track #3 to be routed over 'express' track #1 and then to track #2 for immediate access to that Alden/Orange Fuel switch and siding just east of Orange station....

- OR -

....was the drill routed from track #3 to 'express' track #1 - then going west on track #1 for approximately a half-mile perhaps to a switch from #1 to #2 just beyond the station. At that point after clearing, he'd reverse direction/head east back to access the Alden/Orange Fuel switch/siding.

In sum, this is a long-winded way of saying I don't remember this 'third swtch' on the mains between Orange and Brick Church stations during this 1973-75 time frame....and it's bugging the heck out of me !

Trust ya know the feeling....

Much thanks for this exchange.

I don't have Sheppard's in front of me, but my recollection of his drawing would allow a locomotive in the Alden Fuel siding to pull east onto the eb local, immediately cross over to the express track and immediately cross over to the westbound local to run against traffic toward any of the three sidings located off the westbound track.

That could also explain the unexplained switch from the express track at the west end of Roseville to the westbound local. Maybe it was intended to get the switcher out of the way for trains going to Grove Street or East Orange westbound.