by timz
It seems Queens is going to get 80-mph crossovers. Are these going to replace the equilateral switches down toward Bellerose, along with the conventional interlocking in front of the tower? No more 60 mph restriction there?
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New crossovers at Queens?
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by jayrmli
The turnouts at the Bellerose end are supposed to be moved further west. Once the project is done, there will be no more pocket tracks between bridges 2 &3. I think the ties within the interlocking will be concrete as well.
The big concrete tie project this summer is I believe the Port Washington Branch.
Jay
The big concrete tie project this summer is I believe the Port Washington Branch.
Jay
by Head-end View
There was a recent story in Newsday about this project on 4-15-04 re: service disruptions this summer while Queens interlocking is rebuilt.
We had talked about this a year or two ago in the old forums. And people said then that Queens would probably be the next major rebuilding project. IIRC the present crossovers at the tower are only 30 MPH, causing headaches to main-line trains, when a westbound from the Hempstead Branch crosses over.
The Bellerose end was rebuilt in the early 1970's with the present equilateral turnouts, and was considered a great improvement at that time; main-line trains hardly had to slow down anymore. I think it had 30 MPH crossovers before that.
PROGRESS !!
We had talked about this a year or two ago in the old forums. And people said then that Queens would probably be the next major rebuilding project. IIRC the present crossovers at the tower are only 30 MPH, causing headaches to main-line trains, when a westbound from the Hempstead Branch crosses over.
The Bellerose end was rebuilt in the early 1970's with the present equilateral turnouts, and was considered a great improvement at that time; main-line trains hardly had to slow down anymore. I think it had 30 MPH crossovers before that.
PROGRESS !!
by timz
Signal bridges 1 and 2, bracketing the crossovers in front of the tower, are supposedly 1736 feet apart, so as long as the tracks stay on 13-ft centers (or whatever they are now) pairs of #32.7 x-overs could fit between those bridges-- but then how would the Belmont Park trains cross over to track 3? Either the interlocking has to be extended westward, or (if crossovers all the way from track 4 to track 3 are to remain between sig bridges 1 and 2) the long x-overs have to go in east of bridge 2.
Or can Belmont Park trains manage okay without being able to get to track 3?
Maybe the layout between bridges 1 and 2 will stay about the same while the #20 equilaterals between bridges 3 and 4 are replaced with-- longer equilaterals? Or will the main line tracks revert to straight-thru-with-a-jog, as they were before 1980 (or whenever)?
Or can Belmont Park trains manage okay without being able to get to track 3?
Maybe the layout between bridges 1 and 2 will stay about the same while the #20 equilaterals between bridges 3 and 4 are replaced with-- longer equilaterals? Or will the main line tracks revert to straight-thru-with-a-jog, as they were before 1980 (or whenever)?
by Head-end View
Same thing was done at Freeport with pedestal signals for westbound under the new signal bridge east of the station.
AND for all fellow signal buffs out there: Be aware that the aspects displayed by pedestal signals are the same as in high signals, even though they look similar to dwarf (or low home) signals.
For years I used to think pedestals only gave low speed indications 'til I got the full story.
AND for all fellow signal buffs out there: Be aware that the aspects displayed by pedestal signals are the same as in high signals, even though they look similar to dwarf (or low home) signals.
For years I used to think pedestals only gave low speed indications 'til I got the full story.
by RC '75
What is the difference between (crossovers, equilateral turnouts & interlocking)?
by timz
Well, you know what a crossover is, don't you? Two parallel tracks, each with a switch to a track that allows a train to run from one track onto the other.
At most switches, one track continues straight and the switch curves away. But here and there the switch is symmetrical, each track curving an equal amount in opposite directions. As they do west of Bellerose.
Dunno the technical definition of interlocking, but today it amounts to a group of switches (and/or crossings) and signals, all power-controlled from one location, which may be a few yards away or maybe a couple thousand miles.
At most switches, one track continues straight and the switch curves away. But here and there the switch is symmetrical, each track curving an equal amount in opposite directions. As they do west of Bellerose.
Dunno the technical definition of interlocking, but today it amounts to a group of switches (and/or crossings) and signals, all power-controlled from one location, which may be a few yards away or maybe a couple thousand miles.