power outages and rolling blackouts

[Newcastletrain]

I asked my instructor today about how power outages affected the signal system. He told me that they didn't, and I believe him. But I continued to ask-What about when, a few summers ago, there was a blackout from northern Ohio to New York? Whole entire cities and parts of states didn't have power. I wondered if this affected the signal system and if the RR had to go to TWC authority. He told me he didn't think so but wasn't sure. If anyone knows if it did affect signals let me know. Also if it didn't, how do they maintain their power supply.

[SRS125]

Signal Systems are on a back up of battrie supply for the crossing gates and signal towers here along the former Conrail Main. Many little generators scattered about the northeast as well. I rember seeing in a block house at M.P. 313 in Weedsport, NY an old hand crank generator about the size of a Rideing mower engion from the late 40's early 50's still being used to power the building in such cases of power outages. The black out of 2003 found this antique generator being used that nite!!

[glennk419]

As SRS125 alluded, virtually every wayside and grade crossing installation has battery backup. Signal systems typically run on 12 volts DC and use very little power when in standby, which is the reason that many signals are approach lighted (along with extending bulb life which has become a non-factor with LED signals). The large cement box next to the relay cabinet is what typically houses (or housed) the batteries, especially when lead-acid cells where the norm. With today's improved battery and solid state technology, the batteries are often housed within the relay case itself.

[Newcastletrain]

Ok I will assume signals are not affected very much, but what about power operated switches and the ability of dispatch to control them, It must take quite a bit more energy to move CP's. The abilty to control them must be in fiber optic lines or something? But once activated does it take a substantial amount of power to accomplish what is needed?

[glennk419]

Switches operate from the same power sources as the signal system. Battery installations are sized according to the devices they support. Railroad equipment is engineered to be very efficient so as to minimize power requirements when on battery power. Switch/signal activation is accomplished by a variety of connections between the installation and the dispatching center (or between signal cabinets in block territory) including lineside wires, fiber optics and radio frequency. Signal and switch operations are much more frequently disrupted by failure of these communications links (due to weather, wrecks, etc.) or mechanical failures than loss of power at a CP or signal installation.

[SRS125]

even if a power operated switch was to fail so to say they can be hand thown if need be. I have seen this done befor a couple of times.

[BR&P]

I beg to differ! While the highway crossings are protected by battery backup, the dispatching system apparently is not. The day of the blackout, my daughter and her husband were returning from their honeymoon. Somewhere near Albany the blackout happened, and they spent the rest of the trip stopping, starting, and poking slowly along. I'm gathering this was from the crew being talked by each signal and having to proceed at restricted speed to the next one, and so on. We were able to leave the depot, spend a few hours at home, and still return to the station in plenty of time to pick them up. (This was after they came within 3 minutes of missing their cruise ship 5 days earlier, the Amtrak on the way down to NYC, due in about 1PM, arrived after 5PM. But that's a whole 'nother story, and not black-out related!)