What a ride...

Last night I was on the 6pm departure, and things were going okay until the signal system went haywire outside of Hammond. The train could only proceed at restricted speed, and crept into Hammond with horn blaring. After receiving instructions to continue at restricted speed, we crept all the way to a point east of EChi. This must have been a system-wide issue, as the westbound we were to meet at Sheridan was later the our eastbound. The crew was professional and polite in handling the delay, and should be commended. Prompte and polite handling of delays is not something other railroads' crews are known for.

Also the train was just packed with Bears fans heading home. One was quite drunk, and kept asking if we were near his stop. His stop, according to him, was Hammond-East Chicago. We kept explaining that the two were independent, and it's probably a half-hour walk between the two. He got off at Hammond, and kept asking us from the platform if we thought he should get off there. After four times, me and another guy told him he was in fine shape, have a good night. Little did we know he could have beat us to EC even on foot, due to the damn signals... It was a fun ride.

ooohhh myyy gards...

technology bingoes again...

want my opinion, the signal system needs the old tech standby block control.

If you got the radios then train orders work.

Want my opinion again.....

have secondary block control signals for backup.


overNout.

dinwitty wrote:want my opinion, the signal system needs the old tech standby block control.

What purpose would that serve? CTC is essentially block signals with manually remote-operated "control points." If something stops working, everything can still be operated manually just like with automatic block signals. ABS systems are no more immune than CTC from the occasional failure that will cause all the signals to go red.

There will always be teething troubles when a new system is installed, but once the bugs are worked out the new signals will probably prove to be more reliable and efficient than the old ABS system, which becomes more difficult and costly to maintain every day.

If you got the radios then train orders work.

But even with the old ABS, if the signals are all red, you have to run at restricted speed, no matter what the train order says.