Do RR tunnels ever have signals?

SleeperN06 Jan 24, 2015

  1. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

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    Johnny, I thought I'd be the odd man out and actually answer your OP. Two things : Seems like near everything we think RRs do, does, did they most likely do, does, did !.. Throughout my life of MRRing and seeing and reading allot about the 1:1 scale, every time I had a question like yours I'd eventually find a prototype picture of it. At one time there where maybe 3-500 (guestimate), individually owned lines throughout the US and they certainly had tunnels. I'd say, if not deep within (which would defeat your visual purpose anyway) there are, was, were signals in tunnels. It would not be asphyxiating if signal was, say, up to 50 yards in at start of tunnel because trains always stop perhaps that far before a signal and thus would be nesting out side of the portal, watching the signal in the tunnel. Secondly, it's your RR. Life is short. Don't hold back what you feel deeply about doing, especially since it's not a club layout. It's a hobby. Do what you want and I'll bet you'll find a 1:1 just like it, at some point anyway..... Mark
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 26, 2015
  2. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    The UP has several tunnels that have signals outside them. These control the block ahead. Also a couple places that have repeater signals. These will show what the signal is just beyond the other side of the tunnel.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
     
  3. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    My general thought when I hear a statement like that is...the TRAINS should be the pizzazz. But anyway, moving on...

    As has been mentioned, there are any number of ancillary items like the vents that would be cool to have. Don't discount the SMALL details, like simply having a telecom shed with a small light and maybe a security light on a pole nearby.

    The other idea I had was....create a landslide scene whereby the tracks have been cleared but there is still an army of construction equipment still cleaning up the rest and repairing the slide fence and so forth. Lots of blinky lights on the equipment (backhoes, dozers, scrapers, dump trucks, etc.) and also supervisory vehicles like the venerable Atlas F150 pickups, etc. You could create some serious "pizzazz" that way, no doubt!
     
  4. Mr. Train

    Mr. Train TrainBoard Member

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    Snow shed (Google is my friend)
     
  5. SleeperN06

    SleeperN06 TrainBoard Member

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    Do you mean like this?
    [video=youtube;sholL6Vez4o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sholL6Vez4o[/video]

    That would cool, but I still wouldn't have light. The reason I want some sort of lighting was for night time use. I like Doug's idea of a security light on a pole nearby and maybe I could add one of those.
    I had a bear and deer just outside the tunnel, but I think the cat eat them because he liked to set on top of the mountain to look out the window when anybody leaves door open.
     
  6. karnydoc

    karnydoc TrainBoard Member

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    When I worked for CSX on their former-Conrail lines in Northern New Jersey, I would, from time to time until its abandonment and conversion for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR), run through the ex-NYC Weehawken tunnel just south of North Bergen Yard, on River Line South.

    When traveling eastward through the tunnel to run south toward the Single Track to get to South Kearny, you could see the remains of some kind of signal case still mounted on the tunnel wall. This particular signal was long out of use and rusting away. I don't know whether it's still there following the rebuilding of the track in the tunnel for the HBLR.

    Dieter
     
  7. SleeperN06

    SleeperN06 TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Dieter, I have my project on hold right now because I got side tracked as I was experimenting with some ideas. Anyway the more I think about it the more I’m tempted to just go for it because I don’t think most people viewing it would even think about it.
    I like what MarkInLA wrote above when he said “Seems like near everything we think RRs do, does, did they most likely do, does, did !”
     
  8. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Mike nailed it. Dragging equipment detectors and flange greasers are frequently found just outside a tunnel.

    Tunnel 12, this detector is just outside the west portal:

    [​IMG]

    Greaser just east of Tunnel 5's east portal:

    [​IMG]

    I donno if it still looks like this, but this is a 2004 photo:

    [​IMG]

    Telltales as mentioned, too!

    Lacey Tunnel 3, on the former MILW North Montana Line:

    [​IMG]

    A fallen telltale gives some more detail:
    http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/683/telltale1.jpg
     
  9. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Don't forget about intermediate signals!

    Tunnel 26 has one just outside its east portal:

    [​IMG]

    As does Tunnel 10:

    [​IMG]

    And Tunnel 17:

    [​IMG]
     
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  10. SleeperN06

    SleeperN06 TrainBoard Member

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    Yes! this is exactly what I wanted to do. Thank You HemiAdda2d

    Oh and great photos by the way thanks again!
     
  11. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    That is not it. The one I referred to is in Europe but much the same.
     
  12. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Happy to help!
     
  13. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    Moffat Tunnel does indeed have an absolute signal inside the tunnel, Eastbound to protect the door. It displays a Red indication till the door opens then indicates proceed, I seen it and been by it many times.
     
  14. warnerj01

    warnerj01 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I am surprised no one has mentioned the Cascade Tunnel.

    The East Tunnel exit has the exhaust door and signal.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  15. SleeperN06

    SleeperN06 TrainBoard Member

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    Back in April I rode the Amtrak Southwest Chief from Los Angles to Chicago and then the Texas Eagle to San Antonio where we caught the Sunset Limited back to Los Angles. I can’t remember which tracks or which train, but I did see signals in front of tunnels in a couple of places along the way. I meant to post photos, but they didn’t come out well and then I was having a lot trouble with the internet connection that I eventually forgot about it until just now when these new posts came up. I really can't remember exactly, but I believe it was on the Southwest Chief passing through Colorado.
    We also took a side trip on the Capitol Limited to Pittsburgh so it might have been in Pennsylvania, but it was a night trip and we were really tired.
     
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  16. jpwisc

    jpwisc TrainBoard Member

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    Here's a shot that gives it some scale:
    [​IMG]
     
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  17. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

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    I won't say yes and I won't say no. I do know this. Every time I was worried if the 1:1 scale does this or does that I would do what I wished to do on my railroad anyway and then sure enough, later on I'd stumble upon a video or article of this same practice on the real one anyway. You do what you feel is fit for your RR. You are the surveyor, builder, owner, conductor and engineer of your RR. If you have a need for a certain signal in a tunnel you go right ahead and install it and enjoy it... I'm willing to bet you'll eventually see it being done on the 1:1 scale, considering all the RRs throughout the world......Just do it and smile...M
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2016
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  18. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I wonder how many small railroads may have gotten an innovative idea from modelers who didn't know that such-n-such had never been done on a 1:1? There are many 1:1 railroad employees who are avid modelers and attend shows as often as possible. Jerry DeBene comes to mind, and there are many, many more. (y)
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2016
  19. Keith

    Keith TrainBoard Supporter

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    And an updated view of Moffat.

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks like you got a lot of good advice and helpful information. Train signals are for blocks the trains have to run through. If it so happens a block starts just after a switch and there happens
    to be a tunnel there then yes you'd see a signal protecting the block. Train tunnels as such don't have signals at their entrance or inside the tunnel. Their are some exceptions to that as in the
    Cascade tunnel. If the door was closed so the fans could vent the tunnel there was a red signal at the agent's station just in front of the tunnel. If the doors were open you had a white light
    indicating a clear signal.

    Funny, but I have a picture of what appears to be a signal inside the tunnel that makes up part of the Tehachapi loop. Not so as the signal is protecting the switch that splits into
    what was then Walong siding.

    Lionel years ago put out a tunnel with a signal on it. Great for a Christmas tree layout. Easy to wire to the track as well. Green as the train arrives and red after it leaves. Need more info I'll
    try to dig up some.
     
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