I've spent the afternoon (or at least part of it) adding some of those excellent Blair Line road signs to my module. This was an enjoyable task after I figured out that a piece of upside down masking tape attached to the worksurface provided better than a third hand....but I digress. I found some "W" signs in the railway set that I am pretty sure are used to tell the engineer that a road crossing is coming up and it's time to sound the whistle/horn. There are also "S", "P" and "X" signs. What do these designate? Also, there are both rectangular and diamond varieties of all of them. Is that era-specific, road-specific, etc.? Thanks. Jack
Yes, the "W" stands for "Whistle post", telling the engineers to blow the signal for a grade crossing. The "S" usually stands for "spring switch", a switch which is thrown in one direction but may be run through from the other route. These are often used at passing sidings, so no crew need stop, get out, and align the switches. Some roads use the "P" to indicate there is a telephone to the dispatcher available ("phone"). Not sure about the "X", but could be used to indicate the approach of a rail-to-rail crossing or "diamond". OTOH, some may use it in lieu of "W".
"X" is used whenever there are multiple grade crossings that are spaced closer than will allow the required 20 (30?) seconds of horn time at track speed. On CSX through here, the "W" is mounted on the top of a post with as many "X" below it as there are crossings beyond the first. I have seen as many as four "X" below a "W". (CSX is doing their darndest to close these multiple crossings, even offering cities $5000 for each crossing that is closed. However, the NIMBY lobby is very powerful....less than 25% have been closed so far.)
Out west UP uses the X (Crossing Board)1/4 before each road crossing. BNSF uses the W (Whistle Board) 1/4 mile before each crossing. The engineer is required to sound the whistle begining at the sign, and continue sounding the wistle until the locomotive occupies the crossing. S is for "Spring Switch One Mile", and P would indicate phone. Brian
At the most, 2.5 million dollars for a new bridge over the crossing, or at the least 250,000 dollars for re-engineering, traffic studies,and contruction of a new utilities, along with paving, I wouldn't accept a measly $5,000.00 either!
Mike - thanks for asking. I'll try to take some soon. I've added the last of the details (Sunrise signals, NJI crossing gates, etc.) and had hoped to get it swapped out with one of my others so as to actually run trains across it this weekend. The NFL draft will probably distract me next Saturday, but it shouldn't be long. I need to take it outside during the day for good photos, since my train room is small and poorly lit.
At the most, 2.5 million dollars for a new bridge over the crossing, or at the least 250,000 dollars for re-engineering, traffic studies,and contruction of a new utilities, along with paving, I wouldn't accept a measly $5,000.00 either! </font>[/QUOTE]CSX is proposing to close lightly used neighborhood crossings, not bridge them. $5000 is the amount that CSX budgets for the repair of each crossing. There are approximately 75 grade crossings across the 26 miles in my county alone, most on local neighborhood streets. CSX proposes closing 2 of every 3 of these crossings where the daily traffic is less than 20 cars by actual count, and main thoroughfare gated crossings are no more than 6 blocks away. The police and fire departments, and the Mayor's office support CSX. It is the Council that opposes the plan, responding to the pleas of relatives and friends who have lived in these neighborhoods for many years, and who use these crossings purely from habit.
Slight tangent from the topic. Houston had an engineering study done of street-railroad crossings back in the 1950s. The study includes the traffic density on each line in the city, car capacity of each yard, and for each of 25 of so major crossings, a scale drawing of the streets, tracks and signals, plus one photo from motorist's point of view and one from engineer's point of view. Great reference for modelers of Houston. Available for persual in some university and research libraries in Houston area.
San Antonio had a similar system in the 1940s or 1950s. About 8-10 crossings right in the downtown and light industrial area. The complaints prompted the Espee to build the East Yard in another location and put a large highway traffic bridge to cross it. They then closed the downtown yard, but the crossings still exist for the most part.
