CSX train Q324 blasts out of the driving snow at old FC tower in Defiance, Ohio, on Dec. 26, 2012. Photo by Brian M. Schmidt […]
Dashing through the snow
Train Topic: Signals & Train Control
Hurry up and wait
The railroaders’ mantra has always been “hurry up and wait” and this CSX crew at Glendale, Ohio, in suburban Cincinnati is living up to their creed. This portion of the former Baltimore & Ohio Toledo to Cincinnati route is paired with the Norfolk Southern New Castle District in directional running; most trains passing Glendale are […]
CN sunrise
Morning sunlight glints off a Canadian National freight train rolling across Broadway in Waukesha, Wis., in August 2011. The train left Chicago in the wee hours and is headed for western Canada. Photo by Matt Van Hattem […]
Morning bath
Union Pacific No. 7875 heads east through Rochelle, Ill., bathed in bright morning light. Photo by Sean Valk […]
DCC Bitswitch automatic station stop control
Kevin Strong Automatic station-stop control for DCC-controlled railroads (all scales)DCC BitSwitch31190 Eagle Crest LaneEvergreen CO 80439Prices: Timed-stop station control, $89.95; DC brake generator (needed in conjunction), $25Website: www.dccbitswitch.com Circuit boards to provide automatic station stops for DCC-powered railroads Pros: Wiring diagrams clear and easy to follow; simple installation Cons: Only works on track powered, DCC-controlled […]
Laser-activated circuit for controlling electronic switch motors
Kevin Strong Vital statistics Laser-activated circuit for controlling electronic switch motorsUnionville DepotE-mail: queries@unionvilledepot.com Price: SC-11 1-coil (2-wire) switch machine controller, $39; LP-10 laser pointer, $18Website: www.unionvilledepot.com Pros: Simple installation and operationCons: Difficult for laser to register on the controller in sunlight; circuit board not weatherproof If you’ve got switches on your railroad, you need some […]
Hooded signal lights
The hood on this Norfolk Southern signal better directs the light’s beam. Doug Koontz Q CSX lineside signals all have “blinders,” a cone about a foot long that surrounds all three signal lights, so the lights only show straight down the track. Why are they used?— Richard Hoffman, Bowling Green, Ky. A The use of […]
CSX decommissions last of ex-Monon semaphore signals NEWSWIRE
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — CSX has removed the last semaphore signals from service on its Monon Subdivision in northwestern Indiana. The line was one of the final bastions for the signals anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. The final “blade” to fall, located at milepost 147.1 at North Crawfordsville, came down Tuesday. CSX is replacing the […]
Rolling through the Rocks
Led by a new MP36PH-3C, a MARC commuter trains curves past the historic depot at Point of Rocks, Md., on its afternoon run from Washington, D.C., to Brunswick, Md., June 10, 2010. Photo by Alex Mayes […]
The high iron
Three Union Pacific diesels muscle a southbound intermodal train under classic Southern Pacific searchlight signals near Mojave, Calif., on Sept. 3, 2010. In the background are the Tehachapi Mountains, site of one of the world’s most impressive railroad crossings of a mountain range. Photo by William Steck […]
Setting up locomotives for distributed power operations
Powder River coal loads bound for Otter Tail Power’s Big Stone City, S.D., plant pass Bristol, S.D., with a 2-by-1 front-rear distributed power setup in April 2003. Andy Cummings Trains magazine told you about distributed power in “Freight Train, Unbounded” by David Lustig in our September 2010 issue. But, what’s the step-by-step process? Find out […]
South Bend Signal Co. automatic semaphore signal
Kevin Strong 1:26 scale, automatic semaphore signalSouth Bend Signal Co.2303 Creek Rd.Niles MI 49120Price $60Website: www.sbsignal.com Large-scale semaphore; actuated by infra-red light; no wiring necessary. Dimensions: Height, 10″; width, 1″; length, 2½” Pros: No wiring necessary; easy installation on any railroad Cons: Cabinet may not be waterproof for permanent outdoor installations Kevin Strong I recently […]
