The American Railway: Its Construction, Development, Management, and AppliancesClarke, Thomas Curtis
History
The American Railway: Its Construction, Development, Management, and Appliances
Clarke, Thomas Curtis
Railroads -- United States
We left the signalman trying to lower signal No. 2; vainly, because
No. 3 lever was still normal and the switch unlocked (Diagram,
p. 205). Probably he would not have begun his operations in the
bungling way that has been supposed, but would have first reversed
lever 3. That locks the switch by the facing-point lock, and locks
also switch-lever 4 in the frame in the signal-tower and releases
lever 2. Then he reverses lever 2. That locks lever 3 and releases
lever 1. Then he reverses lever 1, which locks lever 2. Now the way
is made for a train to pass east on the main line, and the signals
are clear. The last signal could not have been lowered until the
chain of operations was complete; none of the levers can now be
moved until lever 1 is again put normal and signal 1 made to show
danger. There is one point of great danger in this particular
train-movement which has not been mentioned; that is, the crossing
of main-line east-bound track _B_ by the branch-line west-bound
track _C_. It will be noticed that with the levers normal,
derailing switch 5 is open, and it is impossible for a locomotive
to pass beyond it. Lever 5 is interlocked in the tower with lever
4 in such a way that, before 5 can be reversed to let a train pass
west from _C_, lever 4 must be reversed to trap any train on _B_
and turn it down the branch _D_. It must not be understood that the
use of "derailers" is universal. In fact, they are not recommended
by the best signal engineers, except in special conditions. In the
absence of derailer No. 5, signals 11 and 12 would be interlocked
with switch 4, so that, so long as that switch stands open for the
main line a clear signal cannot be given to a train coming west
on _C_. It will be noticed that signal 2 carries two semaphores
on one post. The upper one is for the main line and the lower one
for the branch. Both are operated by one lever, 2, and whether
reversing lever 2 lowers the main-line signal or the branch signal
depends on the position of the switch. The switch is made to pick
out its signal by an ingenious but very simple little arrangement,
called a selector, which is placed somewhere in the line of ground
connections.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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