I. C. Rebuilds Cla$sification Yard
And Installs New System of Control trolled from four towers each of which· handled the retarders and switches in their corresponding areas. Within a few years after the The control of switches is automatic after being original yards at ~'larkham were initiated by push-button in panel at the crest placed in service, a new group ar rangement of tracks was developed of the hump, and all of the retarders are con for use in yards being installed on trolled by one man in a tower near main lead other roads, the object of which was to reduce the number of retarders, because one retarder on the lead to each group serves to apply final A NEW system of control for pow- the first yards to be equipped with retardation to cars routed to all of er switches and retarders has been car retarders of commercial manu the tracks in that group. installed by the Illinois Central in facture. Original installations were Having rendered 23 years service, its southbound classification yard at based on the ladder principle, with the retarders, switch machines, con :Markham Yards, located 20 mi. retarders down the hump and the trol machines and rail in the Illinois south of the passenger station at throat leads, as well as on the upper Central southbound yard were due Twelfth Street in Chicago. This end of each classification track. for replacement. A decision was southbound yard, as well as the The southbound yard with its 43 made that the replacement program northbound yard nearby, were built classification tracks, 43 power should include a change from the in 1926, and at that time they were switches, and 72 retarders was con- old ladder-track layout to the more
Th~ man in the tower controls the retarders in the entire yard
346 R A I I, W A Y S I G N A l I N G cmd C 0 M M u· N I C A T I 0 N S June, 1950 modern grouping of tracks, as well as a change in grades. About that time - early in 1949 - the General Railway Signal Company, which furnished the switch machines and retarders installed in the south bound yard in 1926, announced the development of a new system of control, which was adopted for in stallation as a part of the improve ments. The Illinois Central has the distinction of being the first road to place such a system in service. Starting in June, 1949, the change over to the new track layout, new grades, new retarders with new system of control for power switch, has been gradually made under traffic. As of June 1, 1950, the new system was in service on 35 of the total of 45 tracks. The same system is being installed by the Canadian Pacific in its new yard at :Montreal, which is scheduled to go in service in July. Fewer Retarders The yard as installed in 1926, had At the hump a button is pushed to control switch leading to each yru·d track 7tj retarders totaling 5,022" rail feet, 43 power skate machines, and four intermediate retarder, thereby in wiring distribution for power and control machines in four towers. In creasing the rate of acceleration. control circuits, as well as the con the rearrangement, two more yard The objective of this is to increase trol system, are all new. tracks were added making a total the running distance between cars With the old arrangement the of 45 tracks, which are arranged in or cuts of cars. men in the four towers each con groups, one with five tracks, two In order to minimize the length trolled not only the retarders, but with six~ and four with seven tracks of track taken up by turnouts, lap also the switches in an assigned area each. I~ the new improved yard switch layouts were used as re of the yard. One of the features of arrangement, there are 45 power quired. In the previous yard, no the new system, as installed by the switches, 21 retarders with a total of track circuits were in service to pre- Illinois Central, is that the switches 1,683 rail-feet of retardation, as ·vent the operation of a'switch under are normally controlled automatic compared with 5,022 rail-feet of re a car which would cause a derail ally after the control for the route tardation previously in service with ment. Such accidents are prevented for each car or cut of cars has been two less tracks. by detector locking, controlled by initiated by operation of a corres In the previous ·layout there was track circuits, as have been installed ponding button. These push-buttons a power-operated skate at the-lower in practically all yards equipped :_one for each of the 45 classifica end of each of the 43 yard tracks. with power switches during the past tion tracks-are on a panel in a small These were eliminated. Also in the 20 years. Accordingly, track circuits office at the crest of the hump. As old yard there were two tracks up and electric locking were incorpor a car or cut of cars approaches the to the crest and down toward the ated in the new installation at the crest of the hump and is being cut yard so that, on either track, cars Illinois Central southbound yard. off, a man at the hump pushes the could be pushed over the hump to The old retarders, which were of the button which is numbered for the be classified. A portion of one of electric type, were worn beyond re track to which this cut is to go, as these tracks was removed. Now all pair, and were, therefore, discarded. shown on the switch list. For the cars are pushed over the crest on The 21 new retarders are also of flrst car of a .. train", as soon as the the one track which is equipped the electric type of a modern de button is pushed, a control goes to with a track scale. The second track sign. Some of the switch machines the flrst switch in the route to posi with its power switch is used to in the new yard are of a new high tion it as required. When the car or route a locomotive around the scale. speed type. These are used where cut of cars enters the detector track This switch is controlled manually the track circuit in advance of the circuit for that switch, controls are from the hump office. switch is short. All switch machines then automatically advanced to the As part of the change-over to are trailable. Most of the old switch next switch in its route. As each suc track groups, the grades down the machines were rebuilt and installed ceeding car or cut of cars is pushed incline and through the main leads in the new yard. up to the crest of the hump, the were revised to conform with pres operator pushes the button num ent-day practices for use· with re One Tower In Place of Four bered for the track to which it is tarders as applied to this track ar The four old control towers were destined. Controls for switches are rangement. These grades are indi removed and one new brick control set up in the same manner as for · cated on the plan herewith. One tower was· constructed along the the preceding car. If the operator change was to make the grade steep east side of the main yard lead at a at the crest sees that he has pushed er down the incline as far as the location indicated on the plan. The the wrong button for a car or cut
June, 1950 R A I L WAY SIGN .ALI N G and C 0 M M U N I C AT I 0 N S 3.47 lamp immediately ahead of the car. During the_ time that a car is oc cupying the track circuit through a switch, a red lamp is lighted in the symbol representing the switch. Thus on his panel, the towerman can see the routes lined and the locations of cars. On this control panel each of the 10 retarder locations is represented by a raised black knob which can be rotated, as indicated by a dial, to control the corresponding retard ers to the open position or to any of seven closed positions each giving an increased degree of retardation. The switch list shows whether cars are empty or loaded and if loaded, This retarder serves a group of six tracks the lading, so that the towerman has a fair estimate of the retarda tion required, and he rotates the approaching the crest, he can cancel tower is of brick construction, with dial to set up a retarder before a controls by pushing a "cancel" but control room 9 ft. by 15 ft. The di car approaches it. As the car passes ton. Thus the operations of switches mension from rail level to the floor into the retarder, he watches until to route cars from the hump to their line on the top story is 30 ft. Glare the speed is reduced as required at classification tracks are normally proof plate glass windows are used that location, then he can quickly controlled by this automatic system. on the track side and the two ends release each retarder section by Between the crest of the hump of this operating room. At this throwing its corresponding key-type and the track scale there is a short height the towerman has a good lever. These levers are in line with retarder that is used when neces view of cars when moving down the "track" and in "approach" to sary to hold a car off the scale or the hump and throughout the re the corresponding knob controllers. reduce its speed when going onto tarder area, as well as down into When he replaces this key lever to the scale. This retarder is used also the classification tracks. The panel its normal position, the retarder is to hold slack as an aid in pulling a of the control machine in this tower operated to the position called for pin that is stuck. This short retarder is 40 in. by 40 in. on which is a by the setting of its knob controller. is controlled from the hump office. schematic diagram of the tracks, Thus that retarder is set for the next switches and retarders. Small indi car, or the setting can be changed Retarders Now Controlled From cating lamps are located in the depending on the weight and speed One Tower white lines which represent the of the next approaching car. The remainder of the retarders, tracks. When a car or cut of cars Retarders serve two purposes: (1) i.e., the 10 locations down the hump approaches a switch over which it to retard a car or cut of cars as may and on down the leads are all con has been routed by the push-button be required to allow the cars to trolled by one retarder control ma control, its selected route is indi enter their respective classification chine which is in the new tower at cated to the towerman by the pro tracks at a safe bumping speed of the east of the main leads. This new gressive lighting of the indicating roughly about 4 to 6 m.p.h.; (2) to 0.20 ''lo
0
Profile and plan of tracks down the hump and through the retarders and switches
348 R A I l W A Y 5 I G N A ll N G and C 0 M M U N I C AT I 0 N S June, 1950 control cars when passing down the 5 4 3 2 I hump and through the switches, so that succeeding cuts will be spaced properly. Spacing is necessary to permit time for the release of the detector locking and the operation of the switch machine. This opera- ~~ tion is no different from that in ~ other yards equipped with detector ~~ locking. With the automatic control """'~ . Q as in service, each switch is con- " trolled automatically to operate ~ when a car enters the track circuit t:::; 0\ / of the switch in ad vance. If a switch ~ A has started to move when a car or ~ 0 ) ~ tr cut of cars enters the track circuit, ~ ~ the switch goes on over. Thus under J;:;;-~ · '-t ¥ normal automatic control the tow- ~ @ · erman has nothing to do with the 0 control of switches. The average speed of pushing --~ Q cars up over the crest ranges be- tween 3.5 to 4 m.p.h. If there is an a \ average of three or four cars per ::::? o R cut, the pushing speed can be faster . "-. ' 'U than if the average is 1.5 to 2 cars = ~ Switch lever ~ per cut, because running space must : ~~~~ ~, be allowed between the cuts. Dur- ; ---ct"~' ~ ~ Q c:J; ', ihg the yard reconstruction, the .,..... ------o-"'\ o ~ -Rt .J : 0 ~ 1 k''-- Ret~rder •, e ar~,~e r' / traffi c h as b een h andl ed b y one en- "" I .q @ ,' r elee1se switches : re ee1se Switch 0 n tne ahd yard crew to push cars ~ ', • ,. 'Re.tGlrder \ever Rete~~cler lever leve:~- rom t e receiving yard over the ....., __ __Sw 1tch lever Reta (der lever hump. This operation introduce~
June, 1950 R A I l W A Y S I G N A l I N G and ' , 0 M M U N I C AT I 0 N S 349 advantage. The company believes aminations indicated the machine the machine takes the human factor had done its job With 100 per cent I. C. Yard out of signal bond installation. uniformity. Visual inspection of the The machine has two rams that bonds installed also showed that (Continued from page 349) drive the bond terminals into place. the rams compress the Hammer. Pressure on each ram is exactly head more closely against the rail, 12,000 lb. each time it operates. The thus providing maximum clearance reverse-are the Type B rated at 700 power bonder has a Briggs & Strat against draggmg equipment. Use of ohms. These relays for all the ton gasoline engine that develops the bonder permits better hole loca switches are in the tower. The 1.3 h.p. at the 2,000 r.p.m. used in tion. Centers are %-in. above the switch motors operate on 110-volts the bonding operation. Ordinarily, lower corner of the rail head, well d.c. The three wires from the tower it's 1-gal. tank requires filling only below the area of distortion due to to each switch are the normal con once a day. The engine drives a traffic and well out of the way of trol, the reverse control and the seven-cylinder radial pump, built by dragging equipment. common-all 110-volts d.c. Simplex Engineering Company. For Ohio Brass undertook the devel One relay repeats the normal the bonding operation, only two opment of the hydraulic bonding position of each switch and another of the pump's seven pistons are machine in response to an often relay repeats the reverse position. needed. vVith all in use, the 10,000 repeated request for a method of These are Type B relays rated at pounds per square inch pressure of bonding that wou1d remove the in 190 ohms, and are quick acting the pump would be developed fluence of human error. The first about 0.6 sec. For each switch there much too q:uickly. As it is only four machine, developed m 1941, had is a 900-ohm switch-repeater repeat seconds elapse from the time the only one ram, and was transported er relay which is picked up when operator moves the starting lever by hand. It was soon discarded as either the normal or reverse re until the driving rams compress the being too awkward. World War II peater is up. The WPP is slow re bond in place. The excess cylinders interrupted any further experi lease-about 1.3 sec. The only time can be used as replacements when mental work. The project was re that a WPP is released would be the original cylinders and pistons sumed last year. The machine used when some obstruction prevents a become worn. in the recent Kansas test is the first switch from being closed. In such one Ohio Brass considered worthy an instance the controls through Pressure at 12,000 lb. of field testing. As a result of the contacts of the WPP cause the The driving rams, one for each successful trial, additional machines switch to return to its previous terminal, are products of Blackhawk will be produced. position, and a lamp is flashed in Manufacturing Company, and can The development of a bonding the lever handle for that switch, and be serviced with standard replace machine completes the line of a bell is sounded. ment parts. They are housed in a The 24-volt d.c. control circuits steel alloy body casting that has a throughout the plant are fed from proved safety factor of three, for a set of 160-a.h. Gould storage bat withstanding the total applied pres teries. The 110-volts d.c. for oper sure of 24,000 lb. that accompani.es ating the switch motors, and the each bond installation. As soon as 220-volts d.c. for operating .the re the maximum pressure of 12,000 lb. tarder motors comes from one or is applied to each bond terminal, the other of two motor-generator a release valve immediately cuts off sets. Each set is operated alternate the pressure. Pressure is equalized weeks. The d.c. generator of each on both rams so that there is no set has adequate capacity to supply possibility of one terminal being all d.c. demands, even to close a driven harder than the other. The retarder for a higher degree of re equalization of pressure also helps tardation after a car is already in to align the machine on the rails. the retarder. Such operation is not Curved guards, made of tubing~ ordinarily necessary, but neverthe form the frame of the machine and less the generator capacity can also serve as protection for the en handle such requirements. gine and control units when emer This yard reconstruction program gency derailment is necessary. was planned and carried to comple Present for the test run in Kansas tion by railroad forces under the were T. W. Hays, general signal en Bonds are applied uniformly jurisdiction of C. H. Mottier, Vice gineer, Omaha, D. C. Bettison, sig President and Chief Engineer. The nal engineer, Omaha, and C. B. Ma grading and track work was under s~n, signal supervisor, Kansas City, equipment that Ohio Brass describes the direction of J. S. Francis, As of the Union Pacific; and W. P. Bo as its «Hammerhead System" of sistant Engineer. Engineering with vard, manager of the railway sig bonding, all based on the use of respect to power switches, retarders nal bond division, H. R Sampson, Hammerhead bonds. Besides its and controls was under the direction Kansas City district manager, and Twindrill, the company has a Web of H. G. Morgan, Signal Engineer C. A. Davis, development engineer, drill and a Headrill, light-weight, with construction work being han from Ohio Brass. The bonds in portable, hand-operated machines dled by Supervisor of Signals, W. R. stalled by the power bonder were for emergency installation of rail Hutchings. All the signaling equip carefully examined for uniformity bonds, and a new Dual Mobildrill ment including retarders, switch of appearance, both while still in which can be used for a few or for machines, control apparatus and re the rail and after being extracted. mass installation of bonds in the rail lays, were furnished by the General It was agreed that these visual ex- head, and can drill the rail web. Railway Signal Company.
362 R A I L W A Y S I G N A L I N G and C 0 M M U N I C AT I 0 N S June, 1950