Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!mangoe
From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate)
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: Re: Railway Communication Lines
Message-ID: <2798@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 19-Jan-86 14:18:25 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.2798
Posted: Sun Jan 19 14:18:25 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 21-Jan-86 08:13:35 EST
References: <722@kitty.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 45

In article <722@kitty.UUCP> larry@kitty.UUCP writes:


>I have noticed that a small percentage of this Conrail track has no open-wire
>lines for signalling and communication purposes; from the presence of battery
>pits and signalling at grade crossings, it is obvious that there is
>underground cable buried along the track.  However, most of the track still
>contains poles with open-wire lines.  These poles, insulators and lines are
>in DEPLORABLE condition!  Some poles are actually at a 45 degree angle. Why
>is this?  Is it because there really is underground cable and the
>open-wire lines are no longer used, so no one bothers with maintenance?  Or
>is Conrail trying to tempt fate with poor facility maintenance?  I have
>noticed a significant program of track replacement between Buffalo and
>Albany - which means Conrail has money to spend.  Under these cirumstances,
>I find it hard to believe that Conrail would fail to make the comparatively
>small expenditure to maintain their open-wire facilities. On the other hand,
>if there is underground cable, why doesn't Conrail spend the small amount
>of money to clean up the environment and remove the poles?

On the Corridor, the wires between Providence and New Haven do in fact carry
the signalling-- I can confirm this because I took the train from DC to
Boston the weekend after Gloria came through.  There were downed lines the
entire way, and all the signals and most of the grade crossings were out,
causing tremendous delays.  These persisted on the way back two days later,
although they weren't as extreme (there weren't any boats on the track in
Groton by that time (I'm not kidding!)).  

On the local B&O trackage there seems to be both underground and wires on
poles.  There appears to be some maintenance on the poles, although they are
in some disrepair.  Also, one must recall that some of the wiring must be
underground to get at the rails.  On the mainline out of Washinfgton to the
west, the wiring is all underground out to the Georgetown spur (which also
happens to be where the Metro goes underground to the North).  There is a
junction box where the wires come out; this is well-maintained, so I have to
assume it works.

It is not suprising that track work is given priority over signals.  When a
signal fails, one (or a small crew) go out to fix it.  It slows traffic,
but, unless the train crews violate the rules, the chances of an accident
are small.  Failure of the roadbed or of a rail is in contrast an expensive
proposition, with derailments, blockage of traffic, injuries, and adverse
publicity.  Signals are usually heavily redundant anyway, and if the pole is
about to fall over, who really worries?

C. Wingate