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The manual pipe line broke when the operator lined up the main line resulting in the siding switch being open.Now by "Open siding switch" do you mean that the switch was set to take the train from the main line to the siding rather than down the main line?
Look up Graniteville, SC sometime in the NTSB files. In 1999 they were assembling a train and at the end of their shift got it onto a siding next to a factory in Graniteville. They were hurrying to meet the maximum allowed crew day requirements and in the process did not change the switch from the siding back to the main line. At about 0100 a train came down the main line, went onto the siding and hit the cars parked there, one of which was loaded with liquid chlorine. The resultant cloud of gas killed a number of people.
I would have thought that by about 120 years ago they would have had all switches wired so that multiple control centers could see which switches were set in which direction.
My pleasureWow, indeed it was a miracle that no fatal casualties happened on that wreck.
It must have been gratifying reporting the good news that everyone aboard was safe.
Thank you for Sharing Bill.
Cheers
Muscle powered hydraulic linkage, as in automobile foot brake? WOW! And no position indicator? Hard to imagine from the context of today's ultra safe "nerf world"!The manual pipe line broke when the operator lined up the main line resulting in the siding switch being open.
Muscle powered hydraulic linkage, as in automobile foot brake? WOW! And no position indicator? Hard to imagine from the context of today's ultra safe "nerf world"!
Cheers,
Wes[/Q
1946How long ago was that wreck?
Muscle power is correct. Had to put my feet on the levers each side of the switch lever I was pulling. I only weighed 145 lbs. Siding switches were really tough due to the distance. On snow nights had to have track foremen out to sweep switches.Muscle powered hydraulic linkage, as in automobile foot brake? WOW! And no position indicator? Hard to imagine from the context of today's ultra safe "nerf world"!
Cheers,
Wes
congratulations! Enjoy your time on the railroad. I sure did.Interesting.
I wasn't born yet. My dad was still in the navy but I am interested in old railroad stories. I currently work on the railroad. 24 years
The tower I worked had 67 rods controlling the crossing.I think you mentioned you were a control operator or tower operator.
I did on 3 occasions get to go up on 2 different ones. One is torn down, the other is still standing but replaced with CTC. I remember the long handle pistol grip rods the operator used to line switches and to clear the signals.
NoI'm getting off topic I guess. This site is for aircraft history and tech. I see you were a bombadier on a B17 303rd BG
Did you fly the Schwienfurt Black Thursday mission?
We used the home signal "green" the same way.We still say " High Ball"
I was told there was a ball hoisted on a cable and pole and If the train didn't have to stop for train orders or what ever, the tower operator or clerk or whoever would raise the ball high on the pole and the train would get the highball