CNW signal Qustion
- Thread starter SD45T-2
- Start date
Let's just ignore the above statement. CNW ran left hand direction running on all of the double track mainlines around here and the areas I've been to. I can't say I'm familiar with any 4 track mains that the CNW had but either 2 main tracks in each direction or the outside tracks may be directional and the two middle tracks bi-directional. I know the triple track down in Metra-land (Northwest Service I think) had the center rail bi-directional and outers directional.
That is the best answer I can give you. Good luck!
That is the best answer I can give you. Good luck!
Good place to start is here;
http://www.cnwhs.org/
Where I lived near 40th Street yard, it was a 4 track main for many years, narrowing to 3 tracks in Oak Park, then two in River Forest. It changed quite a few times over the years. The CTA Lake Street L used to go down onto the ground between Lockwood and Long (5300W and 5400W) until 1964, when it was changed to run on the C&NW viaduct. At that time some of the industry spurs were removed, one of the center tracks was removed east of Laramie (5200W) and it was a 3 track main from there west to River Forest (5 tracks on the viaduct from Lockwood to Harlem, but two were the CTA L) after that.
I don't remember when it changed, but when I was a tot (1950s) the C&NW used semaphore signals, I think sometime in the 60s they converted to standard 3 light color signals similar to BNSF. When I started model railroading (1960s) and began studying the C&NW signals, all tracks were signaled for both directions. Commuters used the outer tracks, the 400 express trains used the inner tracks, through freights and peddler freights were routed onto whichever track would be least likely to "stab" (delay) the passenger traffic.
http://www.cnwhs.org/
Where I lived near 40th Street yard, it was a 4 track main for many years, narrowing to 3 tracks in Oak Park, then two in River Forest. It changed quite a few times over the years. The CTA Lake Street L used to go down onto the ground between Lockwood and Long (5300W and 5400W) until 1964, when it was changed to run on the C&NW viaduct. At that time some of the industry spurs were removed, one of the center tracks was removed east of Laramie (5200W) and it was a 3 track main from there west to River Forest (5 tracks on the viaduct from Lockwood to Harlem, but two were the CTA L) after that.
I don't remember when it changed, but when I was a tot (1950s) the C&NW used semaphore signals, I think sometime in the 60s they converted to standard 3 light color signals similar to BNSF. When I started model railroading (1960s) and began studying the C&NW signals, all tracks were signaled for both directions. Commuters used the outer tracks, the 400 express trains used the inner tracks, through freights and peddler freights were routed onto whichever track would be least likely to "stab" (delay) the passenger traffic.
I'm working on a fictional route, but based loosely on the C&NW among others, here's a screenshot;
In the city the C&NW was elevated onto a "viaduct" in the early 1900s. What this actually is, is reinforced concrete retaining walls with an earth fill, sort of like chopping the sides off an embankment to save real estate. The terrain spline elevated to just under the tracks hides the gaps, the breakwater spline makes a pretty good facsimile of the concrete walls. Note all four tracks are signaled in both directions - altho the C&NW did indeed run left handed, my fictional route will run right handed just to avoid confusion since I'll also be doing the Belt Lines, CTA Elevated, and parts of the Milwaukee and Burlington.
In the city the C&NW was elevated onto a "viaduct" in the early 1900s. What this actually is, is reinforced concrete retaining walls with an earth fill, sort of like chopping the sides off an embankment to save real estate. The terrain spline elevated to just under the tracks hides the gaps, the breakwater spline makes a pretty good facsimile of the concrete walls. Note all four tracks are signaled in both directions - altho the C&NW did indeed run left handed, my fictional route will run right handed just to avoid confusion since I'll also be doing the Belt Lines, CTA Elevated, and parts of the Milwaukee and Burlington.
daylightguy
layout builder
Yeah the CNW ran on the left hand side on double tracks because when they built the second track the station's were on that side of the tracks and they didn't want the in bound passengers standing out in the cold or rain so they put the in bound trains on the left hand side of the track, and that looks alot like the tracks coming out of CNW station.