NS Pittsburgh Sub (Large Pics)

[cascaderailroad]

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/310.jpg

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/132.jpg

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/116.jpg

I have notced that many widely different variations, they vary from one location to another, of the PRR PLS.

I have been using the "B" Style, but that may be wrong for many locations.

Does anyone know what all the different PLS variations were exactly designed for ?

Calling the "King" of signals: Seniorchief

EDIT: I was refering to the many varried styles, and shapes of target paddles, and to the number of lights, and their particular arraingements.

Some have a single lens below, some have 7 lens below, and others have 3 lens below. Some lower paddle targets have cut off side edges.

I heard that very soon all PLS signals will be replaced with Safetrain signals, including the NEC.

All of Norfolk Southern PLS signals have 3 yellow lens in Proceed, 2 yellow lens in caution, and 2 red lens in the STOP display aspect.

 

[stmsoccer]

B&o had red in their signals and PRR did not,but they were the same

 

[scratchy]

For anyone interested...

I'll show everyone the method I use for laying down a large number of crossovers on a grade, I don't know if this is common knowledge or what, just that i was having a lot of trouble before i figured out my method- theres gotta be someone out there that had the same problems as me!

Its pretty straight-forward really,
Say I want my interlocking on a constant grade of 1.2% first layout your tracks without using any fixed spline heights.
Next lay out another bit of track parallel to the others with only end spline points and set it to a grade of 1.2%.
Once this is done you can insert points on the graded track next to where your points are on the track you want to use, use the get height to find the height you want to set your track at. Thats pretty much it. It made my life alot simpler then having to adjust them all on via the minimap. Hopefully these pics might help explain it better then i manage to

Happy trainzing

 

[scratchy]

 

[cascaderailroad]

And you can lay water and move it up and down to check that everything has even gradients. I use the "Water" method alot.

Usually where splne points make an overlapping "figure 8" with a football in the center ... the two slpine point height measurements should be @ 0.02 m in different heights.

I use circles of assembled FT 250m Radius as a curve guide, to make the #4 "Horseshoe" track spline points. Then I slid the FT track out from under it.

Are there B&O or N&W gantry CPL signals, that represent the present day NS dual colored PLS (STOP has two horizontal red lens) ?

The last most outermost switch on the R is the "O" track. It split from the mainline, right after the Cresson flyover bridge, and ran @ 40' in back of MO Tower, and realigned adjacent to the mainlne where your switch is shown on the mainline past MO Interlocking, at the base of the Cresson-Lower Yard.

 

[n8phu]

Sure are, search fro "Seniorchief" and "CSXT4617" on the DLS..... be prepared to click alot.

EDIT: There is set of B&O CPLs over at TCR, but they all have the "D" for delay sign.

 

[stmsoccer]

Your method is exactly what I use on my trackage. I hate using the grade tool and seems to not work for me, so I use this method with a slight gradient to every other spline. Would you mind getting me the next update cdp over PM. I want to see how it is going. Great job. These might help,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtpv1Qc5uIg&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR5gJa-PAUs&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N48bg2Tfia4&feature=player_detailpage

Josh

 

[scratchy]

Anyone know what the speed limit is for freight and passenger on the west slope?

 

[scratchy]

Will be posting shots of Cresson and Cassandra soon :wave:

 

[Milwaukeeroad261]

this route, disappointingly, looks like it's 2009 :/

But very, very impressive work scratchy

-AJ

 

[cascaderailroad]

Anyone know what the speed limit is for freight and passenger on the west slope?

The West Slope is from Cresson to Johnstown, the Pittsburgh Division starts at Slope tower to Conpit, and the Middle Division is from Bank tower (Marysville) to Slope.

I think that most RR's have 79mph limit, but most downhill trians on the East Slope "Curve" are well below 40 mph, running with full dynamic braking on. And uphill trains usually gan't get up to that same speed because of the gradient.

Back in the 90's TTX train radioed in to Alto tower that they had lost their air, and were comming down the "Slide" out of control at 55 mph. They had to ride it out ... and by the time they rounded the "Curve" they were doing in excess of 65 mph, and derailed east of the "Curve". Trailers were everywhere, but by rolling them into the clear, the wreck crew had #4 track replaced and back in service through the derailment site within 24 hours.

Another derailment at AG curve, involving dozens of US Mail trucks, had mail scattered all over creation, in a trecherously steep, stickerbush, tick, timber rattler & copperhead infested remote location ... teams of guys had to go down there and hunt through the heavy brush, and pick up each and every piece of US Mail.

 

[UP5521]

yikes,the derailments are bad enough,but dealing with picking up mail while avoiding snakes of that type is even worse!

 

[conrail_3004]

i thought the slide is 20 or 25 and if they went faster then that the got the red singal, and they were fired right on the spot, i have to dig out my curve info to comfim that,

 

[cascaderailroad]

True ... trains go pretty slow downhill through the tunnel, around Salpino Curve to Bennington Curve... That actual "Slide" starts just west of the Portage Tunnel (which was the pre 1854 Mainline). It is at a higher elevation than the newer bores, the Gallitzin and Allegheny tunnels.

The "Slide" is @ -1.39 & -2.36 in places approaching Bennington Curve.

BTW: How many people remember Oscar Salpino-PRR Western Division Road Foreman ? He was one great old dude, unofficial self appointed caretaker of the "Curve" ! He was always there, cutting grass, weeding, and painting rocks with white paint.

I don't know much of the history about his boss: Guilio Brandimarte

 

[scratchy]

this route, disappointingly, looks like it's 2009 :/

But very, very impressive work scratchy

-AJ

I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean there AJ, it says you have '09 registered, so i can only make out that you don't like modern routes I'm my opinion modern day operations on the Pittsburgh Line are just as much fun as post war.
You telling me that sights like these aren't impressive..
http://www.youtube.com/user/FastFlyingVirginian#p/c/C5D03E01EDBBEC17/16/fo4G9eNDRZE

http://www.youtube.com/user/FastFlyingVirginian#p/c/C5D03E01EDBBEC17/31/krhx6L8GXG4

http://www.youtube.com/user/FastFlyingVirginian#p/c/C5D03E01EDBBEC17/11/jh0h_YI0Hm4

i thought the slide is 20 or 25 and if they went faster then that the got the red singal, and they were fired right on the spot, i have to dig out my curve info to comfim that,

Yeah, no more then 12mph on the slide or else a siren would sound on a nearby hill... See that last video

 

[cascaderailroad]

As the Portage Tunnel "Slide" was the much steeper gradient, as it was the original, pre 1854 PRR Mainline ... I will never understand why they never regraded it to lower the 2 grade separation(s) from Cresson to Bennington, eliminating them both altogether ... asside from the project costing billions.:hehe:

The Crown Mining of the Allegheny bore made the tunnel capable of handling double stack trains.

Man ... do I miss the action of the Gallitzin bore and the Spruce Creek "old alignment" Bore (which are closed)... those tiny mouse holes made for some great ralfanning sights, prior to double stacks.

 

[scratchy]

ALTO at night (should be a large building behind the 2nd loco)

Top of the hill, about to head down the slide...

First shots at Cassandra...

 

[conrail_3004]

me and my wife spent a hole week here, it was our honeymoon, :wave: and of course shopping to, :hehe:

 

[scratchy]

 

[H222]

Scratchy, that's a beautiful layout you have in the making there,

What is the grass at the very foreground of the shot of Penn Central 7723??


Jamie