Yes, intermediate signals are in tenths of a mile so 197 would actually be 19.7 as you said. Road crossings typically have milepost location on them as well. Most people probably don't know that bridges/culverts have MP locations as well as you mention. They can be anything from an actual MP sign or they can be fixated to the structure and usually just made out of something simple like house numbers.
Generally speaking though, I would say you are correct that when someone says they're at 45.7 it may actually be 45.4 unless there is a signal, landmark, etc that they are using as reference. When we copy a mandatory directive, we have to give our current location; I usually give the next whole milepost in front of us, so if I'm at MP 100.8, I will just say milepost 101.
Plymouth Sub MP Locations
Re: Plymouth Sub MP Locations
I believe that Conrail (and maybe NYC before that) didn't put the .# on all the signals. I would be "167E" or "167W" for some lines. That was for the whole mile, regardless of its actual location. Conrail didn't seem to put the emphasis on the exact location of the signals, but then again they didn't call signals either. So, it just depends on the 'home roads' signal practices. CSX is retrofitting the new installations with new '.#' number plates on intermediates.Standard Railfan wrote:Are not the number boards on signals to the tenth or even hundredth of a mile? IIRC a signal mast has a number board of 197, is that not mile 19point7? Bridges, culverts, and other immovable structures are also identified to the hundredth. As Mr. Tops said, after a while, you just know where you are.
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Re: Plymouth Sub MP Locations
Here's something I've wondered for a while now, maybe someone here will be able to answer it. The intermediate signals on the old EJ&E, now CN Matteson Sub, and I'm sure elsewhere too, are nowhere even close to the milepost they are at. For example, intermediate signal "1004" is at roughly MP 28. Are they more-less just signal numbers rather than mileposts?
On a few signals on the Villa Grove Sub, they are marked 75.6L or 75.6R, or 71.3LD (D for distant signal). I've always assumed it's L for left and R for right. Some oldheads will actually call them out that way too. It's only those signals though, 71.2/3 and 75.6/7. Some of the newer number plates on the double track will have the track # on them as well; 7962 for 79.6 track 2.
All of UP's control points are the nearest whole milepost, preceded by "CP" and a designator letter. On the Salem, Pana, and Villa Grove Subs it's "I", so CPI083. On the Geneva Sub, the letter is "Y", CPY078. If there is more than one control point in a short distance or within a mile, like at Yard Center, they replace the first number with a "9". From Thornton Junction north to Lincoln Ave, you have CPI020, CPI019, CPI919, CPI018, CPI017, CPI016, CPI916. BNSF and IHB will take the actual MP value and turn it into a single number at control points; CP 1395 on BNSF is at MP 139.5, CP 107 on the IHB is at MP 10.7. Generally speaking, NS uses names at control points, as does CSX.
On a few signals on the Villa Grove Sub, they are marked 75.6L or 75.6R, or 71.3LD (D for distant signal). I've always assumed it's L for left and R for right. Some oldheads will actually call them out that way too. It's only those signals though, 71.2/3 and 75.6/7. Some of the newer number plates on the double track will have the track # on them as well; 7962 for 79.6 track 2.
All of UP's control points are the nearest whole milepost, preceded by "CP" and a designator letter. On the Salem, Pana, and Villa Grove Subs it's "I", so CPI083. On the Geneva Sub, the letter is "Y", CPY078. If there is more than one control point in a short distance or within a mile, like at Yard Center, they replace the first number with a "9". From Thornton Junction north to Lincoln Ave, you have CPI020, CPI019, CPI919, CPI018, CPI017, CPI016, CPI916. BNSF and IHB will take the actual MP value and turn it into a single number at control points; CP 1395 on BNSF is at MP 139.5, CP 107 on the IHB is at MP 10.7. Generally speaking, NS uses names at control points, as does CSX.
Re: Plymouth Sub MP Locations
Not to get off topic, but...Mr. Tops wrote: All of UP's control points are the nearest whole milepost, preceded by "CP" and a designator letter. On the Salem, Pana, and Villa Grove Subs it's "I", so CPI083. On the Geneva Sub, the letter is "Y", CPY078.
I had always assumed that the "CPI" stood for "Control Point - Interlocking"? They put up a "CPI St. Anne" sign at St. Anne, IL then quickly took it down and replaced it for a "CPA" for "Control Point Automatic". St. Anne wasn't an interlocking, it was an automatic crossing. Or is the "I" just a coincidence for the former CE&I?
As far as the CN/EJE, could they have perhaps come through and changed mile posts to measure from a different location once upon a time? Might explain the difference in signal markers to the actual mile post?
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Re: Plymouth Sub MP Locations
I guess I did hijack the thread a little bit there, sorry...CSX_CO wrote:Not to get off topic, but...
I had always assumed that the "CPI" stood for "Control Point - Interlocking"? They put up a "CPI St. Anne" sign at St. Anne, IL then quickly took it down and replaced it for a "CPA" for "Control Point Automatic". St. Anne wasn't an interlocking, it was an automatic crossing. Or is the "I" just a coincidence for the former CE&I?
As far as the CN/EJE, could they have perhaps come through and changed mile posts to measure from a different location once upon a time? Might explain the difference in signal markers to the actual mile post?
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The letter is nothing more than a code as far as I know. Each territory has a different letter prefix for CP's. You can't have two identical CP locations; you can only have one CPI050 on the system, I guess they think they'll get them confused? The Geneva Sub is "CPY"; Clinton Sub is "CPA"; Chester & Desoto Subs is "CPD"; Joliet & Springfield Sub is "CPX", Jeff City Sub is "CPM"; VG, Pana, Salem, Mt. Vernon, Marion Subs is "CPI". Don't know if there is any rhyme or reason...
Re: Plymouth Sub MP Locations
Funny how different railroads operate. I know of CP 75 at Crestline, OH and CP 75 at W. Terre Haute. CP 80 at W. Farrington, IL and CP 80 at Galion, OH. I'm sure other examples exist. Then again, Conrail was pretty liberal with their CP placements in regards to actual mile posts...Mr. Tops wrote: The letter is nothing more than a code as far as I know. Each territory has a different letter prefix for CP's. You can't have two identical CP locations; you can only have one CPI050 on the system, I guess they think they'll get them confused?
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