More new signals on the Grand Rapids sub

[Saturnalia]

After seeing the Amtrak extra and coal train this afternoon, I noticed the signal at Riverside went off.
I thought absolute signals stayed lit.

Did something change on 12/1/13?

Interesting...I don't think anything different happened...the signals in Grandville were still lit up all stop around 1500 this afternoon...nothing lined in the area.

I did notice a few weeks ago that in Grandville after D700 finished switching Standale Lumber and went east the EAS showed a restricting aspect...3rd light showed lunar, top two red. I hadn't seen it before, or understand why.

[Jochs]

The eastbound signals are only accessible by going onto private property.

The signals at Gray were still lit both ways (unfortunately red) Here are the westbound signals as seen from Zoschke Rd.

[SD80MAC]

MQT, I believe the signal changed to restricting after that train went by because the dispatcher was lining something up right behind it. Otherwise it would've stayed red, being an absolute signal. If you had stuck around, it probably upgraded to approach and then clear.

[Saturnalia]

MQT, I believe the signal changed to restricting after that train went by because the dispatcher was lining something up right behind it. Otherwise it would've stayed red, being an absolute signal. If you had stuck around, it probably upgraded to approach and then clear.

That makes sense. It has been awhile since, so I cannot recall if later when we went home the signal was lined or not. Is it possible the RN had another headroom in the system for D700, and it was upgrading under that protocol?

I wonder as the RN has not made a habit of lining P370 though Grandville early in the evenings like they used to.

[SD80MAC]

I'm obviously not a dispatcher, but I believe they can program the signals to automatically line up for the next train as soon as the previous one clears. The next train doesn't necessarily have to be anywhere close.

[MagnumForce]

Run it in fleet mode, happens all the time here on the Garrett sub.

[CSX_CO]

Run it in fleet mode, happens all the time here on the Garrett sub.

Fleet is when you run multiple moves in the same routing and direction. "Stacking" is lining multiple moves over the same or different routings. Without seeing the dispatchers screen when the move took place, tough to say which 'tool' was employed. A "fleet" will be a small box on the controlled signals on the dispatcher screen. Fleet remains in place until removed. A "stack" will be a small triangle. Depending on the interlocking, and the 'default' routing stacking may or may not be employed. Some dispatchers like to 'force' a route over specific switches, when multiple route possibilities exist.

Practice Safe CSX

[amtrak1007]

Run it in fleet mode, happens all the time here on the Garrett sub.

Fleet is when you run multiple moves in the same routing and direction. "Stacking" is lining multiple moves over the same or different routings. Without seeing the dispatchers screen when the move took place, tough to say which 'tool' was employed. A "fleet" will be a small box on the controlled signals on the dispatcher screen. Fleet remains in place until removed. A "stack" will be a small triangle. Depending on the interlocking, and the 'default' routing stacking may or may not be employed. Some dispatchers like to 'force' a route over specific switches, when multiple route possibilities exist.

Practice Safe CSX

Great now I have to go play Train Dispatcher on my PC... GRRR....

[Saturnalia]

Run it in fleet mode, happens all the time here on the Garrett sub.

Fleet is when you run multiple moves in the same routing and direction. "Stacking" is lining multiple moves over the same or different routings. Without seeing the dispatchers screen when the move took place, tough to say which 'tool' was employed. A "fleet" will be a small box on the controlled signals on the dispatcher screen. Fleet remains in place until removed. A "stack" will be a small triangle. Depending on the interlocking, and the 'default' routing stacking may or may not be employed. Some dispatchers like to 'force' a route over specific switches, when multiple route possibilities exist.

One thing I've always wondered are the "rules" if you will of good, efficient train dispatching.
Are there any good books out there on the ins and outs of good dispatching techniques?

[Typhoon]

One thing I've always wondered are the "rules" if you will of good, efficient train dispatching.
Are there any good books out there on the ins and outs of good dispatching techniques?

Much like life, experience is the best teacher. One of the best ways for a new dispatcher to learn how it is done, is to take over a railroad that is knoted up, and work his/her way out of it. Anyone can put up fleets, and west on one east on two. That is not hard. What for many is the hardest to learn, is the abilty to look at a railroad and envision what it will look like in one or two hours. Some railroads, like the Garrett sub, you need to be able to envision what it will look like in three to four hours.

As for books, I have never read any. However I have heard ok things about this book...
http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Train-Di ... 0971991502

It was written by Tomas White, a former BN dispatcher, along with B&OCT operator.

[CSX_CO]

One thing I've always wondered are the "rules" if you will of good, efficient train dispatching.
Are there any good books out there on the ins and outs of good dispatching techniques?

If there are, I have a list of dispatchers who should receive copies for Christmas.

I would Google "Elements of Train Dispatching". There are two volumes. Unless you are a railroader, or a dispatcher who cares about the occupation and takes pride in it, pretty dry reading. Outside of that, not sure what anyone would gain from reading them. Most of what is in there is geared towards someone from 'the street' who gets a dispatchers job. Anyone with any railroad experience already 'understands' the concepts in Volume One.

Practice Safe CSX

[Typhoon]

After seeing the Amtrak extra and coal train this afternoon, I noticed the signal at Riverside went off.
I thought absolute signals stayed lit. Based on the fact that the House of David museum had lights on inside, I'm guessing there wasn't a power outage. The parking lot was full at the Riverside Tavern, but cleared out, so maybe there was a partial power outage.
I thought power outages activated crossing signals, as earlier this year the power went out at work shortly before I got off, and all crossings affected (Riverside Rd, Fikes Rd, Kerlekowske Rd, Bessemer Rd, and Coloma Rd) all activated.

Did something change on 12/1/13?

If an absolute is running off the battery, the signal will only be one when a train is close.

[Jochs]

Ah, okay.

I was just curious as I have never seen this signal dark before today, even when there were no trains nearby.

[Jochs]

Signal was on yesterday. I don't think there were any trains around...I had my scanner on and didn't hear anything...until E949 showed up around 7pm or so.

[Saturnalia]

Ivanrest thru Plaster Creek starts on Monday!

[Saturnalia]

Less than 3 days left for the last Searchlights on the Grand Rapids Sub, last weekend to get pictures!

After thousands of thousands of trains since the 1940s, the signals at Ivanrest, Lamar and Plaster creek have put a few dozen line-ups left.

[Saturnalia]

6 years after they started at Porter, the Ivanrest-Plaster Creek Signal cutover effective by 12-12-13, completing the signal upgrades over 136 miles of ex-Pere Marquette Mainline.

Today I see the mast at Plaster is down, the one at Lamar is bagged, as is the EB at Ivanrest, but the WB there has had its heads stripped...perhaps a sightline issue for the new one.

[Saturnalia]

Ivanrest with the WB signal stripped of its heads:


Ivanrest by MQT3001, on Flickr

[trnwatcher]

Great now I have to go play Train Dispatcher on my PC... GRRR....

[SD80MAC]

It's nice having Ivanrest signaled in both directions now. So far the new dwarfs are a lot easier to see than the old ones, too.