CP 421 Upgrade

[justalurker66]

75508800070202

Confirmed on my receiver. I am also seeing 7508800010202 today (24 bits).

[justalurker66]

Next weekend have the motorhome, ribs and beer on the west side of the depot all done by then. Elkhart may not be an Amtrak stop as of today's rumor. So the new ballast could very well be the new main. Ligonier would be added as a stop. OJ was spotted crossing at CP 422 using the shortcut. Thats all I'm saying.

No. Ignoring the entire post.

[justalurker66]

I don't this can be one of the clear unhook and rehook jobs we have been seeing. This will have to be the more involved do track work with a signal outage jobs.

I have a theory.
First of all, Track 3 has been connected - so trains could pass through CP 423 to track 3 and pass through the new interlocking.
Connecting Track 2 and Track 1 at the west end will take some work. But they can do that by dropping in a couple of panels and making the track better later.
Connecting Track 2 at the east end is done. Just remove the switch and drop in a panel.
Connecting Track 1 at the east end will be more complicated. The track is being built through the current EB signal location.

So ... I can see Track 2 and 3 opening fairly quickly and Track 1 opening the next day. The Kalamazoo Branch would need to remain closed for a few more days.

Challenges:
1) Building all the panels that will patch in the new track and replace the current switches east of Main St.
2) Building the new Amtrak platform (rebar for that part of the project is on a truck west of the Benham underpass).
3) Stopping Amtrak on Track 2 until Track 1 is patched in.

I believe the changeover will be "quick". Not soon (give NS a couple of weeks to build the platform and panel track). But coming.
BTW: The asphalt on Middlebury St has been cut for removal.

Track 3 connected.

New Track 1 running through the Main St signal.

The curve at Main St.

[rob46580]

Interestingly it seems the old signal bridge maynot be in the way?

[justalurker66]

Interestingly it seems the old signal bridge maynot be in the way?

The small signal cabinet next to the old bridge is in the way of the new Kalamazoo Branch connection ... but the old bridge is not in the way of the new interlocking construction.

It is too much to hope that the old bridge is left in place as a museum piece.

East end.

West end.

[LakeATCS]

75508800070202

Confirmed on my receiver. I am also seeing 7508800010202 today (24 bits).

Should be CP95

[justalurker66]

cp421-171007bits.png (10.57 KiB) Viewed 2905 times

It looks like the curve will have its own TK bits.
Also eight signal bits so 1WG will be shared between Track 1 WB at Prairie St and WB from the Kalamazoo Branch.
OOS bits for all nine approaches (which matches the current CP).
"4EA" plus "DEA" and "5EA" plus "EEA" were working in tandem during testing a couple of days ago.

[LakeATCS]

You can figure out the OOS bits easy as they are actually signal lockouts.

1EGK is first. 1EXK. Meaning you want to lock out 1EGK from lining into 1EXK

Gets a little wishy washy with A and B signals. But you know they take up two spaces.
So your next two OOS bits will be ether 1WXK and the kalzooXK. I have seen them programed ether way. Sometimes the B is first, sometimes the A is first.
And on down the signal list. 2EGK correlates to 2EXK so that is your fourth OOS. and so on and so on

[justalurker66]

You can figure out the OOS bits easy as they are actually signal lockouts.

1EGK is first. 1EXK. Meaning you want to lock out 1EGK from lining into 1EXK

Strange. The naming matches the approach segments (1EXK for 1EAK). Typically 1EGK is the signal on 1EAK as it enters the interlocking. I thought OOS were blocks warning the dispatcher not to line trains into a block (1EXK for do not line into 1EAK).

I generally see OOS when there is track work or a problem. When a track is closed for maintenance it is usually set OOS. If a train goes into emergency often the track is set OOS during the investigation/repair.

[justalurker66]

Middlebury St is closed.

[LakeATCS]

You can figure out the OOS bits easy as they are actually signal lockouts.

1EGK is first. 1EXK. Meaning you want to lock out 1EGK from lining into 1EXK

Strange. The naming matches the approach segments (1EXK for 1EAK). Typically 1EGK is the signal on 1EAK as it enters the interlocking. I thought OOS were blocks warning the dispatcher not to line trains into a block (1EXK for do not line into 1EAK).

The concept goes back to towers and "blocking devices"

The above scheme is just how I have seen NS consistently set them up. The only deviance seems to be on the A and B signals.

Unsignaled leads get skipped. (early bird). But leads with one signaled block DO get them.

[justalurker66]

Unsignaled leads get skipped. (early bird). But leads with one signaled block DO get them.

All tracks at the current CP 421 have OOS bits. I have been watching them go active as crews worked on North and South Freight. The "end of block" is at 12th St (just east of Oakland Ave). No signals between EOB and CP 421. The bit for the Coach Track remains on ... but that one had a signaled block ending at CP 423. (The crossover between the Coach Track and North Freight (EB) was west of the EOB.) Are the freight tracks considered signaled because of the segment between CP 421 and EOB?

BTW: More testing of CP95 today, however after they were done (4:32pm) NS turned off the transmission.

[LakeATCS]

With the number of bits you have marked OOS, the new freight leads will have OOS, and probably a pair of automatics on them somewhere perhaps?

[justalurker66]

With the number of bits you have marked OOS, the new freight leads will have OOS, and probably a pair of automatics on them somewhere perhaps?

It is possible ... an automatic at the yard exit similar to the eastbound exit of Colehour Yard.
NS has placed a cabinet at the end of circuit (12th St).

[justalurker66]

Panel track under construction on Middlebury St.

Track 3 reconstructed through the curve (with apparent super elevation).

Cabinet at MP.CD-422.4. To the left are the "End Auto Block" signs at the end of North and South Freight. To the right is the first switch signal in the yard (crossover from South to North Freight westbound. The next crossover to the west is between North Freight and the Coach Track (new Track 3). Trains have been passing through CP 423 eastbound on Track 3 and ending up on North Freight through these crossovers.

In addition some rebar has been set out for the platform.

[LakeATCS]

Are you ready? The bomb is about to drop on CP 421!
Elkhart will be forever changed.

Effective 12:01 p.m., Sunday, 10-15-17

New Controlled Point CP 421 at MP CD 421.5

#1 power crossover has been installed at MP CD 421.8, for Eastward movements from the North Freight Track to the Main 3 Track
#3 power crossover has been installed at MP CD 421.7, for Eastward movements from the Main 3 Track to the Main 2 Track
#5 power switch has been installed at MP CD 421.7, for Westward movements from the South Freight Track to the North Freight Track
#7 power switch has been installed at MP CD 421.7, for Westward movements from the Main 3 Track to the South Freight Track
#9 power crossover has been installed at MP CD 421.7, for Eastward movements from the Main 2 Track to the Main 1 Track
#11 power crossover has been installed at MP CD 421.7, for Eastward movements from the Main 3 Track to the Main 2 Track
#13 power switch has been installed at MP CD 421.6, for Eastward movements from the Main 1 Track to the Kalamazoo Branch Track.

2WA Signal located over and to the right of the Main 1 track on a cantilever mast signal at MP CD 421.1
2WD Home Signal located to the right of the Kalamazoo Branch Track on a High signal mast at MP CD 421.6
6W Signal located over and to the right of the Main 2 track on a cantilever mast at MP CD 421.1
12W Signal located over and to the right of the Main 3 track on a cantilever mast at MP CD 421.1

2E Signal located over and to the right of the Main 1 track on a bridge mast at MP CD 421.8
4E Signal located over and to the right of the Main 2 track on a bridge mast at MP CD 421.8
8E Signal located over and to the right of the Main 3 track on a bridge mast at MP CD 421.8
10E Signal located over and to the right of the North Freight track on a bridge mast at MP CD 421.8
12E Signal located over and to the right of the South Freight track on a bridge mast at MP CD 421.8

New Controlled Point CP 1 at MP KH 1.4
2W Home Signal located to the right of the Kalamazoo Branch Track on a High signal mast at MP KH 1.4.
2E Home Signal located to the left of the Kalamazoo Branch Track on a High signal mast at MP KH 1.4.

Aspect changes are being made at CP 417 and Automatic 419

Electric Lock Mechanism has been installed at the following location
1. GDLK switch located on Main Track, Mile Post KH 0.3

Future Museum Track Switch to be installed at the following location
The future Museum track switch will be located at MP CD 421.9 on the South Freight Track for Eastward moves from the South Freight to the Museum track.

Curiously nothing about the 422 auto westward signal on #1

[Dajudge]

A few shots from yesterday. Note the none symmetrical pavement cut for the Kazoo branch on Middlebury street. The side towards old B tower has a deeper cut removed. I think this suggests the amount of track realignment necessary to bend towards the new track 1 turnout.

The cut also reveals the old brick street crossing that used to be there back in Lake Shore days when the original 2 track main ran across the street to Adrian, before the "new curve" was put in thru Ligonier to Toledo.

Also seen is a delivery of re-rod suggesting a concrete Amtrak platform coming to town.

Lastly, if amount of white NS trucks at a project indicates urgency yesterday evening there were 15 trucks in the close vicinity of main street.

[Dajudge]

Ok, other photo here.

[GTW]

Nice to have new news on CP 421 if you know what I mean.

[Saturnalia]

Interesting note on the superelevation...I bet one of the main reasons for removing the turnouts from the curve, aside from less complicated track structure, is to allow for more super in that curve, potentially raising the speed through there.