A history. CP 446/CP501
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 11:44 pm
Well tonight is the big night. CP 501 gets changed over.
CP 501 or should I call is CP 446 as it was originally called. Yes CP 446.
Let me go back.
Back when Conrail started in 1976. The west end of the ex NYC wasn't the most Flexible piece of railroad.
From porter west to where it swung over onto the PRR there was only CP 482, CP 482, CP 491, CP 500 (yes there used to be another CP 500, we will speak on that in another post) and then HICK and CP 505. (Hick in 1977 was a ghost of it's past and even future self. There was NO southward connection to the IHB, trains would interchange via the IHB yard on the north side. The IHB and the B&O crossed at a diamond in the interlocking. )
Eventually in the late 70s this all had to change, enter CP 446. YES! CP 446. When the PRR was diverted onto the NYC at 501. Someone saw fit to literally re milepost the NYC from Buffington to Whiting! I am sure this was all red team vrs green team here. The line used mileposts that were on the PRR measurement from the line from Fort Wayne! Whats more they gained the PRR track numbering. South to north they were 1 2 3 4. So they put in a new interlocking at 446. Hick got all the crossovers and connections for the IHB. CP 446 was designed for "equal access" from the ex PRR or the ex NYC the PRR double main connected to 1 and 2, the ex NYC double main connected to 3 and 4.
CP 446 had a few more crossovers on the south side for the PRR entering.(see picture below) Well this arrangement didn't last long. The ex PRR fell more and more out of favor as the 80s wore on.
By 1988 the current arrangement was in place. To better use the conenctions provided by CP 446 now renumbered to CP 501. The ex NYC south main was slid over to connect into CP 501 where the north main of the PRR connected in. The PRR was connected into this track, and a switch to the B&O was added. The two unneeded crossovers on the south side of the plant were simply removed.
Not all remnants of the former 446 layout were purged. Track 4 eastward had it's own signal bit. A holdover from when that track could have been independently lined to the PRR
Now that all goes, and the PRR becomes even more disconnected in Chicago. As the new 501 will only connect to the CSX connection. The short PRR "storage" section will become an orphan.
CP 501 or should I call is CP 446 as it was originally called. Yes CP 446.
Let me go back.
Back when Conrail started in 1976. The west end of the ex NYC wasn't the most Flexible piece of railroad.
From porter west to where it swung over onto the PRR there was only CP 482, CP 482, CP 491, CP 500 (yes there used to be another CP 500, we will speak on that in another post) and then HICK and CP 505. (Hick in 1977 was a ghost of it's past and even future self. There was NO southward connection to the IHB, trains would interchange via the IHB yard on the north side. The IHB and the B&O crossed at a diamond in the interlocking. )
Eventually in the late 70s this all had to change, enter CP 446. YES! CP 446. When the PRR was diverted onto the NYC at 501. Someone saw fit to literally re milepost the NYC from Buffington to Whiting! I am sure this was all red team vrs green team here. The line used mileposts that were on the PRR measurement from the line from Fort Wayne! Whats more they gained the PRR track numbering. South to north they were 1 2 3 4. So they put in a new interlocking at 446. Hick got all the crossovers and connections for the IHB. CP 446 was designed for "equal access" from the ex PRR or the ex NYC the PRR double main connected to 1 and 2, the ex NYC double main connected to 3 and 4.
CP 446 had a few more crossovers on the south side for the PRR entering.(see picture below) Well this arrangement didn't last long. The ex PRR fell more and more out of favor as the 80s wore on.
By 1988 the current arrangement was in place. To better use the conenctions provided by CP 446 now renumbered to CP 501. The ex NYC south main was slid over to connect into CP 501 where the north main of the PRR connected in. The PRR was connected into this track, and a switch to the B&O was added. The two unneeded crossovers on the south side of the plant were simply removed.
Not all remnants of the former 446 layout were purged. Track 4 eastward had it's own signal bit. A holdover from when that track could have been independently lined to the PRR
Now that all goes, and the PRR becomes even more disconnected in Chicago. As the new 501 will only connect to the CSX connection. The short PRR "storage" section will become an orphan.