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Thanks for the update. What page are you on in Rand Mcnally? Don't know if this helps... In order to work those connections when not in an interlocking area ...Approaching the connection when connection facing (i.e. route ahead diverges) the train would have to slow almost to a stop... someone (fireman or a brakesman) would go ahead. Contact controlling Dispatcher (if appropriate) Get permission and a remote (electrical) release or unlock the groundthrow... [don't know if you used common keys or specific keys... latter would require collecting and returning before and after]. Work the groundthrow (and secure... so blades don't move under train) Once the train has cleared the connection (is "safe inside") the Dispatcher will have to be re-contacted, the road reset and then the Dispatcher advised With diesel/steam changeover period you will have caboose... so it would be possible for the conductor (or a brakesman) to reset the connection... this becomes more of a problem with no caboose... switch operator would have to wait for train to pass and reset switch and then walk back to head of train...you WALK on most Rights of Way I know of... running can cause the planet to get up and smack you in the face. This tends to hurt and delay the train. The train would always have to wait while the crew completes the job on the ground and rejoins the train. When the connection is trailing (i.e. the routes ahead converge)... The train will have to stop dead short of the connection if it is set against the move while the procedure is gone through. The train might drop off someone from the head end if no caboose or to save time... contacting the Dispatcher while the train draws clear. Clearly, if the road is originally set for the train we are looking at drawing forward to a stand and then making a back-up move (setting back here). Either way, if anyone has dropped off the head end, they can be picked up again with a backup move... otherwise above applies again. This is where time keeps adding up if there is no interlocking. I would certainly reckon that the WP lines across the wye would have added to the reasons for the tower in this case. There is more to get wrong where there are conflicting routes but no connections to tie things up mechanically. One thing that happened here... during WWII a lot of connections, extra lines, depots and other stuff were added because of the massive rise in traffic... particularly ahead of D day. This meant many new Signal boxes (Towers) which were mostly either full time Block Posts (Keeping trains apart along length of line) or capable of being opened as Block Posts when needed. Something similar MAY have happened over there... where a military or any other depot opened... a new or additional connection may have increased the traffic level enough to require a tower... would the State have paid for it? ... or Washington? I guess the same applies with cold war installations...
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