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Whistle Post? Yes— Ring Post???

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  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Whistle Post? Yes— Ring Post???
Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 12:19 PM

Hello to all,

Anyone who has even a passing interest in the Late, Great Pennsylvania Railroad becomes aware of their unique keystone signage. Station and tower signs were either keystone shaped or had a keystone featured in the center of the sign.

So, while browsing through a book of PRR plans and standards that I have, I came across the page reproduced below. My first inclination was to assume that the [R] was a "Resume Speed" sign. Nope... reading further it becomes clear that this is a RING sign! In all my years Whistling I was never aware of such a sign.

 

I just thought it would be an interesting bit of PRR trivia to pass along and perhaps a little detail you could use on your layout that would leave the "experts" scratching their heads!

Take care, Ed

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 2:52 PM

Apparently the 'Ring"' sign was used where the bell would be sounded in lieu of a whistle signal.  That was only likely to happen in places where the locals had passed some kind of anti-whistle law.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - wuth bell-free locomotives)

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,312 posts
Posted by locoi1sa on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 4:35 PM

  Chuck.

The ring signs were on the outskirts of yards and stations. PRR rule book was to ring bell pulling into and leaving stations and yards.

   These plans are online too. Intersting reading. It really was the standard railroad of the world. They had a standard plan for everything. http://prr.railfan.net/standards/

   Pete

 I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!

 I started with nothing and still have most of it left!

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Thursday, February 6, 2014 4:49 AM

Here's a little insight.

The R post was a joke and most engineers ignored it and started ringing the engine bell according to ETT rules govern the use of the bell and whistle which was just before stations,at road and street crossings and while passing track workers..

In Grandview Heights(a suburb of Columbus) you couldn't use bell or whistle between 1-3 pm and from 10pm- 7am.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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