DISPATCHER, CTC AND YARD CONTROLS

[BRAKIE]

WestIslandRon

In the transition era (1950's) on a major freight line division point yard, would the Dispatcher (using CTC), have control over the yard's Arrival and Departure tracks? Specifically, would the Yardmaster turn over control of the A/D ladder turnouts within the yard to the Dispatcher who would set them from his location? Was this done anywhere on any of the Class I's of that era?

Tower operators and switchtenders controlled the inbound/outbound tracks.

I don't think CTC inbound/outbound yard operation would work because of the various yard movements.

Even in the mid 60s we had to get permission from High Street to enter the inbound yard so a switchtender could line us into the correct inbound yard track. The switchtender usually waved a yellow flag for entrance.He was notified by High Street of our arrival.

[7j43k]

I'm not an expert in the field, but I strongly doubt it.  Consider, for example, that CTC is fully signalled.  Including track detection circuits.  And it's interlocked.  I've never seen a yard like that.

So:  NO.

 

But I would like to hear from folks on just how the interface between yards and a CTC mainline would work.  I would assume there would be signals facing the yard at the yard/CTC interface.  And the engineers would do what the signals said.  And those signals would be under the influence of the dispatcher.

I do wonder if there would be signals at the same location facing the other direction--towards the CTC controlled trackage.  Those would not be controlled by the dispatcher (I think).  Perhaps there would be a yard tower that would do that.  IF there were such signals.

 

Ed

[WestIslandRon]

In the transition era (1950's) on a major freight line division point yard, would the Dispatcher (using CTC), have control over the yard's Arrival and Departure tracks?  Specifically, would the Yardmaster turn over control of the A/D ladder turnouts within the yard to the Dispatcher who would set them from his location?  Was this done anywhere on any of the Class I's of that era?