While looking through a 1953 RF&P ETT, I was a little bit surprised to see that there several signals with the "G" sign on them--19 southbound and 12 northbound. Only two locations had the "G" sign on both sides of the hill.
I also noted that the RF&P had ATC from Broad Street in Richmond to the north end of the track (RO Tower; 3.5 miles from the station in Washington).
Johnny
Deggesty While looking through a 1953 RF&P ETT, I was a little bit surprised to see that there several signals with the "G" sign on them--19 southbound and 12 northbound. Only two locations had the "G" sign on both sides of the hill. I also noted that the RF&P had ATC from Broad Street in Richmond to the north end of the track (RO Tower; 3.5 miles from the station in Washington).
There are several 'grades' on the RF&P - Franconia hill, pulling up from the Potomac River valley from DC. The Summit grade pulling up from the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg - there is also a grade leaving Richmond as one leaves the James River valley. Any time a railroad moves away from a river valley, the line is on a grade - REMEMBER, no matter the grade, the carriers will max out their train sizes to the tonnage limits of the ruling grade. While in 'mountain' territory, the ruling grade may be 2%, in other territories the ruling grade may only be 0.3%, but when a train is loaded to the maximum tonnage for the territory, the 'G' markers are needed to keep those tonnage trains moving.
Train Control is still in effect on the RF&P.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Yes, the first NB grade signal was at signal 116 (Elmont).
596 (north of Fredericksburg) had a "G" on it. 549 (south of Fredericksburg) did not have a "G" on it.
Summit Station was at M.P. 51.5; Signal 51.6 (just north of Summit), had no "G;" 498 did and 549, 537, and 517 each had a "G."
South Franconia was at M.P. 98.0. 1023/1023A,1013/1013A, 1003/1003A, 993/993A each had a "G", which shows that it was a long pull up from the Potomac. NB, only 994/994A had the "G."
There was also ATS on Tracks 2 & 3 between AF and RO, for the benefit of the Southern, the C&O, and the B&O.
I take it that the Amtrak engines that operate south of Washington through Richmond have both ATS and ATC and so may run through Richmond?
Deggesty Yes, the first NB grade signal was at signal 116 (Elmont). 596 (north of Fredericksburg) had a "G" on it. 549 (south of Fredericksburg) did not have a "G" on it. Summit Station was at M.P. 51.5; Signal 51.6 (just north of Summit), had no "G;" 498 did and 549, 537, and 517 each had a "G." South Franconia was at M.P. 98.0. 1023/1023A,1013/1013A, 1003/1003A, 993/993A each had a "G", which shows that it was a long pull up from the Potomac. NB, only 994/994A had the "G." There was also ATS on Tracks 2 & 3 between AF and RO, for the benefit of the Southern, the C&O, and the B&O. I take it that the Amtrak engines that operate south of Washington through Richmond have both ATS and ATC and so may run through Richmond?
In the 'olden' days, RO was the North End of Potomac Yard. B&O & PRR engines did not need to be Train Control equipped to operate into or out of Potomac Yard.
Can't speak to the olden days, but until recently there was a TTSI the NS engines operating North of AF did not need to be TC equipped; I suspect this was a grandfathered TTSI from the days of the Southern and C&O which had trackage rights over the Southern to operate into Potomac Yard for freight and Washington Union Station for passenger. Amtrak's engines are properly equipped to operate on the RF&P Sub.
I was wondering about B&O engines operating down to AF; I knew that the Southern and C&O used the RF&P between AF and RO (and that the C&O had rights on the Southern between AF and Orange).
I have long found it interesting that when the Orange and Alexandria first came in to Charlottesville, it utilized a track which it had built from Orange to Gordonsville, and then used what became the C&O (the Virginia Central?) in to Charlottesvlle--and in later years the Orange-Gordonsville track was acquired by the C&O, and the mileposts now are C&O.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.