blue streak 1 wrote:Airplanes had the same problem but in the 1980's a FAA AD (airworthiness directive) required all wiring repairs to be Kapton wiring. One agency not telling another of a problem. Do RR's use Kapton?
Not in signals except in some minor applications. It's too expensive.
RWM
Searching for ""false proceed" and CSX, I found the Ironwood Tecnologies, Inc. database - apparently compiled from the responses to "Freedom of Information Act" ("FOIA") requests to the FRA for these reports - that has a reference to this incident:
http://ironwoodtech.com/researchcenter/falseproceeds/railroad/csxt.pdf
See the bottom of Page 24 of 38 - Report # 246, 8/8/2000, CSXT, CTC Block System, Signal 6L, Cause: "Failed Equipment or Device - Electrical Ground (not in underground or aerial cable)".
I didn't know there was such a database. It's all interesting reading.
- Paul North.
At least "Two signals with possibly faulty wiring" were located on the line from Tampa to Miami.
This apparently was the result of an "inspection" by CSX, not an "investigation", in response to the original incident.
Refer to the following articles at the "HighBeam Research" subscription service ("pay-for-access", which I haven't yet):
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-30966891.html - "RR SIGNALS WITH POSSIBLY BAD WIRING FOUND IN FLA." by Chuck McGinness, Staff Writer of The Plam Beach Post, datelined August 18, 2000; and,
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-30894382.html and http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-533272.html - "CSX Signal Failure in Va. Could Have Caused a Crash; Fredericksburg Incident Prompts Wiring Check" by Don Phillips of the Washoington Post, datedlined August 17, 2000.
Note that this second article uses the term 'rare "false-proceed" indication' similar to the text of your message - "false proceed (green)", but your heading is "False Green", and Railway Man (above) used "false-clear". I found these articles using the "Advanced Archive Search" of Google News, and venture to say that you might find more references by searching with various combinations of these terms and the other data in my response to Railway Man's comment below.
Railway Man - Both articles states that the incident occurred on August 8, 2000 at the Fredericksburg, Virginia station on CSX and involved a CSX Transportation, Inc. freight train, a northbound Virginia Railway Express (VRE) commuter train, and a northbound Amtrak Auto Train. Perhaps these additional details will help you find a report or notice of this incident in the FRA database that you mentioned above.
Hope this is helpful.
Good to know. I take it 'false greens' are rather rare.
TC Green was a common type of interior signal wire used for instrument houses, interlocking machines, etc., manufactured from 1948 to 1962. The insulation deteriorated much more rapidly than was anticipated, becoming brittle, which led to grounds and shorts occuring. Most, if not all, of the TC green wire has been replaced by now.
The problems with TC green were known by 2000 and railroads were already in the process of replacing it by that date.
I looked in a FRA database of false-clear indications and couldn't find this instance.
On page 29 of the Nov 2000 Trains, there is a comment in 'Scanner' that said a CSX crew noticed a false proceed (green) signal near Fredericksburg, VA. They were able to successfully prevent a collision between two passenger trains (VRE and AutoTrain).
The item went on to mention that an investigation of TC Green signal wires followed; did anything ever come of this?
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