Relay Boxes Inside Depots?

[mudchicken]

At Lamy -no

At Raton before 1962, had interlocking machine used with overides when testing from the Las Vegas DS CTC plant during frequent failures prior to upgrade and dispatcher consolidation of 1962. (Western/Syracuse + Colorado/Pueblo + New Mexico/Las Vegas Divisions consolidated in old GM's Bldg at La Junta becoming the Colorado Division...Raton remained a CTC relay point after 1962 (that building always hummed and clicked and made wild noises)

[Anonymous]

Mud, did those depots have local CTC or interlocking machines? It sounds like it. In that case, it would make sense -- the depots are in effect, towers.

OS

[mudchicken]

ATSF Lamy, NM used to have relays, batteries and CTC circuits wired into the depot's freight house wall along with Raton, NM and a couple of smaller depots.

[Anonymous]

Pro for signal controls inside a depot: No rain and may be air conditioned.

Cons: In addition to those already listed add: Lookie lous in the station getting in your way and possibly putting fingers where they should not go.

[Anonymous]

dd, you said explicitly what I had assumed but didn't say: even if you were going to put the relays in the depot, you'd still want them in the case. So the cost actually goes up, because the cable runs get longer, plus, you have the fun of wrestling the case into the depot -- get ready to saw a hole in the roof so you can drop it in, and hope the floor will hold the weight! So the only advantage, if it even is one, is that the maintainer is inside protected from the elements on the infrequent occasion that maintenance is needed.

Frankly, from a maintainer's point of view, I'd much rather have it outside for my own convenience. I can get to it any time I want instead of having to arm-wrestle an agent to let me in to his precious depot, I can drive my truck with my tools and supplies right up to it, and the lighting so I can see what I am doing will almost always be better outside than in that dark depot. I don't have to walk back and forth carrying things, and when I drop the stick on a relay I can see the actual results, rather than have someone standing outside trying to tell me what's going on by yelling (through a brick wall!). And I am going to be outside much of the day anyway. All in all -- a really bad idea.

Good question, WIAR -- it reconfirmed to me that sometimes we really are doing it right, after all.

OS

[dldance]

RR control/signal systems are somewhat sensitive to their operating environment. Electronic systems are sensitive to heat and humidity. Older relay systems are very sensitive to dust and dirt. It is much easier to control the operating environment in a small relay box than a larger depot.

dd

[ValleyX]

Depots? What depots?

[MP57313]

13. Ever see what happens to an auto that runs into one?

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by O.S.

1. Depots burn down
OS

All too often.

[Anonymous]

I've seen one deep sixed by an errant cutting torch, and OS, I bet you've seen the same one.

[mvlandsw]

I've seen one completely demolished by a truck. It was poorly positioned on the outside of a right angle bend in a down grade road. The crossing gates and block signals were out of service for two weeks. I bet the driver's insurance company was surprised at the cost of replacing the small metal shed.

[Anonymous]

1. Depots burn down
2. Depots need the space
3. Extra cable length
4. Extra circuit resistance
5. Fewer places for water to leak into depot
6. Easier to construct, cable, recable
7. It's never a good idea to physically mix independent systems
8. Easier access for repairs
9. Don't need a key for the door
10. Things don't go missing out of depot when maintainer pays a visit.
11. Ask yourself why the electric meter for your house isn't on your living room wall.
12. Ever try to vandalize a case?
13. Ever see what happens to an auto that runs into one?

OS

[Anonymous]

Whenever I come-across a railroad depot that's near a grade-crossing
(or near a semaphore too), I think of this question:

I've often wondered why railroads never seem to locate the electrical
relay boxes for signals inside a depot when one is nearby? I've
often times found depots near grade-crossings and the signals
always have a separate relay box outside the depot building.

Wouldn't it make it more secure (from the standpoint of vandalism, or
possible damage from automobiles) to keep the electrical relays and
circuitry inside a depot building? I would have to think the signal
maintainers would appreciate working indoors if the depot was
reasonably close to the signals themselves.

Can anybody think of cases where this was done?