erikthered wrote:Zapp, if I understand what's going on with the bridges correctly, does this mean you can raise and lower a drawbridge remotely? Don't you have to be present at the bridge (or have someone present) to insure there is no river traffic going under the bridge? Back in a previous, more affluent life I sailed boats in Connecticut. The sailboat I crewed had to wait for a drawbridge to open to leave Mystic Seaport for open water (the seaport is a museum located up a river.) Back at that time the bridge was controlled by a bridge keeper, who raised the bridge promptly at quarter after the hour, once an hour. If you weren't ready to move when the bridge went up, that was too bad... you waited another hour
Back in a previous, more affluent life I sailed boats in Connecticut. The sailboat I crewed had to wait for a drawbridge to open to leave Mystic Seaport for open water (the seaport is a museum located up a river.) Back at that time the bridge was controlled by a bridge keeper, who raised the bridge promptly at quarter after the hour, once an hour. If you weren't ready to move when the bridge went up, that was too bad... you waited another hour
Some bridges are also controlled by the DS now days... They can have an RF link that provides video of the waterway, radio reception of the boats, and a control link to move the bridge.Davehttp://www.dpdproductions.com- Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -
So far, I've only seen it on branch lines that handle a handful of trains a day, where speeds are slow and traffic is light to begin with.
Bridges around here, where the traffic is fast and heavy, are still manned.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
Thanks, Nick. Now it makes sense. I guess there is some savings for the railroad in terms of not having a full time bridgekeeper, but I wonder how much time a crew loses slowing down for a bridge, stopping, lowering the bridge, getting started, and crossing the bridge?
Erik
IIRC, it's been a while since I've been down that way.
There is a warning bell, and the bridge drops almost immediately.
There is a delay after the train clears the circuit before the bridge goes back up.
Larry & Erik,
The bridges in question are normally open. You approach the bridge prepared to stop. You stop on the bridge's island circuit (much like a grade crossing).
After ensuring there is no water traffic (BTW water traffic is suppose to have the right of way), you punch the bridge code in, and the bridge goes down. If the tone doesn't work (which is usually) a crew member has to walk over the box with manual controls to lower the bridge.
After you clear the circuit for the bridge, it goes back up.
erikthered wrote: Zapp, if I understand what's going on with the bridges correctly, does this mean you can raise and lower a drawbridge remotely? Don't you have to be present at the bridge (or have someone present) to insure there is no river traffic going under the bridge? Back in a previous, more affluent life I sailed boats in Connecticut. The sailboat I crewed had to wait for a drawbridge to open to leave Mystic Seaport for open water (the seaport is a museum located up a river.) Back at that time the bridge was controlled by a bridge keeper, who raised the bridge promptly at quarter after the hour, once an hour. If you weren't ready to move when the bridge went up, that was too bad... you waited another hour. I would hate to be sailing a boat and have a drawbridge impale itself on my stick. It would really be tacky if said bridge was operated by a train crew a few miles away.... Erik
Zapp, if I understand what's going on with the bridges correctly, does this mean you can raise and lower a drawbridge remotely? Don't you have to be present at the bridge (or have someone present) to insure there is no river traffic going under the bridge?
Back in a previous, more affluent life I sailed boats in Connecticut. The sailboat I crewed had to wait for a drawbridge to open to leave Mystic Seaport for open water (the seaport is a museum located up a river.) Back at that time the bridge was controlled by a bridge keeper, who raised the bridge promptly at quarter after the hour, once an hour. If you weren't ready to move when the bridge went up, that was too bad... you waited another hour.
I would hate to be sailing a boat and have a drawbridge impale itself on my stick. It would really be tacky if said bridge was operated by a train crew a few miles away....
I'd have to believe that the rules/timetable would call for the crew to have the bridge in view before lowering it (since many bridges are now left in the up position unless needed for rail traffic). It may also work like the gate to our vehicle storage yard - you punch in the combination, the alarm starts beeping, then 5-10 seconds later, the gate actually starts to close.
Railroad safety would demand that you have a radio controlled switch in sight before moving it.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
zapp wrote: Or they might be calling up a switch. We call it poor man's CTC. We have a couple of switch's we can tone up and we'll line ourselves into the siding.
Or they might be calling up a switch. We call it poor man's CTC.
We have a couple of switch's we can tone up and we'll line ourselves into the siding.
I'd forgetten about that. We have some drawbridges that work the same way.
The first set of tones is the crew calling the Dispatcher. The second tone is the Dispatcher's computer acknowledging someone is calling.
If you hear the tones at the END of a converstaion, it's likely someone pressed the wrong buttons when changing channels.
For radio phone service (at least on CSX and CR) the radio's transmitting and receiveing channels must be set to the phone channels. The transmitting channel is different from the recieving channel. Then you have to have the code to access the tower. The code occationally changes. Once you access the system, it sounds like your talking underwater.
How the DTMF tones (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) are used varies by railroad. I hear CSX in my area key in several tones, which are followed by a single tone - undoubted proof to the crew calling that they keyed the tones correctly. Shortly thereafter (unless they are busy with someone else) the DS comes on and whatever business they need to transact goes on. As has been mentioned, many dispatchers handle multiple territories on multiple towers, so a simple "Hey Dispatcher" just won't cut it.
On another hand, on some railroads, the tones open up a phone link with the dispatcher, as eolafan relates. The Adirondack works that way with MA&N. Usually we just use the phone at the station, but if time is of the essence, the engine crew will tone up the DS from the locomotive to handle business (it's the only radio that will make the trip to the tower in question - handhelds won't). Last time I heard that effort it took a couple of tries to get an answer.
eolafan wrote:I have also heard these "tones" but normally only when I am using my rooftop antenna with my scanner, but not if I only use my rubber ducky antenna.
I get those when I'm in/south of the I-55 corridor coming out of Downtown to the NS tollroad, and all over the south side suburbs. I have a 36" magnetic whip in the back of my SUV, stuck to an old tie plate, so I get a little extra range.
Sometimes, it rings and rings and rings and finally a recording says: "I'm sorry, but the number you've dialed is unavailable as dialed. Please hang up and dial again."
Makes me mad because it ties up the scanner for minutes at a time.
chad thomas wrote:It lets the dispacher know someone is trying to get a hold of them. The DS often has several radio tower sites in there territory and can't always monitor them all. So this tone alerts them tat someone in a towers territory is trynig to call them.
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