What the heck is a "Deadman's Switch"?

[Anonymous]

I was recently walking the tracks on dallas' DGNO shortline at 14th street and shiloh "branch", and there are two switchs one that allows the track to be alligned so DGNO can access the KCS main, and the other, looked like it used to go to a wharehouse loading dock, but dosent go any where, when it is not alligned to allow trains to pass, the switch basicly just allows the cars or train to just "fall off the track" this switch is labeled "deadman's switch" is this just here in place of a derail, or what. the lock on it is KCS. don't know if that matters or not.

[edblysard]

Hi Chris,
Need a little more info, is the label a sign, attached to the switch stand, or something handwritten? Also, is there a sign on the switch with a V or S? If so, this might be a spring switch or a variable switch. If the track leading up to this point is at the bottom of a incline, or at the bottom of a yard lead, it might be just what you thought, a derail of sorts. Some railroads had a "runaway" track, one designed to allow a manual diversion of a car or locomotive that had runaway, often located at the bottom of a grade, designed to allow you to divert a car or train off the main, into a short siding or stub track, with a dirt bumper at the end. The bumper was not always there, some were designed to allow the car to just run off the tracks into a feild. The idea behind this was that it was better to intentionaly derail a runaway that to allow it to continue on the main, where it could strike another train, you get the idea...see if you can come up with a DGNO or KCS timetable, old or new, it should contain a listing for this switch.
Check around the switch for a mile marker, and talk to a crew who works the area if you can..
Ed

[Anonymous]

Chris, sounds like a derail to me. I have seen quite a few of these on industry spurs. When the point is lined for the derail position, it should derail a movement headed for main track, etc. It probably is not a good idea for you to be dinking around inspecting the locks of these appliances. I sure know that I get nervous when approaching these fixtures and there is somebody other than an employee messing around in the area. It doesn't matter if your intentions are malicious or not, it is just bad business. When I see people around these items, I stop the movement and inspect that appliance, no matter what! Have heard too many horror stories and don't want to put anything on the ground. You just never know what people are up to these days. Not saying that you would do something bad, you just have to be safe. Since the new terrorist worry has surfaced, I would probably call the Bulls out if I seen anybody around the tracks.

[Anonymous]

hey, thanks, sorry I haven't responded earlier to your postings, but i was on christmas vacation, skiing in lake Tahoe (and watching operations on Donner Pass) but anyways, the forementioned switch has a rectangular "Deadman's Switch" sign mounted on the switch - post, at the end of an intustrial spur, but it is built so that the car that runs over the unalined switch, will just fall off the rails, so that it is stratling the rail. there is no spring on the switch, and no 'berm' to run into. i do think that it is a derail, but if so, wouldn't it be cheaper (and easier to maintain) to install an actual derail device, instead of practicaly building an entire switch? (P.S. being in Boy Scouts i "operate" under a "look but don't touch, leave no trace" principal.)

[edblysard]

Hey, Chris,
It may just have been cheaper to alter an exsisting switch. And an actual derail would do the same thing, put a set of wheels on the ground, one side inside the rail, one side outside. The idea is to stop the car from going futher, and to inflict as little damage to the car as you can. Plus, the closer to the rails, the easier to re-rail the car. And the railfan saying, "take only photographs, leave only footprints" is a good idea...
Ed

[cabforward]

there are many (but not frequent) stories of cars and engines jumping over derails.. how front and rear trucks can do that without flying out of alignment is weird.. derail switches require maintenance and careful use, but they are more likely to work if needed.

[Anonymous]

that saying is true for backcountry hiking/backpackong/camping as well... thanks guys and as ED says: "Stay Frosty" ;-)

[edblysard]

Hi Chris,
Just a idea, but I think what you may have is a split point derail. If you are really bugged about it, see if you can find a timetable from the road that owns the main track. Get a milepost number from the nearest milepost marker to the switch, and look in the front of the timetable. It should be listed on the route map, if not, it will be listed in the special instructions. Keep in mind a lot of trackage in and around cities are jointly owned, or other railroads have trackage rights over them, so you may find the answer in two of three diffrent timetables. In SPs timetable, dated 1992, page 5 for the Commerce District shows a split derail at milepost 632.3 (tower 60). You may want to go look and see if its the same thing.
Stay frosty,
and I heard that saying in boy scouts also, about being on federal game perserve property while watching/photographing falcons.
Ed