Spiking a switch

[mudchicken]

Reasons why you spike ANY switch:

(*) It's more effective & absolute than a red flag (i.e. DO NOT USE)
(1) Defective switch
(2) Defect somewhere in the body of a track
(3) Switch points gap & won't close (switch point to stock rail)...common in curves where switches really should not be
(4) Safety issue/ (Do not use, close clearance, bad footing, work in progress on adjoining track, hole, etc.)
(5) Track not owned by RR, track owner upset about cars stored on his track
(6) industry track in contractual dispute or lack of proper contract (track not a team track & therefore a violation of Elkins Anti-Trust Act.....railroad could be accused of playing favorites & granting special favors)
(7) a lot of roadmasters will take an unused track out of service, spike the switch and remove the frog until somebody justifyably howls for it. This saves money on monthly inspections and wear and tear on the frog. In a lot of cases on industrial track, the railroad owns the track from the switch (out of main track, lead or drill track) to the railroad clearance point or railroad R/W line. The industry owns and maintains (or is supposed to) the remainining track. This is usually spelled out in terms of a license agreement or contract between the railroad and industry/ land owner.,

and (8) roadmaster reminding operating guys (train crew, trainmaster, yardmaster, dispatcher and supt.) who really owns the track and is responsible for it. (p.s.- you don't do the steering either!)

If the switch is spiked, there usually must be a posted notice (to train crews) and the switch stand is tagged/ marked so folks like Ed don't try to throw a switch that is in effect "locked up".....

Almost all switch plates that support the end of the switch point have square holes in them just for the purpose of skiking a switch shut and keeping it closed.

Trainmasters where I worked used to accuse me of running around after hours in the dark, spiking switches, just to spite them. I never could understand how i could be working after hours when I was "on-call" 24/7 and did not have set hours.

Zardoz: Your "new switches" are technically called variable switches and the "old style" switches are "rigid"....Ed & I would like to know how you managed to get into an out of service track to run thru the spiked switch. Pull the spike at the OTHER end to get in?

Mudchicken

[Mookie]

thank you!

[Mookie]

thank you!

[zardoz]

Mookie-
Exactly. That is when a MOW person actually drives a spike into a tie to prevent the switch points from moving. Done usually when the switch is not working correctly, or sometimes to protect a segment of track from being entered (when the track has no other means of protection). Many of the 'new' switches the CNW used in it's yards were of the type that a train could "run through" them without damaging the switch (to 'run through' is to proceed through a trailing point switch without lining the switch points for the correct route). This procedure was considered a rule violation, and was only done (at least on purpose) at locations where there was no supervisor present.

The "old style" switches were designed differently; if a train trailed through them without being lined correctly, many parts of the switch would break, making the switch unusable until it was "spiked" into place. Trailing through a damaged switch was no problem, but doing a facing-point move through a damaged switch was an easy way to derail equipment.

jim

[zardoz]

Mookie-
Exactly. That is when a MOW person actually drives a spike into a tie to prevent the switch points from moving. Done usually when the switch is not working correctly, or sometimes to protect a segment of track from being entered (when the track has no other means of protection). Many of the 'new' switches the CNW used in it's yards were of the type that a train could "run through" them without damaging the switch (to 'run through' is to proceed through a trailing point switch without lining the switch points for the correct route). This procedure was considered a rule violation, and was only done (at least on purpose) at locations where there was no supervisor present.

The "old style" switches were designed differently; if a train trailed through them without being lined correctly, many parts of the switch would break, making the switch unusable until it was "spiked" into place. Trailing through a damaged switch was no problem, but doing a facing-point move through a damaged switch was an easy way to derail equipment.

jim

[Anonymous]

it actually is meant to keep rolling stock off of that set of rails, due to a defect that will be fixed at a later date

[Anonymous]

it actually is meant to keep rolling stock off of that set of rails, due to a defect that will be fixed at a later date

[Mookie]

means? (does it have something to do with keeping it open one way?)

Jen

[Mookie]

means? (does it have something to do with keeping it open one way?)

Jen