> The verbage 'code lines' is what we Trainmen say when referring to any wayside string of utility poles with wire. Whether they actually facilitate the use of code or not is immaterial to us. It is simply a reference to the infrastructure.

Don't matter what excuses you come up with, referring to line wires (the proper term) as "code lines" is misleading and uninformed for the simple reason that ABS doesn't use codes.

> Something must power up the signals,

Batteries in the signal cases, which are floated by battery chargers. The battery power is also the signal control, which uses from zero to three or four line wires. The power for the battery chargers comes through AC distribution lines strung on the same crossarms. These don't use codes either.

CTC does use code lines, between 2 and four of them, and to the lay observer, they look virtually the same as ABS line wires. CTC also uses ABS line wires for intermediate signal control, hence the confusion.

It all depends on whether you want to appear correct or uninformed in your pronoucements: no CTC = line wires; CTC = some code lines.