Gary Hunter Wrote:
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> Mr. Conductor, I think you are trying to
> differentiate between Contol Point (CP) signals
> and intermediate signals. For brevity I did not
> do so. The main point I was trying to make,
> whether or not a computer or a dispatcher is
> making routing decisiions, there is a need to
> assure that the proper color of a signal is being
> displayed. The more electronic, and less
> battery-relay intensive these systems become, the
> greater the need for such assurance. True, the
> dispatcher does not control the intermediates, but
> as far as I know, dispatcher CTC boards have
> always shown the display aspect of signals, or at
> least occupation status of the block. I seem to
> recall that, historically, some head-ons have
> occurred due to signal maintainers installing
> gravity sensitive relays upside down (accidentally
> of course). The signal will not display correctly
> even if it receives the proper command. Even if a
> signal is an intermediate (block) one, feedback on
> its actual optical output is safety enhancing even
> if it simply compares an occupation status against
> the actual output. Let me put it this way. If
> any given block is occupied, the next block should
> display a red for opposing traffic, and the
> previous block should also diplay a red for
> following traffic. It would not be technically
> complex to have either the dispatcher or the
> computer control system, or both generate an alarm
> if either of those two signals display anything
> but a red. When a dispatcher "sets up" a CP
> signal, it is also easy to compare the command
> against the actual display. Whether or not CTC
> systems display the color of a given signal, it
> seems to me that such feedback could only be
> interpreted as safety enhancement. Given the
> penetration of electronic systems into
> railroading, turning code lines into broadband
> repeaters could also give engineers a video view
> of the dispatchers console with signal-specific
> display info (indispensible for low visibilty
> situations). This could improve or enhance the
> nature of cab-coded signalling. That is really
> only the surface of what could be done with such a
> backbone. Voice communications and data could be
> easily implemented. Think about it. Track
> bulletins, slow orders, even manifest info.
> Instead of prohibiting cell phones, the RRs should
> give train crew cell phones that only connect with
> the RR system. This isn't futuristic. The
> technology is here now.

Thank you for a polite response :)

I stare at the UP CAD screens for forty hours a week and know without a doubt that they don't display the signal aspects at control points. They show green for route lined. "Red" indicates an occupancy such as a train, yellow will show up as a route lined without a clear path ahead. As I mentioned it is easy to infer what aspect the signal may show with any minimal knowledge of the territory. With that being said, and as you said, I can't imagine it would take much to make aspects available at the dispatcher desks.

I believe the reason (or at least one) that the dispatchers don't know the signal aspects it to keep them from relaying to crews upcoming signals.