George Andrews Wrote:
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> OPB,Perhaps your explanation also applies here in
> the PNW. During trackwork upgrades for Seattle to
> Tacoma Sounder commuter trains, many new
> crossovers were built on the double track BNSF
> mainline. I have noticed that each end of a
> crossover now has a 'control point ' sign board
> installed. Many new signals have also appeared,
> some within 200 - 300 - yards of the next signal
> on that same track. In Auburn, WA., there are now
> 4 named control points, each with signals, in 8 /
> 10ths of a mile !!!( MP 21.0X to 21.8X) Once upon
> a time, this area was simply Auburn. Tacoma has 5
> CP's in the same 8 / 10ths of a mile. Has CTC
> really become that complicated ??? Or did the
> salesman for Stanray do a REALLY good job ??? Have
> operating crews really become that dumb ??? Or is
> the railroad simply trying to cover their ass from
> the lawyers ???

Hey George-- YOU and OPB should take note that LOTS of signals and crossovers in a relative short distance is nothing new in railroad signal lore. Whether you have ATC, CTC, ATS, PTC,
NX, XYZ or whatever... This type of approach has been done before.

Go way back many years in the annuals of San Francisco Bay Area rail history and you'll find that during the heyday of the KEY ROUTE, before the opening of the Bay Bridge, the "three mile" stretch of double track mainline, from the tip of the 16,500 foot KEY PIER to the 40th St & San Pablo Avenue junction point, contained an amazing array of "145" signals...
How'd you like to wire up all those babies ??

Cheers.

KRK