Home Signal Question

[Sal151]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm a new Train Operator and recently I've noticed something on Home Signals that I've never payed attention to. Now its gotten to the point, that I HAVE to know what this thing is (i'm just annoying like that). Anyway, I work in the IRT ( A - Division) and not sure if these boxes are in the B - division which i'm sure they probably are. 

 

But here's a question to all you old timers..and new guys and gals who know their transit stuff....

 

Have you ever noticed on home signals / interlockings  those boxes that have two lights on them? (some have just one bulb)  And when you open them there's a old phone inside? 

 

1) What is the name of this box?

2) When were they installed?

3) When where they discontinued?

4) How did they work exactly? Was the home signal at danger and the box was lit up telling the T/O to pick up the phone?

5) Who did the T/O speak to on the other end? A tower operator? Control?

6) Do they still work? 

7) Where they on the "old IRT" signals?

 

Thanks everyone.

 

 

Sal

[Sal151]

Wow, over 140 views and no one knows. Are they that ancient? How can I post a picture? I'll put up a few pics of the phones.

 

Sal

[elantra06]

Well before we had portable radios thats probably how train operators may have communicated to the towers for their routes. As a new T/O I wouldn't be worried about that. If the TSS's didn't teach you that in schoolcar then it isn't important. I saw those when I finally got out on the road and pretty much could tell what it was. That's why we have portable radios now.

[itmaybeokay]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm a new Train Operator and recently I've noticed something on Home Signals that I've never payed attention to. Now its gotten to the point, that I HAVE to know what this thing is (i'm just annoying like that). Anyway, I work in the IRT ( A - Division) and not sure if these boxes are in the B - division which i'm sure they probably are. 

 

But here's a question to all you old timers..and new guys and gals who know their transit stuff....

 

Have you ever noticed on home signals / interlockings  those boxes that have two lights on them? (some have just one bulb)  And when you open them there's a old phone inside? 

 

1) What is the name of this box?

2) When were they installed?

3) When where they discontinued?

4) How did they work exactly? Was the home signal at danger and the box was lit up telling the T/O to pick up the phone?

5) Who did the T/O speak to on the other end? A tower operator? Control?

6) Do they still work? 

7) Where they on the "old IRT" signals?

 

Thanks everyone.

 

 

Sal

 

Is this what you're talking about? 

 

 

That's a train order signal, and I believe it translated to "Stop and stay" if red until you called and got new orders from the tower. Pretty much rendered irrelevant with the advent of radios. 

[Vistausss]

But question 7 still remains: do they still work?

 

(yes, now I'm also curious lol)

[Sal151]

Yeah Elantra06, we aren't taught it because they aren't used anymore. But I've always been curious as to how the job has changed over the years and I love old school retro things from back in the day like these phones and the very old  route punches that are still up throughout the system. I see these phones all around the system ( A-Div) and just want to know about them now.  

 

itmaybeokey, no it isn't a train order signal. But has the characteristics of one.

 

Check out these pictures.

 

 

http://www.imageshack.com/scaled/large/600/bnxa.jpg

 

http://www.imageshack.com/scaled/large/600/sd8i.jpg

[itmaybeokay]

Are they almost always next to the route selection panels? Maybe, similar to a train order signal, it was if the tower needed to tell the T/O that he wasn't getting the lineup he punched for whatever reason, before radios were universally on all trains? A bit of speculation, but an educated guess. 

 

EDIT: I actually found the damn thing. 

 

ROUTE REQUEST TELEPHONE

3.67© A telephone used in conjunction with certain Home Signals to permit Train Operators to speak directly to the Tower Operators operating said signals. The telephone box is equipped with an exte- rior white light which, when illuminated, indicates that the Train Operator MUST use said telephone to communicate with the tower. Inside the box, a pushbutton is used to signal the Tower Operator that a Train Operator wishes to communicate with the tower. 

 

 

I mean, the illustration only shows one light, but that HAS to be it. Your photo even shows the pushbutton inside the box :-)

[Sal151]

Oh cool! Where did you find that? In the current rulebook? Or an older rulebook? 

 

After reading that description that sounds exactly what the phones are and what they where used for. I've asked a few senior T/Os that started in the 80s and they all said that they boxes were used to contact control center. They never actually used the phones themselves while operating back in the day so I take it maybe they are guessing. But nice job finding that info. I take it you got curious after a while and wanted to know as well eh?

 

Now, that we have that info a few questions remain...

 

1) What years were they in use?

2) When did Transit stop using them? My guess is the early to mid 80s. Probably 82-83

3) By the way, what year were T/Os issued radios?

 

Sal

[Vistausss]

1) After reading the description on that image my guess would be that they're never been put OOS. In case the T/O's radio fails, he/she could use the box as a backup.

[Sal151]

1) After reading the description on that image my guess would be that they're never been put OOS. In case the T/O's radio fails, he/she could use the box as a backup.

That makes sense in theory but in Transit these things are old and dusty. They aren't maintained and a lot of the boxes are missing phones and have bad wiring. Plus a lot of the towers in the A Division have been removed, so there's no need for them. 

[itmaybeokay]

Oh cool! Where did you find that? In the current rulebook? Or an older rulebook? 

 

After reading that description that sounds exactly what the phones are and what they where used for. I've asked a few senior T/Os that started in the 80s and they all said that they boxes were used to contact control center. They never actually used the phones themselves while operating back in the day so I take it maybe they are guessing. But nice job finding that info. I take it you got curious after a while and wanted to know as well eh?

 

Now, that we have that info a few questions remain...

 

1) What years were they in use?

2) When did Transit stop using them? My guess is the early to mid 80s. Probably 82-83

3) By the way, what year were T/Os issued radios?

 

Sal

 

Yeah, started bugging me as well and I had to know.

 

Found it in the 2003 rulebook - and the verbiage there is a direct copy so it's possible they were even still in use in 2003. I don't have older or newer books to compare (nor should I probably even have this one...)

 

No idea about when the operators started being issued radios. I was going to look up the renewal history of some of the FCC licenses to try and figure out a rough estimate, but the FCC website doesn't work what with the govt shutdown and all... 

[FriedChikkin]

Train Order signals can still be issued from towers–not sure if they can be issued via ATS but the ones (trigger buttons) I've seen usually have a plastic cover over them to prevent accidental activation. On top of turning red they'll also activate the stop arm. Yes, it's a Stop & Stay and Call Control Center Immediately.