Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

Unread post by justalurker66 »

I assume the route is Colehour to Elkhart to Claypool to Fort Wayne to Muncie (and beyond)?

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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LakeATCS wrote:I am told we might be getting an NS MCP at Millford Jct to display the CSX.
I received 16 indications from the CSX MCP at Milford Junction yesterday morning (5125012051). The last was received 2016/04/18 10:04:23 (ET).

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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No new signals seen, but I did catch a northbound stack train on the Marion Branch this afternoon:


I first saw it in Wabash but didn't get in front of it until New Paris so I decided to catch it at Goshen College.

rob46580
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Interrail is busy wherever they have not covered. ...

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Good to hear ... I passed through on Memorial Day weekend and noticed that the last signals had been removed from the staging area at Claypool.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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No new signals at Milford ... but the new PTC/ATCS antenna is up:
Milford Jct
Milford Jct
Here is the PTC antenna at 23N ... with it's FCC registration number attached:
23N
23N
Registration Number: 1297910
Status: Constructed
Owner Name: Norfolk Southern Railway Company
Latitude/Longitude: 41-16-14.2N 085-51-00.3W
Structure City/State: Warsaw, IN
Overall Height Above Ground (AGL): 10.1
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSear ... ey=2697429

And for comparison, the new PTC/ATCS antenna at Claypool next to the old ATCS antenna:
Claypool
Claypool
Signal bases are in place at CP 21. The signals are at Claypool inside of the yard.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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While in Warsaw (which also has a new PTC/ATCS antenna) I saw this roll through, trailing behind a BNSF unit.
PCC Heritage June 25th.jpg
Note the flaked paint above the PC logo.

rob46580
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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paints been chipped like that for over 2 years now!

rob46580
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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cp 21 is no longer uncluttered......
Attachments
13661791_10206759292568606_3869447434276682661_o.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Hey, they didn't forget. :)

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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No changes at Milford Jct.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Changes at Milford Jct!
Milford-Feb9th.jpg
There is also an office/work trailer at Milford Jct and CP 21. I would not be surprised if the new signals are lit up over the next few weeks.

New diamond track panels are present at Milford Junction, ready for installation.
Milford-Diamond-Feb9th.jpg
BTW: I was listening to the radio as a northbound called signals including South Leesburg and North Leesburg. The southbound they met called CP 19 and CP 21.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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A quick trip Sunday afternoon ... no changes to note at Milford Jct except a couple of apparent trespassers parked in front of the diamond track panels pictured above.

I heard 18K call a clear signal at CP 412 Track 3 West (I wondered how a train coming from the Marion Branch would call that signal). I also saw 19K and 366 head south. And while I was at Milford Jct a Sperry truck went westbound over the diamonds while trains ran around it on the other track. 19K had a GoRail NS unit leading.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Setting Expectations/Need to Know - That is how I'll summarize what I am thinking about the Marion Branch today.

We have seen the installation of new signals at Milford Jct and Warsaw where traffic is not controlled by NS CTC. Milford Jct is controlled by CSX's CTC system (via satellite) and Warsaw is controlled by Rule 290 automatic signals. With the new signal installations antennas have been installed ... which gives us hope that status will be available from these two sites.

Unless it is converted to CTC I do not expect to see any control packets for Warsaw. So I am expecting status only. Seeing if there is a train in the approach blocks on CFER and the Marion Branch and which of the four directional signals are "clear". The Rule 290 signs are southbound just south of CP 21 and northbound just north of 30N. I expect to see advance occupancy as a Marion Branch train passes those points and a separate occupancy once the train passes 23S or 28N. From a programming standpoint a train passing the Rule 290 sign locations should request a clear signal in that train's direction from the interlocking at Warsaw and if that request is successful the signal at 23S or 28N would reflect a clear signal at Warsaw (Clear instead of Approach unless there is other occupancy). Once the train is past 23S or 28N the signal at Warsaw should not be changed to a more restrictive aspect. So setting expectations for the Marion Branch at Warsaw, I expect similar status to CTC controlled interlockings (just no control packets). I expect at least the approach occupancy on the CFER track. Should I expect an advance occupancy or signal status? At what point on CFER is Wabash cleared for an eastbound or westbound train? (There appears to be an approach signal for westbound trains on the track east of Warsaw, but the eastbound approach signal is out of service.)

As for Milford Jct that is in CSX's hands. Before conversion to satellite we could see full status from CSX's CTC system. If we see status through the new NS antennas at Milford Jct how much should we expect to see? From a "need to know" standpoint, NS does not need to know anything beyond whether the signal on their track is clear or not. NS does not need to know if a CSX train is present or approaching, which CSX tracks are in use or if trains are crossing over. All of that is in CSX's hands. So I expect minimal information from Milford Junction. I expect to see which signal is clear (northbound or southbound) and possibly the approach block occupancy (9S to Milford and Milford to 14N). If we see anything from the control side, I expect that will be limited to "request southbound", "request northbound" and "clear request" signals sent to CSX. And status for when the "request southbound" or "request northbound" have been accepted.

So setting expectations for these two locations ... does this make sense? Are there locations where CSX controls an interlocking and NS transmits status? Are there automatic interlockings such as Warsaw transmitting status? What should we expect?

LakeATCS
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

Unread post by LakeATCS »

Warsaw will become a full CTC controlled plant. NS has a control freak going on and automatics are falling all over.

Milford Junction will be a full echo of the CSX plant. (Like what was done with 229 and 230 in Muncie IN). You may even be able to take the old CSX decode and copy it over to the NS address.

As to the number of blocks you can see. Expect them to go way up.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Thanks for the update ... especially the reference to other locations.

LakeATCS
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Some more

CSX/NS at Liepsiec OH is now a full echo of the CSX side.
I&O/NS at Liepsiec OH is now a NS controled diamond CTC. Auto is gone.
West Thomaston is now a full CTC diamond.

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justalurker66
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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Still waiting for progress on the Marion Branch. The new diamonds at Milford Junction remain waiting to be installed.

LakeATCS
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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May at the earliest for cut over.

rob46580
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Re: Norfolk Southern Marion Branch

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The cutover on the branch must be pushed back a ways, the trailers at cp 21 and milford jct have left and there seems to be a lot of work and trailers now along chicago district east of claypool to ft wayne.

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