Block signal installation, Hydro Electric Railways, Toronto & York District, Metropolitan Division.
The portion of the Hydro Electric Railways, Toronto & York District, Metropolitan Division, from the southern terminus at the Toronto city limits to Morgan's siding, mile 4.78, is being equipped with a block signal system. There will be 5 blocks as shown in the accompanying plan. In addition, signals, with manually operated levers to change the indications of the signals at either end of the block, will be located in 1, 3 and 5.
The signals to be used, Nachod type CD, will indicate to the motorman if the block is clear, let him know when he has set the signal at the other end of a block to prevent an opposing car from entering it at the other end, and give each motorman an indication that he is protected in entering, in the meanwhile holding stop signals against opposing cars. The system is a permissive on, in which several cars may follow through the same block, as desired, such permissive operation being generally required in modern electric railway practice, except on very short blocks.
On a typical siding-to-siding block, the signal is located along the single track near the switch point, with a setting contactor one or two spans back of the signal. This permits the motorman, before passing the signal, to observe the change of signal indication caused by the passage of his car under the contactor. Another trolley contactor is placed on the siding, enabling the bock to be taken before the car passes the switch point. Some installations have been made with only one trolley contactor, located outside the switch point, so that switching may be done at the end of the siding without touching the contactor, but the two contactor system will be used on the Metropolitan Division. Each block is independent of all others.
Block signal layout, Hydro Electric Railways, Toronto & York District, Metropolitan Division.
The signal aspect consists of lights and colored discs combined, for night and day indications. No light or disc, or neutral indication, displayed when no car is in the block, indicates that a car may enter the block it its orders will permit; a white light and disc, or permissive indication, means a car is in the block and entered from the same direction, and gives right to the following car to enter under control. A red light and disc, or stop indication, means that the block is occupied by a car in the opposite direction, and conveys an order to stop and wait behind the entering contactor until the signal returns to neutral. When a car enters a block, the signal at the entrance shows white, and the one at the other end shows red.
As stated above, extra signals will be located in blocks 1, 3 and 5 for special purposes. The signal at York Springs spur, in block 1, for example, will be used to protect switching movements at that point, and will operate as follows: if block is unoccupied, a southbound car, on passing the contactor at signal 3, will set signals 1 and 2 at stop. If the car leaves the main line at the spur a signal 2, all signals will clear in the same manner as if the car had left the block at the south end. If the car is to re-enter the block from the spur, the manually operated level, close to signal 2, will put either signal 1 or 3 at stop, as desired, and prevent cars from entering the block. If the car is to continue south, signal 1 will be put in stop position; if the car is to return north, signal 3 will be put in stop position. When the car has left the block, the signals assume the neutral position in the same way that they would if the manual indications had not been given. If, while the car occupied the spur, signal 2 went to stop position, it would indicate that the block had been occupied by another car, and the main line could not be again entered until the signal had been cleared. The intermediate signals at Bowden, to provide for switching movements on the spur and tracks connected thereto, and at mileage 3.7, to provide for reversing movements of local cars, will operate on the same principle. The signal system is so designed that up to 15 cars may occupy one block at the same time, making following movements.
The Hydro Electric Rys. have a similar installation on the Essex District, on Sandwich St. in Windsor, Ont., on 1 1/2 miles of track on which cars from three divisions operate, on 6 min., 22 12 min., and 45 min. schedules. We are officially advised that the installation has rendered possible the postponement of double tracking.
In equipping the first 4.78 miles of the Metropolitan Division, the block between the Don siding and Bale's siding, mileage 0.63 to 15., was first completed, the others being equipped as material was delivered. We are officially advised that it is the intention to extend the signal system until the southern portion of the division will be equipped to Newmarket, 22.71 miles from Toronto.