Re: Hoosier -- Ghost of C&S "Tank"

Posted by Rick Steele on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/C-S-Water-Tank-at-Blackhawk-and-the-Three-Bent-Water-Tanks-tp11993p14319.html

Hi Jim,

Actually Mike is half right. Of course it all depends on the railroad that you are working for.

The "W" is a whistle post. Placed where a whistle or warning would be deemed to be necessary. It is not for a Water tank, although "W" denotes a water tank in a timetable. It could be placed on a blind curve or passing by a building with a lot of activity. The usual signal blown was that for a road crossing, but it is for a warning, not a crossing. The designated warning signal is actually a series of short blasts to catch the person or animal's attention to try to get them to move.

The "S" is not for a Spring Switch in the current situation. If the "S" were placed ON THE SWITCHSTAND, then it would indicate a Spring Switch. If you were cruising down the Railroad and saw an "S" and there was nothing but straight track, or perhaps you had already passed the entrance turnout to a siding, You would know that there was a timetable designated STATION in one mile and to give the proper whistle signal for it. A short and a long, I believe. This was used in the early days and long before Amtrak.

For a road crossing? It's an "X" as in the visual of what tracks to to a road. Two longs and two shorts early on. Later changed to two longs, a short and a long, the remaining long to be held until the road crossing is occupied by the locomotive or train.

Rick