Signals: Signal Controls

RRHX

Signals: Signal Controls

Michigan's Internet Railroad History Museum

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Comments from Graydon Meints: 4/14/2003: Most interlockings, originally, used pipes to move switches, derails, and semaphore arms. It was later that electric and pneumatic came into operation. I remember that Pearl Street in Jackson, Second Avenue in Grand Rapids, MA in Lansing, and North Lansing were electric. I think Sunnyside in Grand Rapids also was electric. There probably were others but these are the only ones I'm familiar with.

Distant signals in non-automatic block signal territory were always, to the very best of my knowledge, stationary and displayed the "caution" indication at all times. In ABS territory distant signals were an integral part of the ABS signal system and not a separately designated signal type.

The development of track circuitry and automatic signaling is fascinating. When you figure that all the different ABS signal indications stand on one thing--a train on a given track circuit--it is an ingenious system.