Comments on: CN’s morning local rolls down the jointed rail of the Pelton sub winding its way through town. Prior to CN buying the Pelton where he is now would be the approach to Pelton JCT. where the C&O sub 1 the would have crossed the CASO. Standing the test of time is a C&O era call box where trains would call to get across the diamond.

By: Mitchell Gault

Mitchell Gault — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 00:41:43 +0000

Mercer, thank you for clarifying that! I was not 100% on truly what happened here and exempted all my other resources in trying to figure it out. I just figured that the line with the higher traffic volume would have the diamond. Thanks for clearing that up!

By: mercer

mercer — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:11:36 +0000

Not quite true, regarding the ‘ call box’.
C&O controlled the diamond with NYC. When a C&O move was to be made, the St. Thomas dispatcher would line the route and the proceed indications would then display. If an NYC move showed up and the dispatcher had a C&O move at nearly the same time, usually the NYC move was given precedence.
The only time the call box might be used (since the C&O dispatcher didn’t have a base radio until about 1989), is when the C&O crew found the signals to be Stop, waited a little bit of time for a conflicting NYC move, and then when nothing was apparent, could talk to the dispatcher on the ‘code line’ and be governed by his instructions, as well as following Interlocking rules and timetable special instructions.

By: railwayguy

railwayguy — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 14:19:41 +0000

Mitchell, very nice picture. Not only is the C&O era call box still standing, but look at the concrete whistle post from the same era or earlier. Don’t you love CN superimposing their own metal W sign, guess the concrete one was not good enough. My money is on the concrete one out lasting the metal one ! Thank you for showing a train on CN’s Pelton Sub. Sure is a convoluted way for CN freight trains to access their Van derWater Yard, and thank you for posting this picture and the one of the same train on the old CASO Sub track still in service.