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Worked in that tower in 1957.We were installing axle counters.
Thanks. This must bring back memories, good or bad.
)
I have been informed the East Summit was the register point for all 1st class freights and passenger extras.
It was the junction of the St. Clair Tunnel sub and the Point Edward Sub.
Trains governed thru tunnel by Electric Staff Block system.
Upwards of 6 switches and crossovers controlled via The Tower.
I am suprised it lasted into the 90′s. Nice shot
I began working at CN in Sarnia in 1987, and the tower was gone when I started there. The plant and signals at East Summit, and at West Summit on the Port Huron, Michigan side were all controlled from the TMD’s (Train Movement Director) office at the Sarnia Tower Yard Office. Excellent picture, Mr. Mooney!
The idea was to replace the staff system with a wheel/axle counting system. It would count the axles going into the tunnel and count them on the way out.
If the counts agreed, then the tunnel was clear for another train. The system ( British) was fraught with difficulties ,
The first train over the counter torn the cover off the counter: reason? Instead of regular engines, the engines were the electric “motors”for hauling freight cars.
Attempts were made to modify the treadles with metal straps riveted onto the treadles so the counters could be lowered. That didn’t work, the straps came off
And the project was abandoned.I dont know when the Staff system was taken out of service
Wow very interesting comments gang. Very cool.
Was there a signal system protecting this also on either end?
There was a signalling system on both sides of the tunnel in the summit towers.These were fairly big heavy cast metal machines,electrically connected
to each other.The machines held a supply of “staffs or tokens” . These were large brass keys or tokens.Both operators would have agree before a token
could be removed from the instrument.Once a token was taken out, another one could not be removed until the “out” token was put back in either machine.
The Staff/Token would be handed up to the train driver and possession of a token was his authority to go through the tunnel and then hand the staff/token to the operator.
The only other one of these system I ever saw was in Toronto, on the CPR,from Tecumseh St tower, to the crossing watchmans shack at Spadina and Front Sts
Now that is interesting. Reminds me of being out west in a long construction zone. The last car thru carried the baton.
The Guelph Junction Railway had a staff system in use until recently. A paddle marked as such gave authority to a train and no other trains could occupy track without contacting the train with the paddle.
they gave this up though, I believe TC forced the change. Now entire line is rule 105.