(rshsdepot) Towers to close on former B&O

["Jim Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

-From Eastern Railroad News...

SIGNAL CUTOVERS END TOWER SUPREMACY ON FORMER B&O...

Signal projects continue to progress along the former Baltimore & Ohio. The
signal cutover at Point of Rocks, Maryland is set to begin this Friday and
Saturday. The former B&O color-position-light signals will fall to new
traffic light style controls on the Metropolitan and Old Main Line
Subdivisions to facilitate the new east leg of the wye from the Met Sub to
the Old Main. The east leg is still out of service.

During a signal suspension from Friday evening into Saturday morning, the
signals on the Old Main west of Frederick Jct. will be tested. This includes
the signals on the Frederick Branch as well, where the track is back in
service. Freight traffic is only supposed to use the Frederick Branch
between 18:00 and 06:00 ET. Signals are to be disregarded in the meantime.

Further west, Sand Patch tower will be locked and closed today. Now in
service are control points at Garrett (MP BF 219.5), Yoder (MP BF 218.1),
Sand Patch (BF 211.0), and Manila (BF 209.2). The new siding track is in
service between Garrett and Yoder, although complete with signals, only sees
a maximum speed of 10 miles-per-hour.

New color light signals replaced the classic B&O style color-position-light
signals from NA to Garrett (they are at BF 224.4 - Weimer Run, BF 222.2 -
Atlantic, BF 216.3 - Salisbury, BF 213.7 - Glade City). The helper pocket
track at Sand Patch has been removed from service. Switches converted to
electric lock are the No. 2 to No. 8 switch at Sand Patch and the switch at
Salisbury Jct. onto No. 2 track.

With the closure of Sand Patch Tower, only three towers remain active on the
original Baltimore & Ohio route: WB in Brunswick, Maryland; NA in
Martinsburg, West Virginia; and HO in Hancock, West Virginia. There are
currently no plans to close WB, however NA and HO don't have the same
reprieve in store. NA is slated to close during the first quarter of 2002,
while HO will go during the second quarter of 2002.

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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #199
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