Erie Lackawanna was the only railroad I have seen with a detailed set of rules in the Book of Rules for operation of pre-arranged detours with a conductor and flagman. Track Supervisors in double-track territory (nearly all of them) maintained a stock of material for temporary crossovers. Switch timbers for the temporary crossovers were generally installed in advance of the need, and left in track after the steel material was removed. Of course, whenever an existing crossover or interlocking could be utilized, it was. PAD's were normally set up in advance, and shown in the week's Special Order Recap with effective times. The conductor was stationed at the end where trains crossed over to run against the current of traffic, and the flagman was at the other end. They had to be in communication by radio or telephone. Every train needed the permission of the conductor, either directly or communicated through the flagman, to operate in either direction on the single track. Trains running with the current of traffic could follow other trains through the detour on signal indication, with permission of the conductor in charge of the detour. Trains running against the current of traffic had to be held at the entrance until the train ahead had passed out of the detour. There was a delay factor for trains in both directions, partly because of the blanket 40 mph speed restriction, and partly because of the need to approach the detour prepared to stop. There was a standard set of signs to be posted approaching and at the entrances to the detour. I think the approach signs read "Detour One Mile" and they could be folded against the mast when the detour was not in use. I don't recall having to use the temporary crossovers for PAD's on the New York Division, because we had enough permanent crossovers to set up a PAD almost anywhere. I particularly remember using PAD's on the M&E when we laid rail between Morristown and Denville. In those cases, the (local passenger) trains running against the current of traffic usually had to pull by and back through the entering (trailing point) crossover, but that was not a major delay factor. The PAD system was a blessing for the Maintenance of Way Department, because it gave us time on the track for program tie and rail renewal work. Gordon Davids Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2006 22:17:30 +0000 From: "Michael Connor" <mjconnor_rr_@_hotmail.com> Subject: Re: (erielack) Abbreviation Help List IIRC it was also not uncommon (at least on the Susquehanna Division) to see Pre-Arranged Detours in place from or to temporary crossovers purpose-built for the PAD. Now to find some Special Orders covering same. A remarkable number of trains were handled -- safely and efficiently -- under this system. M J Connor The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List Sponsored by the ELH&TS http://www.elhts.org ------------------------------
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