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Operations

Ulster & Delaware Railroad
"The Only All Rail Route Through the Catskills"

Operations on the Ulster & Delaware Railroad

Operating Practices

Special Instructions

Block Signals

 

The Ulster & Delaware Railroad was a heavily utilized regional railroad with a one-track mainline. To protect trains from one another, signals were used to govern the movement of trains. Manual block signals, otherwise known as semaphores, were installed at every railroad station on the line in 1897 (with one exception, Grand Hotel Station which had a manual electric train order signal). Previously train movements were protected with a flagging system. The new semaphores were operated by hand by the station agents. Automatic, electric, block signals were installed by the U&D between the west end of the Kingston Yard and the east end of the Phoenicia yard in 1907. This section was seeing an ever increasing amount of train movements, especially in the summer months. The remainder of the railroad retained the old manual order boards.

RULES GOVERNING THE OPERATION OF BLOCK SIGNALS
As per Employee Time Table No. 47 which was effective Sunday, June 21, 1908 

Home Signals

(1)

Signal

Occasion for Use

Indication

Name

 

Color

The signal will appear when

For Engineman and Trainmen

As used in rules

(a) Red
(b) White
Block is not clear
Block is clear
Stop
Proceed
Stop-Signal
Clear-Signal

When the semaphore is used, the governing arm is displayed to the right of the signal mast as seen from an approaching train, and the indications are given by position.

  • Horizontal as the equivelent of (a)
  • Diagonal below the horizontal as the equivelent of (b)

Distant Signals

(1)

Signal

Occasion for Use

Indication

Name

 

Color

The signal will appear when

For Engineman and Trainmen

As used in rules

(a) Red
(b) White
Block is not clear
Block is clear
Stop
Proceed
Stop-Signal
Clear-Signal

Head Back to the Station!