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| Re: Tuscarora Almanac - December 15, 1956 - The Book of First and Last Runs (1264646) | |||
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Re: Tuscarora Almanac - December 15, 1956 - The Book of First and Last Runs |
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Posted by JOE @ NYCMTS - NYCTMG on Mon Dec 16 21:34:19 2013, in response to Re: Tuscarora Almanac - December 15, 1956 - The Book of First and Last Runs, posted by Randyo on Mon Dec 16 15:03:49 2013. Hello again Randyo --Re-READ my earlier reply to you. The ANSWER IS in there. The IRT Manhattan Division retained their DROP SLED SHOE and EL Style third rail format -- and here are more specific reasons --- (a) to prevent Wooden EL trains from errantly being operated into IRT Subway Tunnels (on lines where the "EL" Trains shared Elevated Line trackage with Subway Trains. The Elevated Car roofs were about one foot higher than subway car roofs. (b) to prevent Steel, heavier IRT Subway trains from errantly being revenue-operated onto Manhattan IRT "EL" Division lighter structures of the 2nd, 3rd 6th and 9th Ave EL's. Per (a) - here is a recorded IRT incident I have in my "INTERBOROUGH Files" ,from back in the late 1920's. whereupon a Manhattan Bound IRT 2nd Ave EL bound train of MUDC EL Cars, was operating as a local southbound (west facing) on the Bronx IRT West Farms (Westchester Ave segment) EL - southbound from the Jackson Ave Elevated Station. And for some reason, at the Bergen Ave. Junction lineup, where the EL TRAIN ROUTING tracks switched left, inward, and then straight ahead again and ramped on an UPWARD GRADE towards Bergen ramp and EL ROUTE Junction, the Towerman improperly set the lineup at the Bergen Cut Junction, for the outer (and presently now remaining) DOWN GRADE track used SOLELY by and for IRT Manhattan bound subway trains to enter the E.149th Street Tunnel Portal. For an unknown reason, the EL train Motorman kept his EL train moving over the improperly route-set switch track, and headed downgrade towards the left turning curve UNDER the above crossing EL ROUTE Tracks, and down towards the Tunnel Portal. Well, per the facts I presented about the dual 3rd rails on the IRT, and WHY they were implemented and retained, the 6 Car wooden EL southbound 2nd Ave EL bound Train, after it veered to the right and over and beyond the improperly routed switch track, continued again then straight ahead to the immediate point at which point the EL Style 3rd Rail ended, and only the covered subway style third rail was on the opposite side of the subway-bound southbound descending track. Consequently, as each MOTOR car of the EL TRAIN proceeded past the switch, their 3rd rail Drop-Sled shoes dropped off into open space. As the train was HI-V Control (as most of the IRT EL car fleet were) --- the 600 Volt BUSS Jumnpers Cables between the EL cars continued to keep the traction motors alive on the entire EL train UNTIL the last two Drop Sled shoes on the two trucks of the REAR car, dropped into open space. At THAT POINT, the train finally lost all power completely. The motorman, now realizing "something was wrong (heh!)", applied his air brakes..and stopped the train. And stopping only about 8 or so car lengths FROM the tunnel portal itself ! The EL Motorman's error was that he wasn't reading his "iron" and signals for an improper lineup, or was distracted, or new and unfamiliar to and on the route, whatever. The Towerman, then realized HIS OWN error, and communications were made between he, the EL train crew, and IRT dispatchers, to have a following southbound local train couple up to the "dead" Elevated train, and tow it back (eastward) past the junction switch, and fully back on to the Dual 3rd Rail trackage portion of the SB Local track. The switch was then set for the Upper Level Bergen Cut SB track alignment, and the EL Train, after that long delay, continued on its proper route on the UP GRADE ramp track to Bergen Cut EL ROUTING branch, and without further event, towards the 3rd Ave EL junction connection at the E.143rd St double-deck EL Station, and southward towards Manhattan and the 2nd Ave EL. It is TRUE - as you likely are attempting to present, that the IRT "could" have gotten by with solely EL STYLE (and no side wooden protector board of course) third rail on those Bronx and Queens EL Lines having tracks sharing both steel subway and Wood "Manhattan Division" EL Trains, and dispensed with the additional covered subway third rail on the opposite side of each track. However, had that been the case, that errant Bergen Cut EL train would have headed UNDER POWER into the E.149th Street tunnel with disasterous (major roof damage to cars at the least) results ! So in the case of DUAL - or NOT - 3rd Rails, having the dual rails on the IRT in that incident, and likely per other similar incidents, prevented the EL train from running where it should NOT. And additionally, having the higher wooden backboard on all EL Style Third Rails where ONLY Manhattan EL ROUTE bound IRT EL trains with drop sled 3rd rail shoes could operate, prevented any subway trains with paddle shoes for entering trackage meant only for Manhattan Division wooden EL Trains. THEIR 3rd rail paddle shoes would have been lifted UP off the EL style 3rd rail by the higher protector side board. The IRT controlled (until late 1949) Flushing and Astoria EL's also used DUAL (subway and EL style) 3rd rails on each track. The EL Style 3rd rails there, also being WITHOUT the side wood protector board, of course ! However, the EXCEPTION there being at the huge dual-level Queensboro Plaza EL Station on the BMT half (North Side). Those tracks ONLY had one 3rd rail, the covered subway style and positioned type 3rd rail, from the BMT North Half SIDE station platforms in and out from both upper and lower level trackage to the points where those outbound tracks merged with the Astoria and Flushing EL Main line tracks, at that point where BMT EL "Shuttle" Trains, IRT EL through Trains and IRT Subway through Trains, operated jointly. That was because the ONLY trains using that northerly BMT SIDE station and approach trackages from the two mainline EL's, were BMT Standards and BMT EL GATE and Q Types, ALL of which had subway type PADDLE shoes. The UNCOVERED EL style 3rd rail (WITHOUT the wooden side protector board, again, of course) then being used and needed fully on the Flushing and Astoria joint BMT and IRT services mainlines EL tracks, ONLY for the use of the IRT 2nd Ave EL Train (with their DROP SLED shoes) services on those 2 routes. On the original BRT and post-1918 BMT System, many of the older built Tunnels (during wooden EL Gate Car original era operations only), were built to clear BMT EL CAR higher roofs. But the ONLY tunnel built to clear an IRT EL CAR higher roof, was the E.162nd St Sedgwick-Anderson Ave short tunnel, which was built and designed to be serviced ONLY by IRT 6th and 9th Ave EL Wooden Elevated Trains from Manhattan to the Bronx and connect to the IRT Jerome Ave EL. So the BMT (or earlier BRT) had more choices to run both steel and wood cars on many of the same routes, including those with early built tunnels, where and as needed, and use ONE type of 3rd rail, specifically the closer and higher EL style earlier 3rd rail. So there rests the case of WHY the IRT chose to use dual 3rd rails, even tho in logic, as I stated, the IRT, yes, could have gotten away with using solely EL Style uncovered 3rd rails on their Bronx and Queens joint subway and EL train route services. But the IRT chose NOT to, as described, period ! Well, Randyo, I hope this satisfies your questions somewhat ! post Regards - Joe F |
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