THE TAMING OF THE SAFETY SWITCH
As you all know, at the throat of Church Point Yard on the Atlantic Shoals is the safety switch. It is programmed to automatically align for the hump lead whenever any of the yard track turnouts are activated. For years the safety switch has confounded and, sometimes, embarrassed Yardmasters and others at Church Point, causing derailments and gnashing of teeth.
A few operating sessions ago, I was talking with Carl about this, sort of wondering aloud if there were any options to make the safety switch less user-surly.
Lo and behold, at the very next session at Atlantic Shoals, Carl unveiled his solution. He installed a toggle switch to disable the automatic feature of the safety switch whenever an operator was just flat-switching and not using the hump lead.
Since the installation of this toggle, I’ve had several opportunities to work Chuch Point yard and in my opinion, Carl’s solution was brilliant.
With the new toggle in the “Switching” position, flat-switching Church Point is ever so much easier. No longer do we have to always remember to re-set the safety switch when not using the hump lead.
Thank you, Carl.
Don Howd
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