DEFINITIONS

Note – for the purposes of these rules, the following definitions apply.

Approach Signal: A fixed signal used in connection with one or more signals to govern the approach thereto.
Automatic Block Signal System (ABS): A series of consecutive blocks governed by block signals, cab signals, or both, actuated by a train or engine, or by certain conditions affecting the use of the block.
Block: A length of track of defined limits, the use of which by trains or engines is governed block signals, cab signals, or both.
Block Indicator: A device located at hand operated or spring switches to indicate track occupancy in the block or blocks to which it refers.
Block Signal: A fixed signal at the entrance of a block to govern trains and engines entering and using the block.
Cab Signal: A signal located in engineman’s compartment or cab, indicating a condition affecting the movement of a train or engine and used in conjunction with interlocking or block signals, or in lieu of block signals.
Centralized Traffic Control (CTC): A system in ABS territory under which train or engine movements are authorized by block signals whose indications supersede the superiority of trains for both opposing and following movements on the same track.
Current of Traffic: The movement of trains on a main track in one direction specified by the rules.
Division (or Area): That portion of a railway assigned to the superivision of a Superintendent or other designated officer.
Dual Control Switch: A power operated switch also equipped for hand operation.
Dwarf Signal: A low signal used as a block or interlocking signal.
Electric Switch Lock: An electric lock connected with a hand operated switch to prevent its operation until the lock is released.
Engine: A unit propelled by any form of energy, or a combination of such units operated from a single control, used in train or yard service.
Engineman: The employee in charge of and responsible for the operation of an engine.
Extra Train: A train not authorized by a time table schedule.
Fixed Signal: A signal of fixed location indicating a condition affecting the movement of a train or engine.
Grade Signal: A stop and proceed signal equipped with a marker displaying the letter “G”.
Initial Station: The station at which a schedule is first timed on any subdivision is the initial station for that schedule, and for an extra train it is the station at which the train is created.
Interlocking: An arrangement of signals and signal appliances so interconnected that their movements must succeed each other in proper sequence and for which interlocking rules are in effect. It may be operated manually or automatically.
Interlocking Limits: The tracks between the extreme or outer opposing interlocking signals of an interlocking.
Interlocking Signal: A fixed signal at the entrance to or within interlocking limits to govern the use of the routes.
Main Track: A track extending through yards and between stations, upon which trains are operated by time table or train order, or both, or the use of which is governed by block signals, interlocking signals, or other method of control.
Pilot: An employee assigned to a train when the engineman or conductor, or both, are not fully acquainted with the physical characteristics or rules of the railway, or portion of the railway, over which the train is to be moved.
Register Station: A station at which a train register is located.
Regular Train: A train authorized by a time table schedule.
Route: The tracks a train or engine may use in passing from one point to another.
Schedule: That portion of a time table which prescribes class, direction, number and movement for a regular train.
Section: One of two or more trains running on the same time table schedule displaying signals or for which signals are displayed.
Siding: A track auxiliary to the main track for meeting or passing trains. Sidings and their capacities will be designated in the time table or special instructions.
Signal Indication: The information conveyed by a fixed signal or cab signal.
Speeds: RESTRICTED SPEED – A speed that will permit stopping within one half the range of visions. Where ABS rules, interlocking rules or signal indications require movement at restricted speed, such movement must be made at a speed that will permit stopping within one-half the range of vision, also prepared to stop short of switch not properly lined, and to be on the lookout for broken rail, and in no case exceeding SLOW speed.
SLOW SPEED – A speed not exceeding fifteen miles per hour.
MEDIUM SPEED – A speed not exceeding thirty mile per hour.
LIMITED SPEED – A speed not exceeding forty five miles per hour.
Spring Switch: A switch equipped with a spring mechanism arranged to restore the switch points to normal position after having been trailed through.
Station Protection Signal: A stop and proceed signal equipped with a marker displaying the letters “SPS”, used to protect trains or engines occupying the main track in yards or at stations in the block protected by the signal.
Station: A place designated in the time table by name.
Subdivision: A portion of a division or area designated by time table.
Superior Train: A train train having precedence over another train.
Terminating Station: The station at which a schedule is last timed on any subdivision is the terminating station for that schedule, and for an extra train (except work extras) it is the station to which such train is authorized.
Time table: The authority for movement or regular trains subject to the rules. It contains classified schedules, also special instructions relating to the movement of trains and engines.
Train: An engine or more than one engine coupled, with or without cars, displaying markers.
Train of Superior Right: A train given precedence by train order.
Train of Superior Class: A train given precedence by time table.
Train of Superior Direction: A train given precedence in the direction specified by time table as between opposing trains of the same class.
Train Order Signal: A fixed signal provided at train order offices used in connection with the delivery of train orders and as prescribed by Rule 91A.
Train Register: A book or form used at designated stations for registering signals displayed, the time of arrival and departure of trains and such other information as may be prescribed.
Two Or More Tracks: Two or more main tracks upon any of which the current of traffic may be in either specified direction.
NOTE: Where two main tracks are in service, each of which is signalled for traffic in both directions, these tracks will be designated as “North Track” and “South Track” where time table directions are Eastward and Westward, respectively, and “East Track” and “West Track” where time table direction are Northward and Southward, respectively. Where tracks are so designated, there is no specified current of traffic.
Yard: A system of tracks provided for the making up of trains, storing of cars and for other purposes, over which movements not authorized by time table or train order may be made, subject to prescribed signals, rules and special instructions.
Yard Engine: An engine assigned to yard service.
Yard Limits: That portion of the main track or main tracks within limits defined by yard limit signs.

Out With the Old, In With the New

Posted on October 7, 2024 by admin

Though our layout is essentially shut down each year over the summer months (from mid-May to the end of August), it is hardly a quiet time for the CP Sudbury Division. The summer season is when layout expansion work, heavy construction and miscellaneous major projects can occur without the interruption of club operating sessions or open houses to get in the way.

The summer of 2024 was particularly busy with a number of major projects including; a complete change-out of the turnout ground throws for Tortoise switch machines within our Copper Cliff / Creosote industrial area, CTC signaling and logic programming at Stinson siding, fluorescent to LED valence lighting replacement over many aisles, and the construction of a maintenance platform within our ‘sky helix’ that spirals between floors connecting Sprecher and Larchwood.

The ‘sky helix’ spiralling between floors connecting Sprecher and Larchwood. Preparations to finish the mainline required a maintenance platform be built to climb into this helix from the main floor.

Possibly the most exciting project of the summer was a complete clean-out of all the stuff we’ve stored for many, many years now on the top floor. Well, the actual cleaning part sucked as it was tough and took what seemed forever, but it was done to clear the way for our Cartier Sub mainline to finally be completed. As August ended, we had already begun the benchwork for Sturgeon Falls, and planning for the huge 14-track staging yard (representing the entire CPR west of Cartier ON) that will be built above it. That is the exciting part.

Autumn and colder weather also marks the beginning of another operating season for the CP Sudbury Division layout, with five op sessions and two dates where we’re open for the public. A number of operational projects also occurred prior to the operating season beginning, mainly involving the addition and preparation of new equipment (weathering rolling stock, DCC programming of locomotives, etc.) along with any modifications or updates required by our car-forwarding/waybill system.

Two strings of our new Rapido NSC reefers form a backdrop behind recently retired stand-ins. The three reefers in the middle are the first Rapido models we weathered. Though they served faithfully for nearly two decades, these old stand-in ‘foobies’ were never accurate models.

In addition to the usual operational projects, this summer also saw us replace an entire fleet of cars, and even a piece of office furniture. Replacements of car fleets are not common, as the vast majority of our rolling stock are high-quality models which fairly accurately represent their prototypes. But some of our freight cars are ‘placeholders’ so to speak. These are cars too important or iconic to not have within our operations, and so we utilize inaccurate models or ‘foobies’ (to use modeller’s jargon) that appear close enough. If or when accurate replacements become available then these foobie fleets get replaced, and we have blogged about this topic in the past.

Duelling CP 286381’s. Only a minority of CP’s 400+ fleet of 50ft mechanical reefers were ever repainted into the CP Rail scheme, so it shouldn’t be surprising that a road number Rapido selected would conflict one of our old cars. Rapido’s accurate model (left) versus an old Athearn ‘blue-box’ repainted version (right).

The mass replacement which occurred this past summer was our CP mechanical refrigerated boxcar fleet. These reefers were staples on CP’s hot transcon freights through the 1970s, with large blocks appearing right on the head-end of freights like #952. Our operations wouldn’t be right without them. So with the exception of a single 40ft kitbashed model of a CP 285600-series car, our entire fleet of mechanical reefers were stand-ins consisting of Athearn ‘blue-box’ models, and some Accurail outside-braced 50’ boxcar bashes. These were all retired thanks to a club bulk purchase of brand new Rapido NSC-built CP reefers.

Side-by-side comparison of an old Athearn ‘blue-box’ reefer (left) with a new Rapido NSC model (right). Though the Athearn cars represented another prototype (the Hawker-Siddeley smooth-sided reefer) they were all retired thanks to the Rapido car being a 100% correct model of an NSC-built outside-braced reefer.

Replacing office fixtures is even more uncommon than rolling stock retirements, since there are so few that we utilize in club operations. In fact, we believe this to be the first instance. Our venerable and iconic Crew Call Board, a grid-marked whiteboard employed since our first operating sessions began well over 20 years ago, had to be replaced.

As the layout expanded and new freights continued to be added to our operations over the decades, we’d been stretching the old board past its original capacities. Three additional rows were squeezed in over time. We even saved room by listing both the Montreal and Toronto sections of “The Canadian” within one line. However, we broke the board after our first nickel ore train was inaugurated (INCO Job 2), and had no room left when the time came to add hotshot transcon freights 901/902 to our operating scheme.

Comparison of our old Crew Callboard (as photographed in 2021) with the new replacement board ready to go for our 14 September 2024 op session. After adding transcon freight 949 and INCO Job 2 to club operations a few months ago, we ran out of room for trains 901/902.

With our resent summer work beginning the push to finish our Cartier Sub mainline from North Bay to Cartier staging, it wasn’t hard to think of building towards the future. So, we acquired a very large whiteboard and grid-marked it with 40 rows. All those rows will allow us to list every mainline freight and local that was ever run on a daily basis over the CP Sudbury Division, with accommodation for a few extras and second sections too. Our only worry now is will we have enough operators to run them all? Thinking back to our lean beginnings during the WRMRC’s fledgling years, that is actually a remarkable thing to have to worry about.

Waterloo Region Model Railway Club

Modeling CP Rail's Sudbury Division in the 1970s

1962 Uniform Code of Operating Rules – Definitions

DEFINITIONS

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Out With the Old, In With the New