AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM RULES

505. Block signals, cab signals, or both govern the use of the blocks but do not supersede the superiority of trains unless Rule 251 or Rule 261 is in effect. They do not dispense with the use or observance of other signals whenever and wherever required.

506. When an interlocking is in use in ABS territory, interlocking rules govern movements through the interlocking.

507. When signals in ABS territory are withdrawn from service trains will be governed by instructions from the train dispatcher.

508. A station protection signal affords protection against all trains in the direction in which the signal applies, and movements may be made in either direction in the block at restricted speed. When a station protection signal does not form part of an ABS, protection extends only to the “Block End” sign, and Rules 512 and 513 must be observe.

Where approach signals are not provided, approach signs will be placed one mile from station protection signals.

509. When a train or engine is stopped by a signal indicating “STOP” and no conflicting movement is evident:

(a) A member of the crew must immediately communicate with the train dispatcher, stating his name, occupation, location and train or engine number.

(b) On information from the train dispatcher that there is no conflicting train movement, the train or engine may proceed at restricted speed to the next signal.

(c) If unable to secure the information that there is no conflicting train movement, it may proceed only under flag protection (as prescribed for OUTSIDE ABS TERRITORY) to the next signal displaying a less restrictive indication than Stop or Stop and Proceed.

(d) Instruction received from train dispatcher must be in writing and repeated before being acted on, and train dispatcher must make the proper record immediately.

510. A train or engine which is to enter a siding or yard track at a point where the switch to be used is not more than 500 feet beyond a Stop and Proceed signal may pass such signal at restricted speed without stopping provided the switch is lined for the track to be used and the track between the signal and the switch is seen to be clear.

512. Where block indicators are provided, the indicator must be observed immediately before a main track switch is opened. When indication shows “track occupied” the switch must not be opened unless the movement is protected as prescribed by Rule 99 for OUTSIDE ABS TERRITORY, except at meeting points on single track when the train to be met has cleared the switch and is occupying the block. The indication “track unoccupied” does not authorize a train or engine movement, and does not relieve employees from protecting their train or engine as prescribed by the rules.

513. Where block indicators are not provided or when declared out of service, a train or engine which is to foul or enter a main track from a crossover, siding, or other track, must wait three minutes after the main track switch has been opened before moving foul, except at meeting points on single track when the train to be met has cleared the switch and is occupying the block. This will not relieve employees from protecting their train or engine as prescribed by the rules.

514. A train or engine entering a block between signals must be protected as required by the rules and must proceed at restricted speed to the next signal unless the track is seen to be clear to the next signal and such indicates proceed.

EXCEPTION: This rule does not apply in CTC when entering a block in CTC where an electrically-locked hand operated switch is provided.

515. When a train or engine has passed a signal permitting it to proceed at other than restricted speed and is delayed in the block, it must proceed at restricted speed to the next signal unless the track is seen to be clear to the next signal and such indicates proceed.

516. A train or engine having passed beyond the limits of a block must not back into the block except under protection.

517. If any part of a train or engine overruns a signal indicating STOP, front of train or engine must be protected immediately under Rule 99 for OUTSIDE ABS TERRITORY, and member of crew must immediately communicate with train dispatcher and be governed by his instructions.

518, To avoid holding main track signals at stop, cars or engines must not be allowed to stand between the standing point and a main track switch.

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 – Automatic Block Signal System Rules

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM RULES

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