>>
>Well, Max, I worked the N-Judah yesterday, and it was without a doubt the
>worst signal failure ever to occur on a weekend day. The failure was in
>the signal interlocking system at Van Ness interlocking. There was
>nothing wrong with the switches, they were fine. It's just that they
>couldn't get the signals to confirm that the switches were properly
>aligned. In the morning, the CCO (Central Control Operator) had to
>contact each and every train to proceed through the signal displaying stop
>indication at restricted speed. Finally, everyone at Central threw up
>their hands and put the system into conventional (pre-ATCS) mode with all
>trains running in cutout mode with their ATCS-1 (Breda) or PSU (Boeing)
>circuit breakers turned off. Boeings, of course, fell back to the old cab
>signal system, but Bredas had to operate in full cutout--no more than
>27mph. (We fudged that.) As a rule, cars do not couple on weekend days
>unless directed by proper authority, but occasionally compatible "tunnel"
>trains would couple at West Portal. After 230pm, use of the MMT was
>discontinued and the old Embarcadero west x-overs were used by all
>non-Caltrain Depot-bound trains. So we had a big backup going inbound.
>
>At 230pm, an outbound train at Van Ness had a "no brake release" further
>messing up the subway.
>
>As far as the schedule was concerned, it was out the window all day.
>
>I am curious to know if they were able to fix the signals at Van Ness. I
>am not completely convinced that this signal failure was ATCS-related, but
>it sure made a mess.
>
Gang, I wrote this before I read today's Chronicle. According to the
article, the signal failure Sunday had "ATCS" written all over it.
While on the subject, we had to "punch our way through" Duboce
interlocking. The inbound station signs still worked as if ATCS was
hunky-dory, but the outbound station signs always read "See Signs On Car".
Peter Ehrlich
F-Line Operator
Green Light Rail Division
<norcalrr@sprynet.com>