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Caption: Rolling down the jointed rail of CN's Pelton sub (formerly C&O Sub 1), CN's morning local run out of Van De Water is on the return trip winding it's way through the city. On the approach to where Pelton JCT. and Pelton tower once stood a C&O era call box has stood the test of time here. With Pelton Interlocking being controlled by C&O, NYC trains would then have to call the tower for permission through the junction. When a C&O train and a NYC train would show up at once, the NYC train would typically get precedence as C&O's traffic was mainly locals. Prior to roughly 1989, C&O crews did not have base radios. So the odd time they would roll up on a red signal without any CASO traffic in sight, they would us the callbox to call via codeline to Pelton's tower for permission to cross. Info provided by user: mercer
Since that time CN has taken out the diamond and tracks leading up to where the tower once stood. After purchasing the Sub 1 from CSX they went ahead and added a wide swooping connector onto the CASO which this train will traverse a few kilometers ahead.
Also a neat note is the Pere Marquette era cement whistle post.
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Mitchell, very nice picture. Not only is the C&O era call box still standing, but look at the concrete whistle post from the same era or earlier. Don’t you love CN superimposing their own metal W sign, guess the concrete one was not good enough. My money is on the concrete one out lasting the metal one ! Thank you for showing a train on CN’s Pelton Sub. Sure is a convoluted way for CN freight trains to access their Van derWater Yard, and thank you for posting this picture and the one of the same train on the old CASO Sub track still in service.
Not quite true, regarding the ‘ call box’.
C&O controlled the diamond with NYC. When a C&O move was to be made, the St. Thomas dispatcher would line the route and the proceed indications would then display. If an NYC move showed up and the dispatcher had a C&O move at nearly the same time, usually the NYC move was given precedence.
The only time the call box might be used (since the C&O dispatcher didn’t have a base radio until about 1989), is when the C&O crew found the signals to be Stop, waited a little bit of time for a conflicting NYC move, and then when nothing was apparent, could talk to the dispatcher on the ‘code line’ and be governed by his instructions, as well as following Interlocking rules and timetable special instructions.
Mercer, thank you for clarifying that! I was not 100% on truly what happened here and exempted all my other resources in trying to figure it out. I just figured that the line with the higher traffic volume would have the diamond. Thanks for clearing that up!