US Signaling (NORAC): Pulse Code Cab Signaling NEC Boston Sprinter PRE-update 2/2023 (TSW tutorial)
Awaiting with excitement the February 2023 update of the signaling system, we investigate the track circuit based, nine-aspect cab signaling system that has been used by Amtrak and other carriers on the North Eastern Corridor for in essence about a century and its current implementation in the cab of the Siemens ACS-64 locomotive. Full Amtrak Northeastern Regional service from Providence, Rhode Island, to Boston, Massachusetts, on a passenger train pulled by a "Sprinter", the Vectron-based Siemens ACS-64 V locomotive, in Dovetail Games' beautiful Boston Sprinter DLC for Train Sim World 3, with a short tutorial covering the principle of pulse code cab signaling (21:55), the cab signaling aspects used by the nine-aspect system implemented on the North East Corridor (42:08) and possible signal progressions (57:42). Quick Access: 00:00 – Start 03:04 – Spawning on foot at Providence Station, train not having arrived 06:30 – Cab signals getting stuck in Restricted after setting reverser to off 07:52 – Siemens ACS-64 V setup 10:00 – Departure from Providence 11:55 – Use of distance counter after increase in civil speed limit 13:47 – Passing signal showing yellow over double flashing green aspect 14:23 – Cab signal turning to Approach Medium, then Approach, suppression braking 16:08 – Cab signal turning to Clear 125, civil limit increasing, then reducing 17:32 – Brake systems on the ACS-64 discussed, civil limit increasing, accelerating 18:45 – ATC/ACSES speeds indicators discussed 19:17 – Passing South Attleboro, use of horn, bell and lights discussed 19:50 – ACSES speed warnings discussed 21:55 – Principle of track-circuit based pulse code cab signaling tutorial 32:40 – NORAC signaling tutorial (recap) 42:08 – Cab signaling aspects of the NEC nine-aspect pulse code cab signaling tutorial 57:42 – Possible signal progressions discussed (what is said about NORAC rule 552 A and the exception to NORAC rule 553 obviously only applies if the wayside signal is more restricting than the cab signal, otherwise the cab signal governs) 1:20:06 – Resuming run, passing Attleboro 1:21:35 – Passing dead section 1:24:10 – Passing Mansfield 1:27:42 – Passing Sharon 1:27:59 – Passing Advance Approach signal, then dead section while braking, cab signals flipping 1:30:20 – Passing Canton Junction 1:32:05 – Stop at Route 128 station 1:34:38 – Passenger pathing discussed 1:35:40 – Departure from Route 128 station 1:37:32 – Passing Readville 1:38:08 – Passing Hyde Park 1:28:27 – ACSES overspeed penalty brake, train recovering automatically, while overtaking MBTA train 1:39:49 – Slow-down signal progression from Approach Limited starting 1:41:18 – ACSES overspeed penalty brake, train recovering automatically 1:42:10 – MBTA train coming back 1:43:55 – ACSES PTS invoking Stop Signal cab signal aspect 1:44:43 – Signals clearing to Approach 1:45:55 – Passing Ruggles 1:46:40 – Approaching Boston Back Bay 1:47:20 – Only seemingly getting an Approach Medium 30 cab signal 1:47:29 – Stop at Boston Back Bay 1:49:24 – Discussing yellow over flashing red (Medium Approach) dwarf signal 1:50:34 – Departure from Boston Back Bay 1:53:12 – Stop at domino style stop signal above track, no ACSES PTS 1:54:38 – Signal switching to Slow Approach, entering Boston South Station, discussing signaling for leaving ACSES territory 1:57:30 – Arrival in Boston South Station, conclusion Broadcasted live on Twitch -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/tygerways
Awaiting with excitement the February 2023 update of the signaling system, we investigate the track circuit based, nine-aspect cab signaling system that has been used by Amtrak and other carriers on the North Eastern Corridor for in essence about a century and its current implementation in the cab of the Siemens ACS-64 locomotive. Full Amtrak Northeastern Regional service from Providence, Rhode Island, to Boston, Massachusetts, on a passenger train pulled by a "Sprinter", the Vectron-based Siemens ACS-64 V locomotive, in Dovetail Games' beautiful Boston Sprinter DLC for Train Sim World 3, with a short tutorial covering the principle of pulse code cab signaling (21:55), the cab signaling aspects used by the nine-aspect system implemented on the North East Corridor (42:08) and possible signal progressions (57:42). Quick Access: 00:00 – Start 03:04 – Spawning on foot at Providence Station, train not having arrived 06:30 – Cab signals getting stuck in Restricted after setting reverser to off 07:52 – Siemens ACS-64 V setup 10:00 – Departure from Providence 11:55 – Use of distance counter after increase in civil speed limit 13:47 – Passing signal showing yellow over double flashing green aspect 14:23 – Cab signal turning to Approach Medium, then Approach, suppression braking 16:08 – Cab signal turning to Clear 125, civil limit increasing, then reducing 17:32 – Brake systems on the ACS-64 discussed, civil limit increasing, accelerating 18:45 – ATC/ACSES speeds indicators discussed 19:17 – Passing South Attleboro, use of horn, bell and lights discussed 19:50 – ACSES speed warnings discussed 21:55 – Principle of track-circuit based pulse code cab signaling tutorial 32:40 – NORAC signaling tutorial (recap) 42:08 – Cab signaling aspects of the NEC nine-aspect pulse code cab signaling tutorial 57:42 – Possible signal progressions discussed (what is said about NORAC rule 552 A and the exception to NORAC rule 553 obviously only applies if the wayside signal is more restricting than the cab signal, otherwise the cab signal governs) 1:20:06 – Resuming run, passing Attleboro 1:21:35 – Passing dead section 1:24:10 – Passing Mansfield 1:27:42 – Passing Sharon 1:27:59 – Passing Advance Approach signal, then dead section while braking, cab signals flipping 1:30:20 – Passing Canton Junction 1:32:05 – Stop at Route 128 station 1:34:38 – Passenger pathing discussed 1:35:40 – Departure from Route 128 station 1:37:32 – Passing Readville 1:38:08 – Passing Hyde Park 1:28:27 – ACSES overspeed penalty brake, train recovering automatically, while overtaking MBTA train 1:39:49 – Slow-down signal progression from Approach Limited starting 1:41:18 – ACSES overspeed penalty brake, train recovering automatically 1:42:10 – MBTA train coming back 1:43:55 – ACSES PTS invoking Stop Signal cab signal aspect 1:44:43 – Signals clearing to Approach 1:45:55 – Passing Ruggles 1:46:40 – Approaching Boston Back Bay 1:47:20 – Only seemingly getting an Approach Medium 30 cab signal 1:47:29 – Stop at Boston Back Bay 1:49:24 – Discussing yellow over flashing red (Medium Approach) dwarf signal 1:50:34 – Departure from Boston Back Bay 1:53:12 – Stop at domino style stop signal above track, no ACSES PTS 1:54:38 – Signal switching to Slow Approach, entering Boston South Station, discussing signaling for leaving ACSES territory 1:57:30 – Arrival in Boston South Station, conclusion Broadcasted live on Twitch -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/tygerways