While doing some poking-around on the web, I stumbled across this article on the Pennsylvania's early automatic speed control system (the grandparent of modern PTC). The article is from a 1951 issue of Popular Science. I've known about the basics of the PRR's system for a long time now, but this article really appealed to as an electrical engineer because it gets into more of technical aspects of the system. Wanted to share so others could enjoy as well!
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Thanks for the link, I really enjoyed the ads and other articles as well.
Railroad rules are written in blood. It seems to conform with the Fed ruling of the time, the railroads had to have some sort of "pre-PTC" but it wad up to each road to come up with its system.
Which caused unforseen headaches. When run through trains and diesels started, the run through locomotive had to have the equipment of any road having train stop equipment in ordet to lead. I believe UP and CNW pre merger had locomotives which had equipment of both. 844 and 4014, perhaps?
Once PTC is up and running in a bulletproof fashion, will this older stuff be taken out?
And wad there a period in the 1920's where the ICC wad prrssing for a pre-PTC in the 1920's
Thanks for posting.
Tom
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