RAILROAD SIGNALS of the U.S.

DERAILS

 

 

This page covers derails.  Derails are used by railroads to protect. 

Most derails are permanently installed, some are "portable", such as the one used to protect the mainline in case the DOT car below "gets away".  The derails in the Manassas yard are typical of permanently installed derails used to protect the mainline in case engines or cars inadvertently decide to head for the mainline, and it's not their turn.

Manassas VA
This derail is located adjacent to the ex Southern Railway station in Manassas, now used by the VRE.  The track is owned by NS.  Pix from 22AUG2005.

    Overall view of the complete derail

  Shots of the manual throw handle and lock

    The derail itself

  The electrical switch, actuator rods, and junction box

  Detail of the junction box

      Details of the electrical switch and actuator rods

Manassas VA
This portable derail was also located in Manassas on a temporary basis.  It was on a siding that started adjacent to the staion, and was used to protect the DOT track car shown below.  The derail was at the entry point to the main line.  Pix from 22AUG2005.

               

Manassas VA
These derails are located at the western end of Norfolk Southern's Manassas Yard.  The Manassas VRE station is about a half mile down the tracks (way) in the background.  One leg of a wye also takes off from the left side of the photo, for trains going thru Front Royal, a favorite line for steam trips with 4501 back in the 70's!  Pix from 22AUG2005.

           

Cockeysville MD
This derail is on the (now) Light Rail tracks in Cockeysville MD, where a siding comes off the main line... The siding used to be the "main line" going up to York and Harrisburg PA.  The pictures were taken from Warren Rd, not to far off of I83.  The next station off to the left is Warren Rd.  The MOW department used to keep a speeder in a shed built over the siding, just out of sight.  Before NS abandoned freight service up to Genstar, if the train got stuck "up here", they would park the train on this siding till the following night till the L/R trains stopped running at 01:30.  A couple pictures from the early 70's of an RS-11 working another siding off Cockeysville Road (just out of sight) are located at:  http://www.railroadsignals.us/rs11.htm   Pix from 15MAY2007

 

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New: 6OCT2006
Mod: 18-Jan-2011