Intermittent inductive automatic train stop: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:03, 4 January 2016

Revision as of 13:38, 18 February 2016

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Starting in the 1930s the US [[Interstate Commerce Commission]], in its role as a federal railroad regulator, encouraged railroads to adopt new safety technologies to decrease the rate of railroad accidents. IIATS was offered by the General Railway Signal Company of [[Rochester, NY]] as one such technology and it was adopted by the [[New York Central]] railroad for use on its high speed [[Water Level Route]] between New York and Chicago and on a number of other lines. The [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]] also chose to adopt ATS on most of its main lines eventually covering 2700 route miles. In addition the [[Chicago and North Western Railway]] installed the system on some of its Chicago area commuter lines.

After the [[Downers Grove train wreck (1947)|1947 Downers GroveNaperville train wreckdisaster]] caused by a missed signal, the ICC required additional technical safety systems for any train traveling at or above 80 mph with the rule taking effect in 1951. Those railroads still interested in high speed operations IIATS met the minimum ICC requirements with a lower cost compared to [[Pulse code cab signaling|other cab signaling]] or automatic train control systems, however with rail travel facing increased competition from cars and airplanes most railroads simply choose to accept the new speed limit. Only the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe]] choose to fully equip its Chicago to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to San Diego main lines in support of the [[Super Chief]] and other premier high speed trains.

IISAT installations reached their peak in 1954 with a total of 8650 road miles, 14400 track miles, and 3850 locomotives equipped with the system. However, with the collapse of long distance passenger rail travel and the general North American railroad industry malaise in 1971, the bankrupt [[Penn Central]] was permitted to remove IIATS from its Water Level Route along with the Southern and other railroads with test or pilot IIATS systems. Even the ATSF and successor [[BNSF]] were gradually allowed by regulators to remove IIATS from parts of previously equipped lines due to the reduced passenger traffic. At the dawn of the 21st century the only IIATS equipped lines were the [[Metrolink (Southern California)|MetroLink]] and [[Coaster (commuter rail)|Coaster]] line between San Diego and Fullerton,<ref name="look at" /> parts of the former ATSF Super Chief route in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri and the former [[Chicago and North Western Railway]] [[Union Pacific North Line|North Line]], [[Union Pacific Northwest Line|Northwest Line]] out of Chicago operated by [[Union Pacific]] on behalf of [[Metra]]