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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home?

You are here: Home > Forum > Miscellaneous > The real thing (anything else rail-oriented) > In Buenos Aires - a long way from home?

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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 06/03/2013 at 06:27 #42096
pilotman
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189 posts
Can any expert confirm the provenance of this equipment. It has been suggested that it is identical to the LSWR pneumatic signalling system. My advisor says the Argentine railway network is "knackered", but the signalling system soldiers on.
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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 06/03/2013 at 10:20 #42097
kbarber
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" said:
Can any expert confirm the provenance of this equipment. It has been suggested that it is identical to the LSWR pneumatic signalling system. My advisor says the Argentine railway network is "knackered", but the signalling system soldiers on.

I think we can safely confirm the suggestion. BPRS was initially the British Pneumatic Railway Signal Co and supplied the LSWR low pressure frames under that name. The cylinders operating the signal arms are identical to those in photos of LSWR examples. The company name was later changed to British Power Railway Signal Co, under which name it supplied visually similar frames to the GCR (albeit some of them were electric - or was it electropneumatic? - rather than pure pneumatic).

Those frames had what was known as dynamic indication; when moving a set of points, the slide was checklocked in the B or D position as usual but when detection was obtained the slide moved to the fully over position (with rather a loud thump, I recall) without further intervention. In later years those on the east side of Manchester were adapted to work with colour light signals (as per Hyde, seen here http://www.signalbox.org/gallery/e/hydejcn.php ) and signal slides would restore themselves from the fully-reversed position as trains passed the signals and they returned to danger. (In fact I have an idea, although I saw it rather a long time ago so may be misremembering that many of the signals would work automatically if simply left alone, with the slides moving in & out of their own accord as trains proceeded through the sections!)

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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 06/03/2013 at 12:26 #42101
Danny252
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Some info here: http://www.signalbox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3792
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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 06/03/2013 at 12:37 #42102
pilotman
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Thanks very much - a comprehensive reply as usual. I will pass on to my colleague, who is in Buenos Aires fairly often as he is an airline Captain! (As well as a signalman on the Bluebell!!)
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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 06/03/2013 at 16:53 #42103
nroberts
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Gents (and Ladies)

Living in Argentina and having spent quite a few of hours fiddlying (unofficially of course) around in this box and others when I lived in Buenos Aires, I'll check up some of my old notes.

What I can certainly confirm is that the pneumatic levers would shoot back in when the respective track circuit was occupied. Also,(against all regulations) since quite a bit of the trackage had no points (outside the immediate station area), thick rubber bands would be attached to the lever handles to pull off the signals "automatically" as soon as the interlocking allowed (thereby reducing the workload of the signalmen). Part of the section from Retiro station up to Empalme Maldonado (about 4 miles) which had 3 signalboxes (Retiro Nº 1 - In the photo, Empalme Tagle and Empalme Maldonado) was later converted to automatic signals (pointed signal arms rather than square ended).

I can furnish further info if there's any interest.

Regards,

NR

Last edited: 06/03/2013 at 16:54 by nroberts
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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 06/03/2013 at 17:57 #42107
GeoffM
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6376 posts
" said:
I can furnish further info if there's any interest.
Yes please - fascinating!

SimSig Boss
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In Buenos Aires - a long way from home? 13/03/2013 at 18:25 #42309
nroberts
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While I dig up some old notes, here's a couple of youtube videos taken in the cabin. Not quite good quality but interesting anyway.

Watch the second (at about 0:19) to see lever Nº 68 snapping in.

Retiro Nº 1 Cabin
Close up of the levers in operation

Regards.

Last edited: 13/03/2013 at 18:25 by nroberts
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