GSC Handbook Garden State Central
Model Railroad Club

Train Control

The GSC has two types of train control in use. The first is a conventional DC system called "Tower Control". Basically, each mainline tower has two cabs and each freight yard has one cab. The mains are color coded on each panel. Eastbound is green and westbound is blue. The mainline cabs are nominally labeled as green and blue on each mainline panel. The "normal" cabs are assigned to a block by throwing a toggle in the normal direction of travel. Throwing a toggle in the eastward direction will connect the block to the eastbound green cab. Throwing a toggle in the westward direction will connect the block to the westbound blue cab.

In reality, either cab can control any block. The color association makes it easier to keep track of things, especially during shows when you have more than one train to handle at a time.

Jersey City uses a variation of this system. The toggles throw veritcally. As you look at the panel, the green main is above the blue main. So throw a toggle up to connect the green cab, down to connect the blue cab.

Transfer Blocks

In order to pass trains from one panel to another without short circuiting cabs there are transfer blocks between panels. The transfer block is under the control of the normal receiving tower. When an adjacent wishes to send a train or use the block for switching, he must ask the recieving tower to "transfer" control to him. The receiving tower does this by throwing the transfer toggle towards the sending tower. This lights a green flashing light on the sending tower's track diagram, indicating he now has use of the block. As a general rule: do not run into a transfer block unless the green light is flashing.

Allentown Freight Line Cab Transfer

The freight line panel has only one cab (blue). Blocks are powered from this cab when thrown to the left (westward direction). If a yard toggle is thrown to the right (eastward) it will enable the Allentown mainline panel to use his cabs by throwing the "yard tie-in" toggle, located on the mainline panel at "Pollards Crossing".

At a future date, relays will be installed at Pollards Crossing that will control which panel controls the Freemansburg blocks. For now, the Freemansburg blocks are common to both panels. If both panels have throttles connected to a block there can be a SHORT CIRCUIT. If you are at the lower yard panel, ONLY turn on these blocks when you are sure that the mainline throttles will not conflict with the yard throttle.


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