Interlocking Walkthrough: BABYLON (original) (raw)
In today's interlocking walkthrough we visit the busy BABYLON interlocking. Unlike AMITYVILLE or AMOTT which we've looked at the past two weeks, which sit in the middle of lines and see no real regular use outside of rush hours, BABYLON is used all the time and is quite busy. (Here's a bird's eye view of the location)
BABYLON is quite big too. It's well over two miles long end to end. And it's so big that in the schematics below I had to break it down into two diagrams so the tracks wouldn't be so puny when shrunk down to fit on this page. (note: both photos are in the same interlocking, just broken up for clarity):
Switches
First we'll focus on what's going on west of the station platforms (what you see in the top picture). The first crossover that a train encounters when going from west to east (eastbound) is a crossover right inside the interlocking, from Montauk 1 (the westbound track) to Montauk 2 (the eastbound track). Remember, this is the Montauk Branch! The Babylon Branch doesn't really exist!
Then a couple hundred feet later, the Central Branch (the yellow line in the diagram) merges into Montauk 1. Montauk Branch trains that operate via the Mainline between Babylon and Jamaica will diverge off on the Central Branch here on their way to Hicksville, Mineola, and Jamaica. (NOTE: the central branch is not electrified at any point, even here).
Next, we have another crossover (just like the one before the Central Branch merged in). This one also goes from Montauk 1 to Montauk 2.
Then a little further down there's another crossover from Montauk 2 back to Montauk 1. Then there's another crossover that does the same exact thing, from Montauk 2 back to Montauk 1, just in case you forgot about the one a couple yards back.
Now all the two Montauk tracks approach the station. Montauk 2 (the eastbound one) just swings out and becomes station track 3 (the south one) next to platform B. Montauk 1 (the westbound one) splits into two tracks and becomes station track 1 (the north one) and station track 2 (the center one). Station track 1 is right next to platform A and station track 2 can open its doors on both platform A and B.
Trains that end their runs at Babylon (usually electric trains) go east on Montauk 2 and pull into station track 3 before going east toward the yard. Station track 1 is usually used for most of the trains starting their runs at Babylon coming from the yard. The middle track (station track 2) is usually used for Montauk Branch trains running through Babylon or terminating at Babylon (offering a cross-platform transfer to both sides).
East of the station it gets a little complicated. First, there is a crossover just to the east of the station from station track 3 to station track 2. Then station track 3 is magically renamed to the LEAD track. (as it leads trains to/from the yard).
There are a couple crossovers that are used to get trains from the different station tracks over to the LEAD track so that they can be yarded. First there is one from station track 3 to station track 2. Then back from station track 2 to station track 3. Then station track 2 over to the LEAD track. Then a freight siding merges into station track 3 (to throw another thing into the mix).
| 
Next you can see in the diagram the LEAD track passes through the Babylon Car Wash. The Babylon Car Wash is one of the few car wash's on the LIRR (one in Babylon, one in Ronkonkoma, one in Richmond Hill yard, and maybe one in Hillside (I'm not quite sure on that one)). Basically trains that are going to or from the yard on the LEAD track will pass through the car wash and get all prettied up for their next run. But for those trains afraid of water or not due to go through the car was, those trains can stay on station track 2 (the middle one) past the car wash and then crossover to the LEAD track just before the yard tracks diverge off to avoid the wash. You can see a photo of an M7 going through the newly installed Car Wash to the right. (Click here to read a news release about the recently-opened new Babylon Car Wash)
The next thing we approach is Babylon Yard. Here's an enlarged diagram of the yard itself so you can see how all of the tracks are laid out:
Babylon Yard is quite big compared to some of the other LIRR yards. It has enough room for 17 trains, plus one if you used the LEAD track (which happens now and then).
The yard has three basic clusters of tracks. The first is yard tracks 1-10, plus the LEAD and HOUSE tracks. These tracks are the only ones that converge again east of the yard and eventually merge back into the Montauk Branch. The other two clusters, yard tracks 11-14 and yard tracks 15-17. These tracks just end in bumper blocks at their eastern ends. Trains here only have one way out--to the west.
Something also fairly uncommon in LIRR yards is that all of the switches at Babylon Yard are automatically controlled. At most LIRR yards the crew has to hand-throw all of the switches themselves. There are some exceptions, however, where machines do all of the dirty work for them, and this is one of them.
~~~~~
Back east of the yard again all three tracks (Montauk 2, Montauk 1, and the LEAD track) go over the Higbie Lane crossing then proceed east a little further.
A little further down the line the LEAD track merges into Montauk 1 and there is one final crossover from Montauk 1 to Montauk 2 before the interlocking ends.
It is also worth noting that just a couple feet east of the interlocking eastern limit the third rail ends. Trains traveling east of here need to be diesel powered, or they won't get very far!
Signals
The signals at BABYLON (and there are quite many of them) are the old-style position lights (the big round ones with yellow lights). There are a couple places where there are signals on gantries (those metal things over the tracks). But there are also quite a few places around the station and in the yards where we see "pedestal" signals. These signals are much smaller and are mounted on the ground next to the tracks. (they're mounted on pedestals, hence their name).
Babylon is slated to get a big overhaul in the upcoming years. It's very likely they'll repeat what they're doing at some of the other interlockings, replace all the switches with new microprocessor ones, replace all the signals with newer ones (possibly tri-color ones), and rip out all of the switch handles and the like at BABYLON tower. So instead of the switch for your train being thrown with a big handle in a tower it'll be done with a click or two of the mouse.
Towers
BABYLON interlocking is fairly unique and lucky these days to still have an operating tower on site that controls the switches. BABYLON tower sits just east of Babylon station. Here's a photo of it from Steve Lynch's TransAreFun.com:
 |
|---|
| BABYLON Tower. (Photo credit Joe Gregory/TransAreFun.com) |
So BABLYON tower controls all of the signals and switches for BABYLON interlocking, as well as Y, PD, and SK interlockings to the east.
Neighbors
BABYLON interlocking is neighbored to the west by AMITYVILLE interlocking and to the east by Y interlocking near Sayville.
The speed limit through all of BABYLON interlocking is 60 m.p.h., though trains switching tracks often go slower. Just to the west of the interlocking the speed limit is upgraded to 80 m.p.h. for electric trains continuing along the Montauk Branch towards Jamaica. If you diverge off on the Central Branch towards the west your speed limit changes to 65 m.p.h. (which is the maximum in diesel territory.) East of BABYLON interlocking is also diesel territory, so the speed limit is 65 m.p.h. there as well.