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Signal 9026 |
No railroad believed in the cantilever signal bridge more than the Santa Fe. Only the C&O may have had more, and only because of multiple mains. The AT&SF used them frequently on single track even though the situation did not warrent them (the Pecos Division had many of them before CTC). But as many cantilever as the Santa Fe had, very few of them were installed, or remain, on the New Mexico Division. Why this is so is hard to say. Signal 9026, a pair at the Gallinas crossover, a pair at the Jansen crossover, and one other intermediate on the 1st District is all that remain of the cantilever signals. There is little evidence that there were that many from the start. One cantilever that is now long gone is shown on page 193 of the book Early Diesel Daze by John McCall. The picture is of #20, the Chief, in Apache Canyon. According to the AT&SF numbering system, this is the third eastward signal within mile 902. The first is 9022 and the second is 9024. The last digit signifies the direction, but not the nearest 1/10th of a mile as most railroads practiced. Thus, it is fairly rare to have a signal on the AT&SF ending in 6, since there are very few occasions where 3 signals are needed in a mile. Photo taken December 28, 2000. |