🚦 History of Railroad Track Circuits

Signal School 2026 Training Module

History OF the Railroad Track Circuit

in the Beginning

The railroad started it operation way back when in the 1800. John Stevens is the first person to invent the STEAM ENGINE in USA. George Stevenson perfected the Steam into an ENGINE in ENGLAND. The steel rails that the locomotive and tracks cars move about on all came from ENGLAND before the civil war. The United State grew and prospered from the 1820 until 1920’s mainly because of the railroad. In 1840 there were 2,800 miles of railroad track laid down. 10 years ( a decade later) mor e than 9,000 miles of TRACK were laid. So many of the railroad tracks laid were different gauge ranging from 4 feet 8 ½ inches to 6 feet and varying in different shapes. The most common shape is the “ T “ steel rail.

The Making of

How Rails are made Railroads began to use their power to influence politicians to ignore infrastructure improvements and safety improvements e.g.(air brakes). Main reason is ______ In 1862 Abraham Lincoln signed into law the TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD, which gave Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad land to build the railroad. This paved the way to 165,000 miles of RAIL being laid from California to somewhere in UTAH. 1916 was an amazing year more the 250,000 miles of RAIL were laid, and railroads will carry 100 % of interstate traffic. The expanded federal oversight was all brought about to limit railroads' power as many executives had grown arrogant and forgetful of their ultimate purpose, to serve the public interest

How it is the Backbone since 1800’s

Doctor (really) a Doctor invented the Track Circuit. Shows anyone can invented something. Yes, William Robinson graduated college in New York in 1867. The system was developed on the open circuit concept. There were circuit instruments near the tracks that the wheels of the train would activate. The circuit would close through the RELAY whose magnet would pull an armature closed to keep the circuit closed until the wheels were not present. Thus, inventing a SIGNAL SYSTEM. Dr. Robinson realized; liked anyone who likes to tinker found that there are defects in the open circuit design. So, he invented another way to make the track circuit safe the closed-circuit concept. What is amazing is that he wanted to patent the track circuit again as a closed-circuit concept which is the backbone of every track circuit TODAY. He headed to the railroad conference again to display his new closed-circuit concept. He set up rails underwater, a gong connected to the wires and wires to the back of the TRACK RELAY. The train wheels on the rails under the water causing a short circuit and ringing the gong. .

Railroad track circuit history image from slide 4

What Will Happen When A Track Circuit fails

A Signal Location(Wayside) will display all red aspects in all directions of travel. Train headlights will soon be backing up down the right of way at the control point or interlocking. Your railroad radio keying up and cell phone ringing. Dispatchers (block operators) wanting more information as to when it will be fixed, only wanting to move the trains (Consist) safely through affected area. Maybe it is a Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning System Location. The gates will be activated the lights are flashing and the bells are going off loud as heck. Traffic is backed up a mile or two with cars honking their horns and people are driving around the gates. Leaving you no way to get into fix the trouble. Troubleshooting a track circuit is an art form. Now a days you can use electronic meters or use your senses. My go to method is to use my roller decks to phone a friend. While on the way to the location to fix the problem, it is awesome to talk to someone you know in the industry to keep you clam and get your mind thinking of the possible causes of the trouble. Troubleshooting will be last topic discussed.

Troubleshooting Track Circuits

First will have to discuss the many different types of track circuits that have evolved overtime up to the year 2021. As you will see the track circuit main parts which you just learned about in the previous slides will not change in over 181 years. What will change is the type of electricity that will be feed onto the 6 awg wires connected to the rails. What will change is the type of unit (prior unit was a relay) acting as the load that will receive the electricity from the 6 awg wires from the rails from the feed end.

Types of Track Circuit

Which you will learn about in another module.

Railroad track circuit history image from slide 7 Railroad track circuit history image from slide 7

Track Circuit Quiz

  1. Who was the inventor of the Track Circuit?
  2. What is the main purpose of the Track Circuit?
  3. How many types of Track Circuit are there?
  4. What makes up the main parts of a Track Circuit?
  5. What principal concept was the Track Circuit invented on?
  6. What is the Transcontinental Railroad?
  7. What year was the Track Circuit Invented?
  8. Why was Federal Oversight developed?
  9. The rails that the Locomotive run along are made of what?
  10. What is the other main purpose of the rails used?