Anything left behind in Somerset?

[jcmark4501]

Just wondering if NS left anything behind in the old dispatcher's office in Somerset? How about all the old trainsheets?

I took a tour there about 12 years ago and was very impressed but the CTC board they had at the time. What remains of it?

[GaryWhitis]

The CTC Board at Somerset was put in the Spring of 1980. I started dispatching in July of that year. The best my memory serves me is that the CTC Board went to a very good friend of a very high official. I did know the official and the person's name that got it. As of now my memory fails me. I have one section of the board around Harriman Jct. and also have one of the old controllers. I think some of the other dispatchers may have bits and pieces also......... GFW

[GaryWhitis]

As for the Train sheets, they were moved with us to Knoxville. They were stored until they were no longer needed for the FRA. They were given to anyone in the office that wanted them. The rest were destroyed.....GFW

[jcmark4501]

At least it went to good homes. Any idea where trainsheets from the 40s might be?

[E.M. Bell]

I think I had posted these once before over on the old yahoo group a year or two ago, but some folks might have not seen. The old Somerset office way back in 1992...

North End Desk.

[ru1056]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Emmett. I was about 9 years old when I was able to visit the Somerset Office. I walked right in with my dad, and I talked to a dispatcher eating peaches. I was amazed at all of the lights on the board. Then we went out and watched the train roll by.

Imagine trying to do that now.

[cmherndon]

Very interesting indeed.

This bring up a question too.  A few months ago, I watched "The Rathole" with a friend, and they spent a few minutes inside the dispatcher's office (South End desk).  Noticing that the Traffic Master control system was obviously different from the older style CTC boards, I did a search to find out how it worked on Google and found nothing.  So my question is how did it work?

[GaryWhitis]

I'm not sure what you are asking but if it is about the system before the one put in 1980, it was set up like the old Operator's Board at Danville if you ever saw it. The dispatcher would have to walk to each location to line a switch or line a signal. Each location had a toggle switch and a button for the signal. There was a red button below the switch that sent out the comand. At least back then you got some excercise..

[GaryWhitis]

Thanks for putting those pictures in. That sure brings back old memories. I do have one of the controllers as pictured and section 29 on the board. I never have decided what I was going to do with them. One unusual thing about the system pictured is that on third shift when at most times we only had 1 dispatcher, it had to be operated on the south end desk. The north end desk was only set up with the radio towers between Someret and Cincinnati...

[storrs19]

That CTC setup was one of Clyde Baliff's desires.  He wanted to be able to sit up at the chief's office and see everything going on.  I know that Jim Latimer has a few of the old train order books from Somerset as he has copied them for me.  They went to TWC for the West End on April 4, 1993 thus ending an era.  I visited Somerset in June 1997 and has a nice time with Jim, George Morgan and a DS on the south end by the name of Larry who was very friendly and informative.  Such a shame that they had to close that office.

Chad