Track lights

[Ns Railfan]

A simlple question I have heard in the scanner the dispatchers talking about a track light or lights coming on or bumping what is a track light? ???

[Michael Knight]

Jacob,

A track light is an occupancy detector light that a dispacther sees on his screen. Track lights are primarily used on trackage equipped with Traffic Control. However, trackage that is controlled by track warrant authority, or Rule 251, can also be equipped with occupancy detection sensors as well. When the small amount of current used with the detection circuits is interrupted- either by equipment or by broken rail, etc.- the track light will be illuminated.

[Hoydie17]

To answer the rest of the question, "pumping" is when the track circuit illuminates for a short period (usually a few seconds). 

However in a DS world, that's more than long enough to require investigating to ensure that there isn't something askew, such as a runaway piece of equipment, shunted or broken rail at a detection point, etc. 

"Pumping" is also a name given when a signal jumps from one indication to another and back again.  Such as Clear to Approach and back to Clear all in the course of a few seconds, there can be numerous causes for this, including switchpoints being fouled, shunted joint at the signals, electrical surge, etc. 

Sean

[nscnotp1]

That has happened several times around the CP of Jessamine especially on two track to single.

Example: Let's say that after southbound 251 passes, NS 124 gets his light, a clear signal. Seconds later before he takes off it pumps to approach then back to clear again. Then once again it would go restricted before heading back to clear. The train called the DS to see what the heck was going on and the DS decides to reset the time to see if it does it anymore.

In this case, the DS called a signal maintainer to the opposite end of single track to see if they could reset the CP, which in this case did work. I believe it could be from the new installation of the tricolor's recently put in between Bishop to Nicholasville.