We will now take a look at the interlocking known as WEST HEMPSTEAD, also known as WM. For the purposes of this post and for the purposes of simplicity, I'll refer to it as WM in this post. WM interlocking, is a rather new interlocking, being put into service on a weekend in October of 2009.
As The LIRR Today states it, "while the naming behind WM is complicated, the interlocking itself isn't". As you may know, the West Hempstead Branch is only single-tracked for it's entire length, therefore, going east, the branch is single-tracked right up to where the pocket track splits off from the Main Track to go around to the station’s island platform.
The "yard" itself consists of two tracks: fence and long. The fence track is shorter and runs "along the fence", and the track is an direct extension from the pocket track, however, it can also be accessed via a crossover from the long track.On the other hand, the LONG track is rather long. It actually is long enough to extend all the way to Hempstead Gardens station, visible from the platform there, hence the name. Now it seams to only be able to hold a 12-car set (NOW try to think of a 12-car set on the West Hempstead branch) showing how close the West Hempstead Branch's tiny terminal and it's next station are, but it's rather long for the tiny West Hempstead Branch.
The West Hempstead Branch actually does have a small yard (I prefer to call something of this scale a layup), similar to what is seen at Far Rockaway. Now, the way the yard is setup requires a train to first enter the platforms, then switch onto a track leading to the yard, something that doesn't seam to be too much of an issue on this small, local branch.
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| Photo: Wikimedia Commons |
WM Interlocking consists of one big position-light signal smack down inside the middle of the action.
Anyway, thanks for checking out this short interlocking walkthrough. Sorry it was so short and poorly put together, I had to try to make it in a short amount of time to get it out for tomorrow.
