This interlocking walkthrough takes us through another rather typical Port Jefferson Branch interlocking. This interlocking is located on both sides of Kings Park station.
FOX interlocking, like many of the Port Jefferson interlockings, is split into two parts, FOX 1 and FOX 2. You may wonder why an interlocking in Kings Park is called FOX, and the reason for that is because it's named after LIRR Conductor Walter Fox, a common tradition of Port Jefferson Branch interlockings. FOX 2 was originally called GREEN.
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| FOX 1 |
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| FOX 2 |
Switches
FOX interlocking is just like almost all the other Port Jefferson Branch interlockings, as it's single-tracked, and there's a switch that brings the total to 2 (allowing trains to pass each other in the station), then after the station the tracks merge back to 1. The interlocking only consists of two switches, one east of the interlocking and one west of the interlocking.
While meets aren't that common at Kings Park compared to some of the other stops, those that due occur typically occur in the morning period. How this works is that an eastbound train would stop at the station at the same time as a westbound, then they both load and depart in their respective directions.
While the switches due get quite a bit of work as they have to flip most times trains come as trains are going onto different platforms, but most of the actual meets occur one station to the east at Smithtown.
Signals
FOX interlocking has typical position-light signals typically seen at the smaller interlockings.
Towers
FOX interlocking's handlings occur at the busy DIVIDE tower which has been the case since December 1963
There used to be a spur to the North going to Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital just to the east (as part of FOX 2/GREEN), but the spur has since been abandoned.
Neighbors
The nearest interlocking, POST lies to the east in Smithtown. Heading west, DUKE is next.