Operational method question...

Here in Chicago, on Metra's Rock Island district line (you may have heard about this line in the news a little over a month ago since this was the route where the fatal derailment occurred), train operation switches from right to left after 2pm. This method dates back to the days when the old Rock Island owned and operated the line, and just out of curiosity, I was wondering if a similar method is either currently used, or was once used before on the LIRR. Thanks in advance...

All main line tracks are designated in special instructions found in the rear of employee timetables as to the direction of travel on each track.
Years ago, all traffic was routed to the right hand track
Moving against the current of traffic required a train order in order to do so.
Over the years, new rules have taken effect, on specified portions of the railroad, that will allow crews to take a signal that will turn them into the left hand track.
These tracks are also noted in the special instructions.
This rule book rule 261, allows the dispatcher to use any track at his command in whichever direction suits him in order to get the trains to thier destination according to " the advertised"

What is, or was the reason for reversing traffic like that?

Those rules that to which Duke refers were mandated by the type of signal system installed.

When automatic block signals came around iun the early 20th Century (?), they were installed to operate only in one direction, which required an "assigned current of traffic" and the rules to enforce that. Then the issue of operating against the direction of traffic came to be, with use of another set of rules, on the LIRR, usually manual block rules.

When two-way-signaling was designed which permitted a dispatcher through CTC to "flip" the direction of travel, we needed another set of rules, hence Rule 261, which basically says there is an "established direction of traffic" which can be changed by signal indication...

By the way, why do they change the hand of traffic in Chicago? SOmeone else using the other track at times?

Clem

Does it have to do with the old CNW? I heard thay they ran left handed as a matter of normal operation..I am not taking that to the bank just going by what I heard.

The reasons behind the transistion to left-handed operation after 2pm on Metra's RI district are twofold: First, the station platforms along track 2 between Blue Island and Joliet are shorter than those along track 1, meaning that track 1 can berth an entire nine-car train during rush hours. Secondly, and this may be more coincidental, is that for some reason, the parking lot development at all of the stations west of Blue Island are on the same side, i.e, along track 1, so I'm guessing Metra has some sort of "customer friendly" equation at work here. Ridership on this route has been growing steadily over the last few years, due in no small part to the explosive population growth in suburban Cook and Will counties, and although this route already sees 68 trains daily, that number is sure to increase in the coming years.

Form19, the old CNW did indeed run left-handed as a matter of standard practice, and UP carries on the tradition today, when it took ownership of the commuter lines from CNW in 1995. UP now runs the old CNW commuter lines under a purchase of service agreement with Metra.

Although CNW did take over Rock Island's commuter service in 1980 after the Rock went bankrupt, they maintained the Rock's operating style of "left-handed after 2pm" which had been established years earlier. But CNW only ran the operation for a year, at which time the RTA was formed, and subsequently took over RI's commuter service.

For additional clarity, I had posed my original question because this sort of "flip" operation was unique to me, not only is this the only Metra route that does this, I've yet to hear about this practice anywhere else. And since the LIRR has a rich and diverse history (learning more all the time, thanks in no small part to this board) it only seemed natural to ask the question here. Thanks for the edification, everyone...