Tampa TECO Streetcar ops questions

[MattW]

I was exploring the TECO streetcar in Google Maps the other day and a few questions about its operations occurred to me.
How does the CSX crossing work? Is it an automatic interlocking? Do the signals in all directions display restricting when cleared? Or is a dispatcher involved?
How are switches lined? Is there central control? Manual? Some kind of automatic system triggered by the operators?
Do they have signaling to coordinate passing moves, or is this basically a timetable (and train order?) operation?

Thanks!

[chrsjrcj]

I'll take a stab, since it has been a couple weeks and no one else has answered. When I last rode about 7 years ago, we stopped before the crossover and the operator called a dispatcher (not sure if it was directly CSX or a TECO dispatcher who gets permission from CSX). I think there is also a signal that displays red, until the operator of course gets permission. I remember one Streetcar having to wait about 10-15 minutes for Amtrak to back into TUS, so I assume CSX has priority.

I believe switches are automatic. I don't remember an operator getting out to switch tracks. I don't remember signals either (other than the ones for street crossings), but the operators seemed to know when to wait in a siding for another train.

[MattW]

I didn't think to do this earlier, but I looked up videos of TECO and found one with a front view while approaching the crossing and the signals for the streetcar do display green. I guess it makes sense since the signaling logic doesn't care anything about what color is displayed, the system just says "when ready, turn this output on, and this other output off."

[Tadman]

I'll take a stab, since it has been a couple weeks and no one else has answered. When I last rode about 7 years ago, we stopped before the crossover and the operator called a dispatcher (not sure if it was directly CSX or a TECO dispatcher who gets permission from CSX). I think there is also a signal that displays red, until the operator of course gets permission. I remember one Streetcar having to wait about 10-15 minutes for Amtrak to back into TUS, so I assume CSX has priority.

I believe switches are automatic. I don't remember an operator getting out to switch tracks. I don't remember signals either (other than the ones for street crossings), but the operators seemed to know when to wait in a siding for another train.

It's crazy to wait 15 minutes for Amtrak to clear the area. When you think about it, streetcars are primarily road vehicles that happen to use rails. If there were a highway crossing adjacent, they'd let 100 cars through before the red gates come down, but we have to let the streetcar sit because it's a "train"? It's not even FRA regulated as far as I'm aware. I'm not familiar with the crossing in question, so I may be missing something, but this is nuts.