On Thursday, December 24, 2015 at 10:09:51 AM UTC-5, Jishnu Mukerji wrote:   
      
   > Operationally NEC is primarily cab signaled system with ACSES overlay.   
   > They are progressively removing trackside block signals, and just   
   > keeping the trackside Home signals. Specially in high density traffic   
   > areas like between Newark and New York, the blocks are now so short that   
   > having trackside signals would make it very very confusing.   
      
   FWIW, the block signals at the Levittown, PA, station are still in place   
   and in use.   
      
   I haven't been to Princeton Jct in a while, so I don't know if the   
   block signals there are still in place.   
      
   SEPTA has removed some block signals from the Chestnut Hill West (ex PRR)   
   line.  Whether they've been merely moved to a new location or permanently   
   pulled I don't know.   
      
   CSX has added some block signals to its new dedicated track on the   
   West Trenton line.   
      
   Has anyone been to the LIRR lately?  Does that still have PRR-style   
   signals?   
      
   FWIW, the Nov-Dec 2015 DVARP bulletin says the following about Positive   
   Train Control:  "while increasing the margin of safety, PTC takes away   
   some margin for on-time performance. Like other automated safety   
   technology, it isn't as smart as an experienced locomotive engineer,   
   and it sets train braking points well ahead of what's necessary under   
   normal conditions. So trains approach junctions and other speed   
   restricted areas slower than they used to."  (page 8).   
      
      
   Another cause of SEPTA's slipping on-time performance   
      
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