This is one of half dozen panels with vacuum tubes, very crude copper computer memory and other 1957 electronics to control Frontier Yard in Buffalo. Some of these devices can remember the speed and weight of cars and locomotives passing over the retarders. An operator monitors these variables and responds accordingly using the retarder to slow down the rolling stock (4 MPH Max into the classification tracks). To this observer, it sure seemed like they were going faster.

Photographed by John Dodge, April 10, 2003.
Added to the photo archive by John Dodge, April 15, 2003.
Railroad: CSX.

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