Ilona studied at the "Friedrich List" (the former College for Transportation, now part of TU Dresden) in Dresden, is an industrial photographer and, as a friend of my wife, knows about my interests in signal boxes. On a vacation trip, she unexpectedly stumbled across a crank signal box far to the north and, thankfully, pulled out her cell phone:
Mechanical interlocking frame, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
The signal box is located on the platform at Kajaani station in Finland. It seemed to me that it was still in operation, because the cranks are in a different position in a picture that Ilona took a week later; but comments in my German blog clarified that it has been out of operation for years:
Mechanical interlocking frame, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
The design of the signal box is the same as the one we saw 33 years ago in Skellefteå - but there the cranks had long been without wire pulls, and there was a large attachment for controlling the light signals:
Interlocking, Skellefteå, 22.7.1989
As far as I can see, however, the Finnish frame is missing signal cranks and, at first glance, any other signal control devices. But, well, there are two metal boxes that would be large enough to hold switches and lamps for color light signals.
Some more details: The following three pictures show the cranks from left to right:
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
It is possible to guess a few Finnish words from the plates:
- Vaihde = points;
- Vaihdelukitus = facing point lock; crank 5 seems to lock points 1 and 3.
- Raiteensulkulukitus = lock for a derail, here for Sp II.
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Deciphering the inscriptions for the route levers is harder. With the help of the internet, I assembled the following dictionary:
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Lamminniemeltä raiteelle ... | From Lamminniemi into track ... |
| Kontiomäeltä raiteelle ... | From Kontiomäki into track ... |
| perusasennossa | In normal position |
| vasemmalle | left |
| oikealle | right |
| ja | and |
| lukitut | locked |
| avatut | open |
| kautta | via |
| huom i salpa | Attention, this locks |
Route levers, mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
On the left sides, there are two plates above four levers. The first and third were apparently no longer in use, missing any plates:
Route levers, mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
On the opposite side, there are three levers, all without plates; and an additional crank whose purpose is unclear. It seems to be a replacement crank, but where would it fit?:
Route levers, mechanical interlocking, Kajaani (Finland), 30.8.2022 (photo by Ilona H.)
Finally, here are three pictures of the station area. The first one shows the name of the station and the main goods shipped:
Station name, Kajaani (Finnland), 30.8.2022 (Foto von Ilona H.)
Two final pictures show the station building, where one can see the crank frame a last time:
Station with interlocking frame, Kajaani (Finnland), 30.8.2022 (Foto von Ilona H.)
Station with interlocking frame, Kajaani (Finnland), 30.8.2022 (Foto von Ilona H.)
So much from the northernmost mechanical interlocking I've ever heard about—many thanks to Ilona for capturing and documenting this interesting apparatus!
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