
Certain required sequences of lever manipulation may prove confusing, particularly to non-American users of the Champaign PC-RAIL simulation. These fall into several categories:

* The two switches comprising a crossover 

  These have a defined sequence. This applies to seven crossovers: 
  21/22, 31/32, 33/34, 35/36, 37/38, 39/40,  and 64/65. 
  
  In each case, the lower-numbered lever must be operated first when setting the crossover reverse. When restoring the crossover to normal position, the levers must be operated in the opposite order;  i.e. the higher-numbered lever must be restored first.   

* Where a switch and derail lie within a desired route

  The switch must be reversed before the derail. As with the crossovers above, the levers are restored to normal in the opposite order. 
  This applies to switch/derail combinations 52/53, 55/56, and 57/58.   
  
* Movements which could block the crossing

  For southbound routes toward the coach yard/house track/lumber yard area, the signal at the south end of the route must be cleared before the signal controlling the entrance to the interlocking is permitted to clear. This is to ensure that a southbound train is not stopped at the second signal, where it would block cross movements. 

  This affects signals 3, 4, 7, 8, and 12 toward signals 89, 92, and 96, as well as movements from signal 16/17/18 toward signal 85/84. 

  For a similar reason, signal 1 cannot be cleared for the route to signal 77 if switch 64 is reversed, since this would mean that signal 77 could not be cleared.

  Several of the northbound routes are governed by a pair of signals     and, with one exception, can be cleared in either order. When clearing a northbound route from the southbound passenger main via switch 65 normal, signal 94 must be cleared before signal 95.   

* Signal 96

  Due to the short distance to the end of the engine stub and the fact that a car department shanty stood just beyond the end of track, dwarf signal 96 did not clear in the normal fashion when its lever was reversed for a route to the stub. The leverman was required to press and hold the associated pushbutton while the move was in progress. This is simulated by approach releasing the signal as the locomotive approaches the signal slowly.
  
* Single-slip switch, levers 60/61/62

  This is composed of two pairs of switch points numbered 60 and 62 and movable frog points numbered 61. The movable frog was necessary due to the shallow angle of the frog. One confusing element of this "puzzle switch" is that the normal lever position did not correspond to the straight route but rather applied from the Havana Wye to the coach/house tracks. 

  With both switches 60 and 62 normal, the position of the frog point is immaterial. 

  For a straight route (from signal 88 to signals 87 or 90, or vice versa), frog points 61 must be set normal and switch 62 must be set reverse -- in that order. 

  For a route from signal 85/84 toward signals 93 or 95 or vice versa, frog points 61 must be set reverse before switches 60 and 63 can be reversed. If one considers switches 60 and 63 as forming opposite ends of a crossover, this arrangement may make more sense. If this proves confusing, don't be embarrassed; many of the operators who worked irregular relief at Champaign found the puzzle switch troublesome until they had accustomed themselves to its peculiarities! As is true elsewhere at Champaign, the levers comprising the puzzle switch are restored to normal in the opposite order that they were reversed.

* Switch 51

  This switch acts in lieu of a lock lever for the Wabash line. It should only be set in position for a movement across the IC main line when required by an imminent train movement and can not be reversed for straight routes on the Wabash at any time when an IC train is signaled to move over the crossing, or is occupying the crossing.

* Switches 55 and 57

  The reversal of switch 55 or 57 prevents any movement being cleared on the P&E and Wabash lines. They should therefore remain in the normal position until specifically needed.


* Normal position of switches

  Note particularly the normal positions of switches 25, 52, 57 and 62.
