Fixed signals

[John Busby]

Hi guys

Are fixed signals part of US signaling practices??

I know the UK and Aus has fixed distant signals IE they only show caution, is there something similar in the US.

The reason I ask is I have seen a picture of a US semaphore that apparently means the same thing as the std British practice distant signal which appeals to my sense of the unusual and want to make one fixed in the caution position.

I cannot justify many signals on my line and the ones I choose to put in I would like to have some foundation in reality and mean the same as the real one it's a lot easier that way

I intend the few signals  placed on the line to mean just what they say and position them in such a way that they should be obeyed.

I don't want the signals I see or might see every day at work, after all the line in the sand has to be drawn somewhere

regards John

[Snoq. Pass RR]

I believe the US signals are called "Fixed Signals", but they contain three or so lights, not flags.  Americans did away with that with the advent of electricity.

Atleast a Green(Proceed through signal) and a Red(Stop before signal).  Some contain a Yellow(Proceed with Caution).

[John Busby]

Hi Snoq. Pass RR

OOPS! sorry me speaking foreign again. 

I mean fixed as in signal branch speak for can only show one indication in this case the arm has been secured in such a way the signal arm can only show caution and exhibit a yellow light, and the operating rod ect have been removed or where not put in in the first place.

I know this happens in some situations in the UK & AUS and is of course documented in the general appendix to the book of rules and the working timetable.

I am wondering if the same is true in the US as the signal I saw that I thought would do the job is a US one

You know the second law of MRR if you get it wrong 3000000000000000 people will tell you if you get it right only one or two will tell you

regards John

[Tom The Brat]

Nope. Just broken ones here.

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

Not permanatly, but they tend to leave them on caution for lang periods of time (espically when they were building Safeco Field/ demolishing King Dome)

 

P.S. Snoq. Pass RR was here!

[SandyR]

John, I remember seeing a fixed signal, semaphore type, upper quadrant, on a Pennsylvania RR branch line about 35 years ago. It really was a fixed signal, too, being just the blade and lenses of the semaphore nailed to a tall pole next to the tracks. The position was caution. I really wish that I had photographed it!

SandyR

[John Busby]

Hi Sandy R

Thanks now I can go to the sign maker and get the arm made knowing that it has been done on a US railway so has some foundation in reality.

Now where did I put those 12BA bolts

The sign maker must hate me by now this will not be the first "G" item he has had to rummage through the scrap bin so he can make bits for me.

Well I suppose it cuts down on the waste material going to the tip

regards John

 

[SandyR]

John, I forgot to mention that the blade was yellow with a black bar, and it was a 'distant' signal.

SandyR

[John Busby]

Hi Sandy R

Thanks for additional information

For this one  I will be using 10mm aluminium square tubing for the mast with a plastic cap and the arm bolted on with 12BA bolts hope I still have some they are getting a bit scarce 

I am currently checking out the meaning of a green fish tailed arm  it looked interesting have found a picture but nothing in writing yet

If it means the same I might go with that if not I will go with the more traditional yellow arm

regards John

[Anonymous]

John, on page 5 of my 1975 edition of John Armstrong's All About Signals book, he shows a distant semaphore blade as fishtailed and colored yellow or green. The stripe across the blade is V shaped as the end is.

Art

[Anonymous]

It gets really sad when a person like me needs a picture

[Anonymous]

 Perhaps I should have included this?

Art

[John Busby]

Hi Art

Thanks

Excellent now I can put together the hybrid that will not look out of place on a private railway in the Australian bush.

But every one will still know what it means even though to our eyes a fixed distant should be horizontal rather than the 45 degrees that it looks like the arm should (and will) be at for the US practice

Australian signaling is a sometimes peculiar mix of US and UK signaling practices and equipment

The main thing is it will now be a believable signal that I don't see every day at work

regards John