FLASHING SIGNAL

[louisnash]

CSX on the one particular signal that I always see has a flashing green light on the bottom. The actual signal displays red on top and green flashing on bottom. I know this indicates that the train will be taking the next siding. But why does it flash? I thought maybe to tell the engineer he will take the siding, but he should know that, knowing the rails like the back of his hand. If it is telling him to slow why not just make it yellow.
Thanks for the info.
BRIAN (KY)

[JoeKoh]

Brian
I see this alot up here.It usually means a hotshot intermodal is passing a mixed freight in the yard at gm or he is passing a train before the yard.Csx has 3 crossovers here in the defiance area.the green means he should have a green at the next signal.It is fun to hear railcars especially autoracks hit the crossover when one train passes another.ba-bam ba-bam.
stay safe
joe

[edblysard]

Sounds like Diverging Clear. Your guess was right, it means the turnout is lined for the diverging route, or a siding.
GCOR rule 9.1.8
Aspect, red over green, Name: Diverging clear, Indication: proceed on diverging route not exceeding prescribed speed through turnout.
Ed

[csxns]

They are flashing yellow lights on the NS between Linwood yard and Spencer.

[CShaveRR]

To answer your question about why the flashing green, and not yellow, I have to make a couple of assumptions (the CSX section of my CORA book doesn't show this particular signal). I'm assuming that this signal is not at the siding switch itself, but is one block in advance of it. If so, it would probably be named something like "advance approach medium", and the signal at the siding switch itself would be a red over a steady green, or "medium clear", indicating that he takes the diverging route at the prescribed speed.

Why not a yellow? Because this flashing green is more permissive to the engineer. A yellow would tell him to proceed prepared to stop at the next signal, whereas this one is basically telling him to be traveling at the prescribed speed for entering the siding.

"Knowing the railroad like the back of one's hand" really has nothing to do with it, as long as there is an option in the routing.

The use of the word "Diverging" in the signal name is a western phenomenon, and probably doesn't come into play on CSX.

Carl

[edblysard]

In our timetable flashing yellow is:
Name: Approach Restricting
Aspect: Flashing Yellow or
Yellow over lunar
Indication: Proceed prepared to pass next signal at restricted speed.
Used to warn crew that the next signal they see will be yellow, restricted speed, and that the signal after that one may be even more restrictive, or may not, depends on the circustances, the dispatcher may be waiting for a opposing train to get in the clear in a siding, or a train to clear the block after the yellow. If the third block clears before you enter the it, the signal may stay yellow for that one also, or may go the green if the opposing traffic is clear or the train you are following is at least four blocks ahead of you.
Each railroad has it own signal system, Pennsey had their position lights, Santa Fe had it own odd way, but most follow a general code.
Ed

[louisnash]

Carl,
Thanks for the info. I kind of figured that's why the green was like that, all the responses I got back have explained it a little further.

Thanks,
BRIAN (KY)

[Anonymous]

Hi Brian and group I just looked that signal up in the cora book for the Chicago area that signal is a limited clear which means proceed at limited speed through turnouts, crossovers, sidings and over power-operated switches. Rodney conductor BNSF

[Anonymous]

Even though we don't have "flashing" signals up here anymore, I still ahve it in my older RR book as a "Diverging Clear" jsut like ED posted above.

Cheers,
Kev