sign question

[espeefoamer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

UP and others often replaced the W or X with [._..] whistle code on the post vertically. Hardly ever see that anymore....Just saw that on the out of service Brighton to Erie UP Branchline north of Denver...

The only time I ever saw [ - - . - ]vertically was on the SOU. RY. in 1978.

[CShaveRR]

That's the correct description of a Southern crossing-whistle sign.

Which begs the question: were there ever any signs that showed other whistle signals? Obviously most signals are required for situations, not locations, but the one long blast approaching a station might be a possibility.

[ValleyX]

On the former Southern, they used a sign that essentially looked like this.

__
__
.
__

Which is sign language for two longs, a short, and a long. Why they thought this was a better idea is something I'd never understand and I can speculate but wouldn't hardly be POLITICALLY CORRECT to do so, would it?

[MP57313]

UP (ex-SP, PE) has some with "X" and a number, for the number of crossings ... branches through Colton and Torrance have these

[MP57313]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68
_
_
.
_

Several of these along NS (ex-Southern) routes in northern Virginia. They look a bit like the reflectors posted at the side of highways.

[mvlandsw]

My favorite sign is one that I read about in a magazine years ago. It was put up by someone on a small private crossing and said "Trains go over this crossing at up to 90 mph..... whether you are on it or not ".

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

UP and others often replaced the W or X with [._..] whistle code on the post vertically.

_
_
.
_
?

[mudchicken]

UP and others often replaced the W or X with [._..] whistle code on the post vertically. Hardly ever see that anymore....Just saw that on the out of service Brighton to Erie UP Branchline north of Denver...

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeffhergert
[
Regarding the "S", I don't know about the CP, but the Rock Island used white diamond sign with a black "S" for station one mile sign.
Jeff

"s" = facing point or head-in switch one mile on BNSF & its predecessors
mudchicken

Those were my thoughts, as the sign is white and has a black "S"; but the sign I see daily is at Bain Station road in Kenosha. The sign is only on track 1(double track CTC territory); there is a facing-point switch approximately ¼ mile from the sign, and the station (Truesdell) is about ½ mile from the sign.

[csxengineer98]

on csx... a W post..with an X under it means wistle post...muiltipul crossings...
csx engineer

[mudchicken]

"s" = facing point or head-in switch one mile on BNSF & its predecessors

On old MoPac, substitute "X" for "W"

On ATSF, as speed increased over 35mph, the 1/4 mile (1320') posting would increase up to 3000 feet at 90MPH (private crossings rarely, if ever, had whistle posts), depending on which of the three grand divisions you were on (Eastern, Western, Coast)

[jeffhergert]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

Used to be sequence 15L, beginning 1/4 mile before crossings.

I also have a sign question. On the CP in Wisconsin, there are white diamond-shaped signs with a "S" in the middle of the diamond, placed at various points along the tracks. The sign itself is much higher off the ground than the whistle posts. My guess, based on my limited observations, is that the signs indicate "facing point switch 1/4 mile", but I am not sure. Anybody know?

Rule 15 L, old Consolidated Code. The old Uniform Code was also 14 L. The GCOR is 5. something.
On the Union Pacific, the whistle post is an "X" although you can still find old "W" around.
Regarding the "S", I don't know about the CP, but the Rock Island used white diamond sign with a black "S" for station one mile sign.
Jeff

[tree68]

One could make a decent hobby out of studying whistle posts. Painted, cutout, molded concrete, wood, metal, you name it...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

Used to be sequence 15L, beginning 1/4 mile before crossings.

I also have a sign question. On the CP in Wisconsin, there are white diamond-shaped signs with a "S" in the middle of the diamond, placed at various points along the tracks. The sign itself is much higher off the ground than the whistle posts. My guess, based on my limited observations, is that the signs indicate "facing point switch 1/4 mile", but I am not sure. Anybody know?

I always thought that spring switches were identified by a double S, eg. "SS" but I suppose it can vary from railway to railway.

[Anonymous]

thanks everyone...

[csxengineer98]

yea...a lawyer would eat a company and a crew for lunch if someone was creamed with only 15 seconds of warning...they try and nail you to the wall now when you do blow like a crazy man and still hit them...its a no win situation in the long run for the crews....your damned if you..damned if you dont
csx engineer

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

Used to be sequence 15L, beginning 1/4 mile before crossings at grade.

the distance for the horn has always been the wistle post... unless thier inst one..and then its supost to be about 1/4 mile befor a crossing... depending on the speed of line that is crossing the road... a quarter mile is not long enough to warn people useing the crossing... when they upped the speed limet on my divistion..they allso moved the wistel posts back away from the crossing to give more warning time with the incressed speed...
csx engineer

I always wondered about that. When I was running, our division's freight trains ran in mostly 30mph territory, with a few spots of 40, and our Suburban division had all protected crossings, so whistling was not required. So yes, at 60mph, 15 seconds does not seem to be enough warning.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

Used to be sequence 15L, beginning 1/4 mile before crossings at grade.

the distance for the horn has always been the wistle post... unless thier inst one..and then its supost to be about 1/4 mile befor a crossing... depending on the speed of line that is crossing the road... a quarter mile is not long enough to warn people useing the crossing... when they upped the speed limet on my divistion..they allso moved the wistel posts back away from the crossing to give more warning time with the incressed speed...
csx engineer

[zardoz]

Used to be sequence 15L, beginning 1/4 mile before crossings.

I also have a sign question. On the CP in Wisconsin, there are white diamond-shaped signs with a "S" in the middle of the diamond, placed at various points along the tracks. The sign itself is much higher off the ground than the whistle posts. My guess, based on my limited observations, is that the signs indicate "facing point switch 1/4 mile", but I am not sure. Anybody know?

[csxengineer98]

its called a Wistle post... it tells the engineer to begin to blow the 14-L sequence they are placed befor road crossings...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

You may also find them before bridges or tunnels, but not always.

[Kozzie]

Still use W down here for sign to tell the engineers to sound the horn. A left over from the steam days. Even new signs go up with a W not an H...

Dave

[espeefoamer]

"w"= whistle. They are usually found near grade crossings.

[Anonymous]

i was wondering what the small signs i see with the letter "w" mean along the track. i see them in both directions. thanks