Signaling

[Anonymous]

Some of my friends and I have been wondering how to read some of the more complex signaling

[Anonymous]

green - clear
yellow over flashing green - approach limited
yellow over hard green - advance approach
flashing yellow or double yellow - approach medium
yellow over lunar - approach restricting
yellow - approach
red over green - diverging clear
red over double yellow - diverging approach diverging
red over flashing yellow - diverging approach medium
red over yellow - diverging approach
flashing red or hard red over flashing red - restricting
lunar - restricting
red with a G and a number plate - restricting
red - stop
dark - stop
i hope this helps. Rodney

[Modelcar]

You might check the January issue of TRAINS magazine as it features a good article and illustrations on the very subject as used on the Santa Fe R R.

QM

[Anonymous]

ty both

[Saxman]

There are two types of signal systems. Speed signals and Route signals. Rodney's reply was for the Route system. Which is to say what track the train is going to take at a crossover or switch. The speed of the crossover or switch would be listed in the timetable for that subdivision.

Speed signal systems give indications that tell the engineer as to what speed to approach the next signal and what speed to enter turnouts and crossovers. Basic speed signals would be as such:
Green - Clear - Proceed maximum Speed
Yellow - Appraoch - Prepare to stop at next signal.
Flashing Yellow - Advance Approach - Proceed prepared to stop at second signal.
Yellow over Flashing Green - Approach Limited (45 mph)
Yellow over Green - Approach Medium (30 mph)
Yellow over Yellow - Approach Slow (15 mph)
Red/Flashing Green/Red - Limited Clear (45 mph through turnout or crossover)
Red/Green/Red - Medium Clear (30 mph through turnout or crossover)
Red/Red/Green - Slow Clear (15 mph through turnout or crossover)
Red/Flashing Yellow/Red - Limited Approach (45 mph through turnout and crossover; then proceed prepared to stop at next signal)
Red/Yellow/Red - Medium Approach (30 mph through turnout or crossover; then proceed prepared to stop at next signal)
Red/Flashing Yellow, Red/Red/Flashing Yellow - Slow Approach (15 mph through turnout and crossover; then proceed to stop at next signal)
Red/Yellow, Red/Red/Yellow - Restricting
Red with number plate - Restricting
Red (no number plate), Red/Red, Red/Red/Red - Stop

Now it is test time. Using the information above, describe what the engineer must do at each signal listed below.

Signal A.) Green

Signal B.) Yellow over Falshing Green

Signal C.) Red/Flashing Yellow/Red

Signal D.) Red/Red/Red

Answer: Signal A. Clear - Proceed, Maximum Speed

Signal B. Approach Limited - Approach
Signal "C" not to
exceed 45 mph.

Signal C. Limited Approach - 45 mph
through turnout or crossover;
then proceed prepared to STOP at
Signal "D".

Signal D. Stop

There are other variations of these basic speed signals to fit the needs of the railroad that uses them. As example: Red/Yellow/Green - Medium Approach Medium (30 mph through turnout or crossover then procced approaching next signal not to exceed 30 mph)

General rules of thumb and observations in the feild:
On a three aspect signal in speed signals - Proceed indications in the Top aspect indicates Maximum Speed, Proceed indications in the Middle Aspect indicates Medium Speed, If Flashing in middle aspect indicates Limited Speed, Proceed indications in Bottom aspect indicates Slow speed.

Limited Speed = 45 mph
Medium Speed = 30 mph
Slow Speed = 15 mph

Speed signals tend to be used on railroads that used the Uniform Code of Operating Rules and Route Signals tend to be used on railroads that used the General Code of Operating Rules.

Again these are general obseravtions and there are exceptions depending on the railroad and their heritage through mergers or current practices.

I hope this helps you understand signal systems better. They are a fascinating part of railroading.

Saxman

[wabash1]

still another signaling sytem used by the road i work for
green = clear proceed
yellow = approach - appraoch next signal prepared to stop train or engine exciding meduim speed once at once reduce to that speed

red= with number plate is restricting procede at restricted speed not exciding 20mph

red no number plate= stop.

yellow over yellow = advance approach
flashing yellow = appoarch restricted meaning approach next signal at restricted speed not exceeding 15 mph.

red over green divirging clear procede through turn out or cross over at authorized speed. when rear gets out of the turn out take off

red over yellow diverging approach

dwarf yellow resticting.

those are the basics witht he exception of a few that other roads dont have and not nessesary to post here.

[Saxman]

It would appear, based on your roads signal indications, that the signal sysytem is of the route type. The fact that your road has indications of Diverging Clear and Diverging Approach leads me to this conclusion. I would guess that the speed through turnouts or crossovers is listed in the various subdivisions in your timetable.

My road dropped the trains exceeding Medium Speed must reduce to that speed portion of an Approach signal. However, I make a point of telling student engineers about it to get them to think about what an Approach indication is telling them. I ask them whether the next signal is an intermediate or an absolute? If they answer: "Just an intermediate." I will ask back: How far into the block must the rear end of a train ahead need to be in the block before the signal displays restricting?" This usually makes the point.

Have a Merry Christmas and hope you can stay home all day. May the Crew Callers phone be cursed.

[Anonymous]

Terry, you have taken the time to outline every signal aspect on your RR. On my line most of the indications that you gave are incorrect. Our signals are not listed as rout or speed signals. If we receive an approach limited the indication is: proceed prepared to pass the next signal not exceeding 60mph and to advance on diverging route. What I'm driving at is that whoever started this thread needs to identify which lines signaling he is interested in and maybe one of can help define the aspects and indications for that line.

[wabash1]

no the signaling system is abs. the way i have been taught is it is track condition if i get a approach that means something is in the next block it may be a train or a banner or a broken rail. the diverging is for out of sidings. we dont get diverging on main line moves. and like the other post said most every signal aspect you talk about dont mean anythiing on my division.

[Anonymous]

Hello group the reply above i gave was the BNSF signal guide other roads are somewhat diferent thak Chicago we play delevery boy to all of the Chicago railroads we carry the CORA guide for the signals on all of the Chicago roads as some of the railroads operate using the NORAC rules it can get a little confusing at times there as our medium speed is different form theres our approach limited is yellow over flashing green which means proceed prepaired to pass next signal not exceeding 60 mph and to advance on diverging route
advance approach yellow over green or yellow over green over red means proceed prepaired to pass next signal not exceeding 50 mph and to advance on diverging route
the above i gave was for high speed crossovers
flashing yellow or flashing yellow over red or flashing yellow over dark or double yellow or double yellow over red approach medium means proceed prepaired to pass next signal not exceeding 40 mph and be prepaired to enter diverging route at prescribed speed
yellow over lunar or yellow over lunar over red approach restricting mean proceed prepaired to pass next signal at restricted speed 20 mph or less
yellow or yellow over red or yellow over red over red yellow over dark or yellow over drrk over dark or yellow over drak over red or dark over yellow approach proceed prepaired to stop at next signal trains exceeding 30 mph immediately reduce to that speed
red over green or red over green over red or red over red over green or red over green over dark diverging clear proceed on diverging route not exceeding prescribed speed thruogh turnout
red over yellow over yellow diverging approach diverging mean proceed on diverging route not exceeding prescribed speed through turnout prepaired to advance on diverging route at the next signal not exceeding prescribed speed thorugh turnout
red over flashing yellow or red over flashing yellow over red diverging approach medium means proceed on diverging route not exceeding prescribed speed through turnout prepaired to pass next swignal not eceddding 35 mph
red over yellow or red over yellow over red or red over red over yellow or red over yellow over dark diverging approach means proceed on diverging route not exceeding perscribed speed through turnout approach next signal prepairing to stop if exceeding 30 mph immediately reduce to that speed
CTC has more signals than ABS but they all mean the same to the operating crews. Rodney

[wabash1]

If i was a conductor and you was my engineer i be spending most of my time on the gound walking my train as i be putting it in emergency. I am glad i work in abs and dark territory as all those other signals must be pretty to look at but in realality could be done away with. stop, restricting , approach ,clear, diverging route is all the signals you need.

[csxengineer98]

bottom line, get a rule book for the rail road that you want to know the meaning of the signals that your looking at. each rail road has its own way of doing things. one signal indication on one rail road might not mean exactly the same thing on another rail road.
the some of the signals your talking about, i have never even hard of on CSX. that just proves my point more
hope this helps you a bit more
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

Yes CSX engineer it sure does being I get to make a few Chicago tirps and thank god for the CORA book for your signals as you are right some of your speeds are differant than on my road the BNSF and also you have some other signals that we do not have. As for every tihing else I do realy enjoy working TWC dark and even TWC ABS with just a few pockets of CTC it is much easier because green means go yellow is approach and red with a number plate is a stop and proceed much easier. Rodney

[wabash1]

you say you stop on a red with a number plate. we dont unless the last signal was a clear. on a restricting we just keep moving along. i hope you didnt take offense to my statement as i cant understand the meaning of medium clear and all those others when a more simplified system is used by other roads. and it wont do any good to exsplain. as the roads i run dont use this system and i am one track minded today anyways. have a good day.

[Anonymous]

Red with a number plate is a stop and proceed
red with a number plate and a G which indicates a grade is proceed at restricted speed that is the way it is on BNSF. Rodney

[Anonymous]

Guys, you are trying to relate aspects and indications of different roads. As long as I know the aspects and indications of my road, I don't care. I don't care if the CN uses green over purple for approach restricting. Whatever works for them.

[wabash1]

If that is the way you see it . then so be it, i was really picking apart the meaning he was giving about a aspect. i dont care if they use checker flags at the yard boards to say you are done. but the signal was the same the meaning was slightly differant. i wanted clarifacation on it. excuse me for affending you while i was asking a question. Ill try and refrain from doing that in the future.

[csxengineer98]

please see my frist posting about all of this.. and do it... that is the only way you will be able to understand what evey rail roads signals mean... each rail line has thier own way of doing things.... but since the red signal is such a hot topic in here now... csx says, red with a numberplate is proceed at restricted speed... we dont have to stop..but we damn' better be able to stop within one half the range of vision... and i dont care what rail road your on...a red signal without a numberplate means STOP!! DO NOT PASS GO..DO NOT COLLECT 200 BUCKS... THE ONLY THING YOU WILL GET IF YOU GO PAST THAT WITHOUT PERMISSION IS A PINK SLIP!!!! and that is if your lucky... you might not be alive if you go by it and smash into another train...
csx engineer

[wabash1]

touchy are we... well to tell the truth i dont care about other roads signals i was only concerned about the definition of the one in question. most signals are uniform in meaning. this was why i had the question. even on the ns we have 3 differant systems.

[Anonymous]

Yes you are somewhat right green is go yellow is approach and red is stop the fun part for me is when I get to operate on the CSX, CSX/CONRAIL, NS, NS/CONRAIL, CNIC/WC, IHB and the BRC some of there signals are somewhat the same as ours on the BNSF but the speeds are diffrent that is why we carry the CORA it means Chicago operating rules association it can keep the crew out of a whole lot of trouble. Rodney

[wabash1]

yes ive learned from exsperance the meaning of the signals on out territory and the signals of the other roads we use also . csx,ic,bnsf but the other roads we travel on are in yard limits and at most times restricted speed.

[Anonymous]

I am amazed that there is no single signal standard for RR's .. the FRA should develop a single system for use all over the US ... and actually, with NAFTA, we should have one signal system for all of north america. .

Imagine if all the states had their roads signaled the way the railroads do .. with red meaning one thing in AL, and something else in MS ...