As the title says, anyone know any good books explaining signals and application? What to use, when to use, and where to use.
TIA
San Dimas Southern slideshow
There is one book, long out of print and hard to find, that pretty well covers the subject in general terms - All About Signals, by John Armstrong. It's actually a reprint of articles from Trains magazine, June and July 1957, so you might want to contact our gracious forum hosts about copies if you can't find the book itself.
About the only thing he doesn't include is the staff-and-ticket system using two-position lower-quadrant semaphores. As Murphy would have it, that's the system my prototype used in territory where there were no automatic block signals.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
"Railroad Signalling" by Brian Solomon. Covers types of signals (including grade crossing signs / signals) and their uses.
http://www.railbookstore.com/railbookstore/Detailed/1049.html
There is quite a bit of information on the Internet too. One of the best places is
http://www.railroadsignals.us/
This site covers more than one RR. There is also a YG signal group if we can't help.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Go to the Google books site. There are numerous books available free for the downloading.
Have fun
How to Operate Your Model Railroad by Bruce Chubb
I think it is out of print, but you might be able to find a used copy somewhere.
Also, the Operations SIG has a lot of information on their website. Check out the Operations Bibliography and books listing.
-George
"And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers ride their father's magic carpet made of steel..."